Elena was thoroughly exhausted, but she managed to keep her eyes on Mateo as he shouted incantations and fired bolts of light at Haywire. From the other side, Quita Moz continued to swoop at Haywire, his glowing scales apparently burning the raven-spirit whenever they did connect.

Haywire was not having a good time. He let out several piercing shouts and flew lower to the ground.

Elena glanced at Mateo again. They were so close to victory she could sense it! She allowed herself a faint smile, but then grimaced as she noticed Haywire's wraith-army flying closer- obeying the command of their king.

They couldn't fight the wraiths and Haywire at the same time! What were they going to do?

"Give up now!" Mateo shouted at the raven-spirit between incantations. "Leave Avalor - forever!"

"Mateo?" Elena tugged on his sleeve questioningly as she pointed to the Shadow Spirits coming up behind them.

Mateo glanced that direction then did a double take. The surprise and fear in his eyes shook Elena's last bit of hope.

Perhaps Avalor was doomed after all.

"You heard the wizard king! Go home," called Quita Moz as he flicked his tail across Haywire's face, briefly scalding the rogue Spirit Guide.

Haywire's angry shout only brought the Shadow Spirits closer though. Elena had one hand wrapped around Migs' neck, but she found Mateo's arm with her other hand, and clung to him in defeat.

I'm sorry, she thought weakly, not sure whether she was apologizing to herself, to her late-parents, to her child, or to Avalor as a whole.

I let you down.

The Shadow Spirits were getting closer - near enough that Elena could feel their cold breath hovering over her clammy skin.

She closed her eyes as there was an anguished shout.

"How is this possible? No!"

Elena opened her eyes again. Haywire was flying in circles, clearly distressed. Around him, faint swirls of white light darted in and out, apparently plaguing the raven-spirit.

"It's the rest of the sunbirds!" Mateo whispered, breathlessly. "He must have alerted them somehow."

"They're experts at invisibility," Elena murmured, still not believing her eyes. The Shadow Spirits around them were slowly falling back down to the ground, hollering in pain.

"How do you get rid of shadows? You fight with light," Mateo was talking to himself, still watching the glowing sunbirds with awe.

Elena wished she had her Spector, so she could shout 'Blaze' and join in the fight. However, it was costing her enough energy to stay seated on Migs, so she tried to wait patiently as Quita Moz's friends and family attacked the Shadow Spirits the same way they were attacking Haywire.

With powerful bursts of light.

Elena kept watching the Shadow Spirits. "Migs?" she asked her jaquin friend. "Does it look like the Shadow Spirits lose their powers when the light hits them? They keep heading back to the ground. And they turn less grayish. I think." Elena frowned, watching the bewildering scene around her. "Do you think they'll turn back into themselves?"

"I certainly hope so, your majesty," said Migs. Elena figured he was thinking about Skylar, Luna, and the rest of the jaquins.

"Stop! Stop! I command you to leave me alone!" Haywire bellowed, rage filling his words as he tried to dodge Quita Moz and the other sunbirds. It wasn't working though. Their light seemed to be debilitating the raven-spirit.

Haywire flew lower to the ground, so Migs did as well. The Shadow Spirits were already back on the ground, crawling like wasps that had been sprayed with grease. Their movements were sluggish and somehow they looked more solid. Elena hoped and prayed they would revert to their former selves.

"Leave Avalor and never return!" Mateo was still shouting at Haywire. "You can't take our land!"

"But Avalor is mine!" Haywire roared in pain as another bolt of light from the tamborita scalded his wings. He dropped the final distance to the ground and a moment later, Migs landed as well.

Elena was so thankful to be back on solid Earth that it took her a moment to comprehend what was happening. But then she saw Haywire cowering against the sunbirds and she forced herself to stand straight and march over to him.

He had to know that it was over. He would never be welcome in their land. Ever.

