Elissabat was eager to reveal her plan and would do so after dinner. The monsters seated furthest away from her complained in low voices about the cancelation of the party. At first, I found myself surprised that they felt so strongly about it-this wasn't high school, yet their complaints made me feel as if I was sitting at the creepateria from another time. Another life. But then I noticed the tired look in their eyes, so similar to the same expressions they held before the last party back at the camp. Except this time those five years of struggle resurfaced in the form of grief and exhaustion.
Cleo was right. The situation with Nefera was pressing, but we needed a party more than ever.
I nodded at every gripe thrown my way, but the tension I felt didn't let up. Whatever Elissabat had planned, it could bring either relief of distress amongst the monsters, nevermind how Nefera's revelation turned out. I remembered the gleam in Elissabat's eye when she first talked about the ideas she had for Nefera; her kingdom. Not to mention her constant, overtly doting attitude she had around us.
Once we all ate, she gathered everyone upstairs in the media room. The seats were quickly taken up while most monsters crowded along the walls.
Then the television screen blinked on and recorded footage played.
Besides the flashy banner stating, Important Announcement, at the bottom of the screen, nothing happened. All we saw was an area presumably on the palace grounds. It was hard to make out anything in the gloom. Finally, someone gradually stepped out of it.
Nefera.
Cleo grumbled about her sister's need for the dramatics, and Nefera didn't disappoint. She gave a long, sad story that started with the fall of Monster High. She said she was once a student, and she loved the school dearly. The moment she said it, I almost felt sorry for her. She continued with a little more flare, melodramatically stating that she watched everyone she loved die. The room was gravely quiet at that. Nefera said she wished she could have saved them, especially poor, sweet... me. Frankie Stein.
"But," she continued, holding her hand to her heart, "when I tried to use my trove of magical amulets to save her, I accidentally did something I deeply regret... I swapped bodies with her." She paused, and the werewolves in the room growled. Nefera's lips upturned for a split second, and Cleo and a few others scoffed. Then Nefera held her arms out, her expression remarkably serious, and said, "I, Nefera de Nile, have been your Queen all along. And although I managed to revive my own body, all this time, Frankie Stein..." she looked down, "was gone."
Then she kept going. Something about being extremely upset and apologizing for misleading everyone, yet it was an "honor" to be their leader. I think she started crying. But I could hardly listen. Her words were like stones in my gut.
After impersonating me for years, I was cast aside in her narrative. Dead.
It felt like hours before Nefera's speech ended; maybe it had been. Elissabat turned on the lights.
"How long did she rehearse that?" Toralei grumbled.
"She sure looked like she was havin' fun," Operetta said.
"Are you joking?" Cleo said. "She hated every minute of that. Reducing herself to look like a petty martyr." She scoffed. "She's just glad it gets her what she wants."
"How are people buying this crap?" Holt said.
"It's a bit controversial," Spectra said, eyes glued to her iCoffin. "But, believe it or not, audiences are taking it really well."
"Which is exactly why the whole story needs to be told," Elissabat said. "Body-swapping gone wrong may be permissible in the monster world, but altering the world altogether might prove inexcusable."
"So you want to confront her," Cleo stated. "Then what?"
"Yeah," Toralei said. "Are you going to punish her?"
Elissabat nodded. "Yes. But there's no way I'm infiltrating the palace alone." She glanced about the room expectantly. Did she want us to come with her? Was this her plan?
Toralei slid off the couch. "Okay."
The twins hissed. "Really, Toralei?" Meowlody said beside Purrsephone, whose eyes widened in surprise.
"You don't have to come if you don't want to," Toralei snapped. She turned to the rest of us. "Anyone else?"
"I'm up for it," Operetta said.
"You can't be serious," said Johnny Spirit, who seemingly ignored us until now.
"Seriously? You were suspicious of the Queen from the start." Operetta crossed her arms. "I'm going." When the ghost didn't reply, she joined Elissabat and Toralei on the opposite side of the room.
The two Wolf sisters began to walk across and Clawd said, "Whoa, wait, do we really need to do this now?"
"If we're leaving tonight, then why not?" Howleen said.
"But we just got here," Clawd said. He reached a tentative hand out to his sisters but pulled back. Draculaura clung onto his arm.
"We're going to expose the Queen for what she's done," Clawdeen said. "Plain and simple."
"We've been waiting for years, Clawd," Romulus said. He put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "This is the right time."
"But Nefera's actions won't disappear," Iris said.
"Exactly," Clawd said. He sent a pleading gaze toward his sisters. "Nefera still changed the world. Why can't this wait?"
"The sooner this news gets out, the better," Spectra said. "And people will be eager to hear more after what she just revealed."
"Wait," Gigi said, her hands held out, "I thought we weren't going to do this." She stood up. "I thought we were past this 'revenge' idea."
"It's not revenge, Gigi," Elissabat said. "It's justice. Everyone has the right to know what happened, and it shouldn't be hidden anymore."
"But what about the Internet?" the genie retorted. She gestured at Spectra, who hovered nearest to the screen. "She's already written a news article, hasn't she? Why do we have to do it this way?"
