Sage and the prince continued to talk in low tones, but my head was too full of my own dreams to listen. Dreams of reunions, of graduation, of ordinary, everyday life. I had no interest in the prince’s future plans. My job was done.
Anwir sidled up to me, interrupting my idle reverie with a small smile. Pansy made herself scarce.
“I never caught your name,” the prince said.
I snorted a dismal laugh. “There wasn’t really a chance for introductions. I’m Aliza.”
“Aliza,” he repeated, testing the word.
Ahead of me, Sage stiffened, and I wondered if she was about to offer up the rest of my title. Aliza with an A, the human.
“Well, Aliza,” the prince continued. “I believe I owe you my freedom. Thank you for breaking the curse, and waking me and my tedious little brother.”
My lips curled into a grin. Only that morning, I wouldn’t have believed myself capable of such a thing, not today, but it was done. The curse was broken. I was free, or at least, I would be, just as soon as we escaped Tir o Haf. “I wasn’t given much choice, but for what it’s worth… you’re welcome.”
Even if he had abandoned me and his own brother at the first opportunity. Still, maybe it was understandable. Those cave zombies were pretty scary. I’d have run too, if I’d been able to see.
We fell into silence, but Anwir stayed at my side. I didn’t bother to look back to see where in the line Idris might be.
21Please, Not The Bunnies
Sage drove us through the woods without a break. My limp grew more pronounced with every passing hour, and I could barely put one foot in front of the other by the time the witch finally admitted defeat and ordered us to make camp for the night.
“No fire,” Sage ordered. “We don’t know who it might attract.”
Or what. I shivered, but not because I was cold. In truth, my skin was damp with sweat after trekking through a world of eternal summer for hours on end. What I’d give for a cool shower.
No fire meant no cooking, and after the tents had been hastily erected, with me proving more of a hindrance than a help, we all gathered in a circle and Hyacinth handed out cheese and bread that was long past its best. When she smuggled me an extra parcel, I blinked up from the log I’d collapsed onto.
She bent low, whispering in my ear, “An extra portion for our saviour.”
I wouldn’t call myself that, but when I unwrapped the waxy paper to find a little block of cheese dotted with cranberries, I smiled. Who was I to refuse such a reward?
“That’s not fair,” Pansy hissed at my side. “I’m your daughter!”
Hyacinth flicked Pansy’s nose. “And I’m your mother, but you never thought to share your secret cookies with me, did you?”
She winked, moving along to where Prince Idris sat a little way away, not quite in the circle, staring unseeingly. He stirred when the witch spoke to him, but gave a brief, close-lipped smile as he took the food she offered. As though he sensed my stare, he looked straight at me. His eyes shifted from mine to my hair, and a tiny frown creased his brow. I was used to the way people barely glanced at my face before inspecting my hair, the same way they always looked at my feet to see if I was wearing heels. Idris’ obvious distaste brought a smile to my lips, just as the awed comments of little girls usually did.
“How did she know about the cookies?” Pansy asked in disbelief. “Did you tell her?”
I pulled my attention from the frowning prince. “No! As if I would.”
“She knows everything,” Pansy grumbled.
“At least she didn’t tell us to share.”
The witch giggled, pressing a hand to her mouth. She was pretty, with her dimples and the splatter of freckles over her brown cheeks. How she managed to continue looking cute after trailing through what felt like the entire magical world, I had no idea. I dreaded what I’d find when I finally had a chance to look in a mirror. Still, there was no point worrying about it now. I took a bite of cheese. It was still soft, and the flavours rich. I chewed slowly, savouring my hard-earned treat.
Nearby, Sage and Prince Anwir were arguing. Or rather, Sage was.
“I insist,” she said in a tone that left no room for disagreement. “I will not have our king sleeping on the forest floor.”
“Then allow me to ease your conscience by taking watch. My brother and I have been sleeping long enough. I have no desire to take to my bed this soon.”
“But—”
Anwir held up his hand. “I will take the first watch, Idris the second. It’s decided.”
Sage looked as though she would very much like to continue arguing, but the prince clapped a hand to her shoulder and turned away. Turned to me. He strolled with his shoulders thrown back and an easy smile pasted across his face, someone well used to having all eyes on him. He certainly had my attention. He was beautiful, and confidence rolled off him in gentle waves. The old ladies at the practices I’d been placed at would have loved him.
“Aliza,” he said as he settled himself on the log beside me.
“Oh, I’ve just remembered,” Pansy said in a bright voice. “I promised my mother I’d, um, help her with dinner.”
“It’s just cheese,” I said hurriedly, but too late. Pansy sprang up and away, leaving me and Anwir as alone as it was possible to be in the camp. Traitor.
“She seems a lively sort,” Anwir observed, but it was me he was watching.
Why did he have to be so gorgeous? It put me at a distinct disadvantage. I could barely arrange my thoughts, and I didn’t like it. I was too smart to go to pieces because of a handsome face, but however much I told myself that, I couldn’t force my pulse to slow.
“Are you alright, after today?” he asked. “It can’t have been easy.”
What? What on earth was he on about? The walk had been long, but it hadn’t been that bad.
“Breaking the curse,” he prompted.
“Oh! Oh, yeah, that. It seems like forever ago,” I said in a rush, heat rising in my ears. Thank God my hair covered them. They always turned beetroot when I was embarrassed, which only made things worse than they had to be. “I’m fine.”