"Give up, Haywire," Elena's voice wasn't as loud as she would've liked, but it was strong enough to catch the rogue Spirit Guide's attention. "The sunbirds are allies of Avalor. A land of light. We will let you go in peace, knowing that you have been defeated, but you must stay in the Shadow Realm and never step foot in our world again."

She briefly glanced at those around her, noticing that Isa, Gabe, and Esteban were no longer surrounded by Shadow Spirits in the fountain, but were standing alongside Mateo and Migs proudly.

"If you ever invade our land again- or the world of the Spirit Guides -you will have to again contend with Mateo and the sunbirds. And with me."

Elena again wished for her glowing Spector, but she hoped her threat would suffice by itself.

Haywire's beady eyes were shadowed; he was worn, and in anguish, and quite clearly, unable to continue the fight.

Elena only wished they had figured out how to defeat him sooner. Light. That was all they had needed. It was simple, but in the panic and chaos, Avalor had almost been defeated.

She rested a hand over her stomach and vowed it would never happen again.

"Avalor should have been mine," Haywire finally growled in response. "I conquered the Spirit Realm! I was the King!"

"Only through conquest. And when you return to the Shadow Realm, you will release the Spirit Guides." Mateo tapped a fist against his tamborita. "I'll make sure of it."

"And know to help your friends," said Quita Moz, moving forward. He glanced at Elena and Mateo apologetically. "I'm not sure if this will work- as always, there are many probable outcomes. But for the sake of those you love, it is worth a shot, yes?"

Elena watched anxiously as Quita Moz's body began to glow. He swung his tail against a huddle of Shadow Spirits, and as the light began to burn them, the transparent-gray color began to recede.

"It's working!" Mateo whispered breathlessly. He aimed his tamborita at another cluster of Shadow Spirits and began coating them in light.

Quita Moz was now staring at a terrified group of villagers and jaquins. His light bath had seemed to work.

Elena darted forward and threw her arms around them, unthinking. Fortunately though, it had indeed worked, and instead of turning into a wraith, Elena was free to hug the confused civilians. They appeared to have no memory of what they had been doing, or why the Queen was hugging them, but they were gracious enough not to comment on her affections.

"Your majesty," Migs began. "I will be happy to help the sunbirds escort the prisoner to the portal." He flicked his tail toward the shadowy hole in the sky.

Elena broke away from the townspeople and nodded, turning to face Haywire one last time. "Avalor is not to be messed with, understand? I hope to never see you again."

"Likewise, your majesty," spat the raven-spirit. Flanked by two of Quita Moz's sunbird friends, Haywire fluttered his wings and headed into the sky. Migs followed, staring at Haywire suspiciously and Elena watched from the ground, her eyes never leaving Haywire until he was safely through the portal- which the songbirds proceeded to seal behind him.

Only then did Elena sink to the ground and sigh in relief.

Avalor was safe.

The world around her seemed blurry. Mateo and the sunbirds were turning the Shadow Spirits back to their former selves. Her friends were swarming around her. Voices were falling in and out of her mind, swirling together. Elena closed her eyes wearily.

When she woke up, she was in a bed in the palace- not her own bed- she remembered the falling chandelier with a grimace. But still- she felt safe and rested. How long had she been out?

A more pressing concern struck Elena. Was the baby okay?

She tried to sit up just as someone entered the room. "Elena?"

It was Mateo. He rushed to her side and crouched by the bed. "How are you feeling?"

"The baby! I-"

"The baby's perfectly fine," Mateo interrupted. "You simply fell asleep. We had a doctor look you over last night - after we turned him from a Shadow Spirit to a human- and he said there was nothing to worry about. You were simply exhausted - and both of you needed a good night's sleep." Mateo smiled and Elena tried to ignore the lines beneath his eyes. Obviously he needed rest too. She felt guilty for collapsing and leaving him to deal with everything.

