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think you should send her to a mental hospital before she hurts somebody.”
    Nurse Olive replied, “That’s ridiculous, Tonya.”
    The closet door swung open and Conroe stepped out. “I’ll tell you why they’re in my room, Nurse Olive. They came in here to beat me up.”
    Tonya and her buddies stared at Conroe, dumbfounded.
    Conroe wondered what the girls had done with the scissors and the flashlight. She would probably find them under her bed.
    “Get back to your rooms,” Nurse Olive ordered. “And you will be losing privileges.”
    Tonya protested, “That’s not fair!”
    “Would you prefer to go to Solitary?”
    “No, ma’am,” Tonya answered.
    “Then you’d better be in your rooms in the next fifteen seconds.” Nurse Olive watched them run down the hallway and then turned back to Conroe. “Goodnight, Conroe. Sorry for the disturbance.” She started to walk out, and then she turned around. “Why aren’t you in your pajamas?”
    “I…don’t know. I was reading in bed. I must have dozed off.”
    “Hmm.” Nurse Olive did not seem to be convinced.
    Conroe maintained her innocent expression.
    “Goodnight.” Nurse Olive turned off the lights, walked out, and closed the door.
    Conroe lay on her bed and winked at her ceiling, knowing Geneva was watching.

 
     
     
     
     
     
    16
     
    G eneva watched Conroe on the screen and shook her head. “Oh, sweetie, I hope you know what you are doing.”
    There was a knock at the door.
    She closed the lid of the time travel computer and covered it with a scarf. Then she went to the door and opened it just enough to peek out. It was Conroe’s father, the husband of the queen, Wally Williamson.
    “Where’s Conroe?” he asked.
    “She’s, uh, in the bath, sire.”
    Wally checked the hallway in both directions. “Let me in, please.”
    She opened the door, and he walked in. At six foot eight, he had to duck under the doorway. Geneva wondered how he stayed so thin, considering the daily feasts that were prepared by the royal servants. Perhaps worrying about Conroe kept his appetite in check.
    Geneva closed the door behind him.
    He studied her eyes. “Where is she—really?”
    “Well, I…”
    “She went to see that boy, didn’t she?” Wally asked. “She’s using the time travel computer.”
    “You know about that?”
    “Yes, but don’t mention it to anyone else. I can’t have this getting back to the queen.”
    “Certainly not, sire. But the queen is your wife. Do you not tell her everything?”
    “As a general rule, yes. But this was a very special secret between Conroe and me. I knew her mother would not approve. I hope you’re keeping her safe. What’s happening?”
    “Not much right now.”
    He followed her over to the dresser, and she uncovered the time travel computer and opened the lid. They saw Conroe lying in her bed at Philly.
    “Good,” Wally said. “Now maybe I can get some sleep too. But what about you?”
    “I can take a nap on Conroe’s bed. I am using the motion sensor functionality to monitor activity in her room. So, any major movement will set off the alarm and wake me up.”
    He smiled. “Thanks, Geneva. You are a wonderful friend to Conroe.”
    “She would do the same for me.”
    “I’m certain that she would.” He started to walk toward the door. “But you’re not planning to resort to time travel to find yourself a—”
    “No, no. I have sufficient time to find a suitor for myself, and I plan to find him right here in the kingdom. I have no worries of becoming an old maid.”
    Wally breathed a sigh of relief, nodding his head. “Goodnight, Geneva.”
    “Goodnight, sire.”

 
     
     
     
     
     
    17
     
    A t the edge of the Kingdom of Ampla, atop a small hill, stood the unobtrusive OutCastle—the home of Opal Edelsburg, the twin sister of the queen. As was her habit late in the evening, Opal sat in her bedroom drinking hot tea in her leather wingback chair in front of the fireplace.
    Her chambermaid,