Three Days Later, 5:30 a.m. Inside Quig's Apartment:

Dot yawned and stretched as she walked out of Betsy's room. "Those ghosts are quieter than whatever loser is knocking at this hour." Grew-Ella wore Quig's spare wedding suit and opened the door. She spoke to Quig's brother-in-law. "She's still sleeping."

The man slammed the door shut and took a swig from a near-empty bottle of vodka. He shouted at Quig. "You're supposed to be watching my daughter, and you're playing house with Grew-Ella!"

"Did you drive here drunk in a snowstorm?" Grew-Ella asked.

"I'm not drunk." He belched and tossed the bottle in the trash. "Quig had no right to keep women here."

"Grew-Ella was caught in the ground blizzard. I emailed her mother. She understands this was an emergency, and my sister is here," Quig said. "Besides, you of all people shouldn't judge me."

"I'm only here to claim custody early; the court will side with me anyway," the man snapped.

Quig spoke. "Grew-Ella is going to drop her off with Mom Avery-Joy when my mother is done volunteering."

"Avery-Joy isn't your real mom. At least Karen publicly adopted Grew-Ella," her father said. "She only used you to fool people into thinking she isn't evil."

"Don't badmouth Mom Avery-Joy. She was more of a parent than you and my sister are," Quig snapped.

Grew-Ella coughed and spoke. "Nothing happened, and even if I kissed Quig, which I did not, you've seen Betsy five times in almost seven years. Taking her out of school without Ida was a violation of the court order." She reached for her buzzing phone. "Avery-Joy texted me. Stanton is still lurking around, and Betsy and I need to stay longer."

Betsy rushed out of the bedroom and spoke to her birth father. "Auntie Grew-Ella threw Poppa Quig a birthday party, and I drew abstract art-style birthday cards." She pointed at her scribbled artwork taped to the wall. "My dad deserves all the birthday cards."

"Wow, Karen loves to teach those big art terms." Quig hugged Betsy.

"You think he's your dad. How cute," her bio father snapped. "He's not your real dad; that honor goes to me."

"Quig is her dad in the eyes of God," Dot said.

Rapid knocking startled them, and Quig stared through the door's glass peephole. He grabbed Betsy and left her in the bedroom.

"I obtained a court order," Rodrick said.

Quig unlatched the locks and fumbled for the doorknob.

Squad members stood in the hall, and they entered.

Dot checked her phone. "I'll be back later. Chase is going to pick me up. He's doing deliveries for me this week. His Camper has snow tires and none of the other drivers can help."

"When did you become buddies with Chase?" Quig asked.

"Now is not the time, but I have been friends with him for a while." Dot left.

Windows rattled with a female squad member's booming voice. "Quig, you took pity on Grew-Ella so she wouldn't freeze to death. You're so precious."

"Behave yourselves, or you'll be expelled from the campus," Rodrick said. His broad shoulders and muscular arms rippled underneath his black suit and fur cloak, and his overly sculpted face and jagged elf ears were not much to look at, but most stared at his body with envy or desire.

"This is about Ida's escape." Rodrick's lips stretched into a distorted frown because of his hard and inflated lips.

Squad members around him broke into laughter and made faces behind Rodrick's back.

"You're not funny," Rodrick blurted.

"Where is my sister?" Quig's fingers flapped as tears fell on them. "She's not coming to take my daughter back, is she?"

"Like we'd give her custody." A squad member poked his arm. "We're officially saying she's dead because she'll lead the prime minister to who is helping Lana and the rebels. Ida isn't bright." She stepped closer to Quig. "Your sister is deformed."

"My sister covered the scars and her nose with cosmetics." Quig glared at the woman.

"Ida signed divorce papers after you pulled your custody stunt," Rodrick said. "We're keeping her escape from Stanton for now. His ego is delicate."

Grew-Ella took the prop urn and placed it on an end table.

A squad male member snorted and pinched her. "I almost didn't recognize you without the girdle. Why is Stanton interested in you? You're autistic, a little chubby, struggle with egg production, and have wonky toes. Though you do have a motherly personality and an okay figure."

"Moth kingdom laws don't apply here," Quig said. "You wouldn't have known that if you hadn't illegally... gone through her medical records."

"A family member gave it to us." Another squad member jiggled Grew-Ella's belly. "Look how you're dressed, and you're lumpy."

"Touch her again, and I'll fire you. Quig is correct. You'll have to behave differently on any property purchased by another planet," Rodrick said.

Grew-Ella covered her tummy with her fingers in an attempt to cover her loose skin under the suit. "The suit is an acceptable color, but my zipped corset and clothes are in the dryer. I'll change."

"Too bad she isn't as hot and thick as the former queen, Avery-Joy, or I'd date her. Quig, your foster mom is hot." A man smirked, and his glitter-covered lips puckered.

"Um... you're all out of line." Quig pointed to the door. "That is my mother you're talking about."

Betsy rushed from the bedroom and hugged her Poppa Quig. "I was wrong about mommy and..." She stopped mid-sentence and stared at the squad members.

"I'd bring you in for questioning, but you're on school grounds. Did you talk with Stanton?" Rodrick asked, Grew-Ella.

She whispered to Rodrick. "Stanton tried to grab me, but I didn't tell Quig due to the contract."

Rodrick left, and the squad members trailed behind him.

"What did you say to make him leave?" Quig's brother-in-law asked Grew-Ella.

"The truth." She hugged herself.

Rodrick walked back in and handed Quig's brother-in-law a sheet of paper. "The government can't fake her death if she's signing paperwork."

"She visited me through the mirror and told me she didn't sign!" Betsy yelled.

"Ida changed her mind at the last minute, telling me Betsy was no longer her kid." Quig's brother-in-law bowed his head for a moment. "That is why I've forced you all to move Betsy to different places, at least until January. It's not even personal. Stanton needs more factory workers for the Christmas rush, and Ida's original idea was to trap him. My wife had no right to go against the plan."

"They're only children," Quig said with disgust.

Quig's brother-in-law spoke. "You were one of 800 people who had their custody agreements challenged, and your legal last name is Haworth. We knew Stanton's AI secretary wouldn't check."

Rodrick lowered his voice. "Leave saving the kingdom to competent people. Your little trick is what placed Lana's life in jeopardy. You used her ID to place your plan in motion."

"Stay away from my daughter," Quig said.

Quig's brother-in-law started to cry. "You're a hypocrite and keep secrets, too. What is wrong with you? Why would you let the kingdom fall for a child?"

Quig spoke. "Because she is my child, and your plan didn't work. It's easy to play hero when it's with other people's lives and not your own. I might be a secretive hypocrite, but you're a coward."

"I wish you loved me enough that you didn't try to sell me off as a maid," Betsy said to her ex-father.

One of the squad members came back. "Boss, are you coming?" she asked.

Quig's brother-in-law screamed at Betsy. "You ruined my life! I thought you'd make it better, but all you are is a brat! Why should I ever visit you? Stanton will send you to the workhouse because no one loves you, and you should be worth a couple of bucks."

Betsy started to cry, and Quig hugged her.

Grew-Ella took Betsy to another room.

"Wow, even I wouldn't say that to a little kid," the squad member said. "What kind of pathetic drunk are you?" She grabbed him. "Rodrick, sir, do I have permission to hold him until he's sober?"

"Sure." Rodrick grinned. "But I can't sign off on it because I've been called as a custody witness."

"Don't worry, I can sign it myself," she said.