"I'm sorry I wasn't more help," Elena began. "I should have-"

"You were perfect," Mateo interrupted again. "You kept Haywire distracted long enough for me to find Quita Moz. We owe the sunbirds big time, but in all, saving Avalor was a group effort. And I'm proud of you."

Mateo stared deeply into her eyes and Elena smiled, reaching out to run a hand along the side of his face.

Avalor was safe. Her family was safe, and for now, that was all that mattered.

•••

Mateo walked down the palace hallway, trying to remember when the Council meeting was scheduled. Only that morning, they had said goodbye to the sunbirds, who had insisted that they didn't need any sort of reward.

"We take comfort in knowing Avalor is justly ruled. Helping you in your hard times is something friends do," Quita Moz had told them. Then he had winked at Elena and Mateo and told them to visit any time they happened to be in Vallestrella.

All the jaquins had been restored, and Migs and Skylar had led a troop of them back to King Verago to assure him that everything was fine. Luna had stayed behind, promising to guard Elena in their absence, but Mateo was happy to know that his lovely wife was perfectly fine. She and Esteban had spent all morning inspecting the palace for further Earthquake damage, and discovered that most of the repairs would only take a few months -at most.

Naomi and her parents had been restored to their human selves- along with the rest of the Avalorian people, and even the Spirit Guides. Mateo had had a lengthy discussion about Haywire with Zuzo and Cacahuate, who had both been quite offended by the rogue Spirit Guide's takeover. "What nerve?! Turning us to Shadow Spirits?" Zuzo had of course been very grateful to the sunbirds, but Mateo figured it would be a long time before Zuzo forgave Haywire- if ever.

Naomi had been just as fiery about it. "I can't believe you guys let him live!" Esteban had agreed with her, but Elena had felt they made the right decision.

"His subjects are free- fully restored to whoever they were before. Haywire is all alone- in exile in the Shadow realm." Elena had narrowed her eyes threateningly. "And if he ever does try anything again, we know exactly how to defeat him."

In all, everyone was doing well. Gabe and the other royal guards were still mourning the loss of the group who had been killed in the Earthquake, but Gabe was doing a good job as Captain, and and in time, it would get easier.

And then of course, there was the matter of Isabel and Gabe. Mateo paused his walking as he heard laughter coming from the courtyard below. He peeked out the open window. Sure enough, it was Isabel giggling as Gabe attempted to teach her a fencing move. They had been spending all their free time together, and Mateo would hardly be surprised if there was a royal engagement by the end of the year. He had been just as shocked as anyone to learn about their relationship, but the more he had thought about it, he wondered why no one had realized it sooner. Isabel and Gabe were perfectly suited for each other- and if they were married, Gabe would never have worry about the Princess's evening security detail ever again.

Practical Gabe.

Mateo smiled to himself as he passed Elena's abuela in the hallway.

"Oh, um, you wouldn't happen to know what time the Council meeting is, would you?" He smiled at Luisa sheepishly.

"It's after lunch," she told him, grinning back in her typical grandmotherly fashion. "You should know these things, Mr. Wizard-king."

Mateo rolled his eyes at her teasing and turned down another hallway, where Esteban was still inspecting a crack in the wall. The rest of the palace staff was offering suggestions, ranging from actually fixing it, to simply covering it with a tapestry.

Mateo decided to avoid the upcoming bloodshed, and he quickly ducked into another room. His room. Until the chandelier damage was repaired, he and Elena were staying in the guest wing- which was fine until Mateo forgot which room was theirs and accidentally wandered into Elena's abuelos' room one afternoon while Francisco was telling himself stories about los tres.

Mateo double-checked the door to his own room, then found Elena inside, brushing her hair and humming.

"The meeting isn't until after lunch," Mateo announced, waltzing forward to wrap his arms around her. "What do you have on your schedule until then?"

Elena smiled at him and then glanced out the window overlooking the peaceful kingdom, bustling about in the light of the mid-morning sun. "Nothing. Nothing at all."

•••

Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this crazy story! :)