"Because it's the best way," Elissabat replied calmly. "It's what the Queen deserves."
The room grew silent, and I stared down at my feet. I braced myself to feel resentment, frustration, or even fear, but Nefera's speech kept playing over and over in my head and... I felt nothing. Everyone else was embittered to make a move, and after everything Nefera had done—after everything she put my friends through—something just wasn't right.
Without looking back, I rose to my feet and left the room. I didn't expect a green glow to be waiting right outside.
"Hi," Porter said, oddly cheery.
I pointed at the closing door. "Why aren't you inside?"
He grimaced, then looked to the floor. "I hate to say it, but it's not my business, I guess. I'm just visiting."
"But don't you care at least a little?" I asked. "This is Spectra's home, you know."
"Believe me when I say I'd do anything for her," he said earnestly. "But..." He bit his lip in thought. "From what I know—which is a lot, by the way—I don't really... agree."
"Agree?" I said. "You mean with what they're doing?"
Porter sighed. "Kind of. I dunno. It just feels like they're doing it wrong."
"You think they shouldn't confront the Queen head-on?" I asked.
"No, no. These monsters have been doing nothing but waiting for something like this to happen."
"Do you mind explaining?"
He chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "You ask a lot of questions, Frankie." He sighed. "I'm not the best with words, but I guess what I'm trying to say is..." Porter drifted off, his brows scrunched together in thought. "A lot of stuff has happened, sure, and a lot of that stuff is 'cause of the Queen, but to these monsters, it's all about her. It's never been about them." He grimaced. "Do you get what I'm saying?"
I gave him a slow nod. "Yes. I think so."
"Don't get me wrong, the Queen deserves whatever they got planned," Porter said sternly, "but life's only so short, ya know?" He grinned. "Take it from someone who's dead."
I smiled. "Yeah, I think I will."
We parted ways and I headed down the hall. I was surprised to see Whisp's door open again. When I peered inside, she wasn't there.
"Were you looking for me?"
I glanced over my shoulder and turned to see her.
"I had a late dinner," Whisp said. "Where is everyone?"
"They're watching something a few rooms down," I said. I didn't want to specify they planned to confront Nefera. Whisp had been the one to help her climb to the top; she couldn't be sent out to confront Nefera so soon after escaping.
She moved past me and into her room. "Well, if they're there then Elissabat's probably showing them the recording."
"Recording?" I faked ignorance.
She nodded. "Invisi Billy was talking about it downstairs. Guess he left halfway or something." She sighed. "It's about time Nefera revealed herself. How long has it been? Five years?"
"Yeah, yeah." I rubbed at my arm. "Five years."
Whisp shook her head. "Typical." She had her hand on the doorknob. "Anything you wanted to talk to me about?"
I hesitated. Whisp didn't look eager to confront Nefera she looked like she wanted to avoid everything about her. I shook my head. "Nope."
Whisp didn't need to be a part of this, and neither did anyone else. I turned on my heel, but Whisp called out to me and I looked over my shoulder at her.
She stared at her hands. "If... If Nefera coming clean about her identity has something to do with... With..." She sighed and looked up at me. "I know my ties to the Queen and Valentine make me untrustworthy-"
I shook my head. "You're not—"
"I am," she stated firmly. "Even though I'm on your side. Valentine is my finder, and there's nothing that can be done about that."
"But he can't use you against us," I said, taking a step toward her. "He hasn't called for you this whole time, and you were locked away in a room where your magic was sapped out of you for years. You can't control who your finder is, but you can control your intentions, and despite everything that's happened, you didn't intend to cause what's happened to the world. That's on Nefera. So I trust you, even if your finder is working with the Queen."
Her gaze met the floor, and she was silent for a beat. "I know you're right, but I wish he would call. Is that wrong of me?"
"No, not at all." I took another step toward her. "You were friends. But remember that we're your friends, too, Whisp. And the difference between us and him is that we won't use you. You may think you can't be trusted but trust us, Whisp. You're safe here."
She nodded, and she finally met my gaze. I could tell she was thankful, but also that she didn't want to dwell on the subject any longer. I sent her a smile, and she retreated into her room.
I quickly went back to talk with the monsters in the media room. But when I entered, it was empty.
For a second, I didn't move. Panic built up within me and I hurriedly left the room, only to collide with Cleo.
"Frankie! What's wrong?"
When I caught my balance, I blinked. Cleo was dressed in a long, golden gown. "Cleo... Where is everyone?"
She placed a hand on her hip. "Getting ready for the party."
I gaped at her. "But—but I thought Elissabat said you couldn't throw one tonight."
"She did. But then I talked some sense in everyone." Cleo flipped her hair back. "You really should've been there. I was very persuasive." She clapped her hands together. "Now, get ready! It takes time to plan a party, and I don't have much time to set up."
With a quick nod of my head, I moved past her and straight into my room. I opened my closet doors and ran my fingers along the daring silky red dress. This wasn't about the Queen or the mess that was the past five years of everyone's unlives. This would be more than that. My bolts buzzed in my excitement.
The party was back on.
