“The cream?” Mekos asked.
“Oh yes. It sounds somewhat like ‘Snow White.’” She was looking at Aradella’s pale lashes and brows. “The evil queen put Snow to sleep with a poisoned apple.”
“Then what happened?”
“There are variations on that. Some stories say her casket fell over and the apple fell out or she was awakened by True Love’s kiss.” Kaley was thoughtful. “True Love’s kiss often does it. Unless you’re poor Sleeping Beauty. Her rescuer ‘gathered the first fruits of love,’ meaning that nine months later the unconscious girl gave birth to twins.”
Mekos was frowning. “If the girl is put to sleep, is there no other way to wake her up other than...?”
“Rape?” Aradella asked.
“We broke the gingerbread witch’s spell by killing her,” Kaley said.
“Death,” Mekos said. Under the table, he took Aradella’s hand and squeezed it.
Kaley was looking at them hard. “Is something going on that your dad and I should be told about?”
“No, nothing. Not at all,” Mekos said quickly. Kaley’s tone reinforced their decision to not tell what they’d heard Valona say. If Olina had sent Aradella to them once, she’d do it again. They needed to find a way to stop Valona!
“I haven’t heard any stories here on this island,” Kaley said.
Without a hint of humor, Aradella said, “I would imagine that you’ve been busy. It’s a pretty island and there’s much to see.”
Mekos gave a cough to keep from laughing. “Does a person of royal birth have more value?”
“Oh yes,” Kaley said. “All the stories agree on that. Royalty has special powers. Some say royals can heal people or that the ability to rule is transferred. There’s always something evil people are trying to achieve.”
Aradella said, “Have you ever heard of the sea mango?”
Kaley looked surprised. “Yes. It’s one of several plants called a suicide fruit. Have you seen such a tree?”
“Jobi gave her Earth books about plants, so Aradella knows a lot. We’ve been identifying them.” Mekos knew he was talking too fast.
Kaley was looking from one to the other. “I think you need to talk to your father. He—”
At that moment, a sleepy-looking Tanek entered the room.
Instantly, Mekos stood up. Talking faster than an Empyrean ship could go, he said, “I’ve been explaining Lelys to the princess. She thought they were bad but I said we’re just people. We have to go.” He grabbed Aradella’s hand and they ran down the stairs and were quickly hidden by the forest.
She jerked out of his grasp. “You made me look like an idiot, and what you said had nothing to do with anything.”
Mekos smiled. “That was a good save, wasn’t it? We can fool Kaley but Papá knows when I’m hiding something. If he thought something was wrong, he’d have us out of here before you could put on clothes that fit you.”
Aradella grimaced. “But it was at my expense in front ofhim! I never thought Lelys were bad!” She sighed. “But yes, it was a good diversion.”
Coming from the direction of the house, they heard Tanek say, “We have to get rid of that thing.”
“But he’s so cute!” Kaley replied.
“He just set fire to a chair. Out! Now!”
They heard doors shut, then voices came from the other side of the trees. Tanek said, “I’m not carrying it and you can’t release it here. It might go after the kids.” Their footsteps faded away.
Aradella said, “He’s kind of bossy, isn’t he?”
“The worst,” Mekos answered. “I don’t think Kaley is going to be able to stand him.”
“Then maybe I could still make him a king.”
