“That wasn’t creepy or anything,” I muttered under my breath. I glared where she had been, her spirit image completely gone now. “Grandmother, if you can still hear me, try not to pop in on me in the middle of the night. It’s a bit irksome.”
“Duly noted,” her whisper flittered like a breeze in the silence of my dark bedroom. “Now, do as I said.”
“Fine. Fine. Water it is.” I stomped through my bedroom and threw open the door. I ordered into the hallway, “Someone drag my drunken cousin inside. I have news.”
Immediately, footsteps pitter-pattered on the tiling.
On second thought, I swiftly amended, “Wait, don’t actually drag him. I don’t think anyone would like the outcome if you touched him that way. Just ask him to come upstairs—nicely.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
CHAPTER TWO
Confession of a princess:
I’m fairly certain I missed my father.
I think that’s odd seeing as he ignored me for twelve years. One should not miss someone who overlooks you.
Hold on… I must think.
That is odd, right? It’s so hard to tell when your father is a king.
One day, will I be just like him?
And, if that is true, does that mean I’ll hate myself a little, too?
“I can’t believe our king,” Caspian griped, his ire unrelenting while the sun began to rise over the horizon. He tossed a leather traveling bag over the back of his pure white horse, directly behind the saddle. My cousin pulled at the straps and tied them with quick, jerky movements. “I’m almost positive that I’m still bloody well drunk.”
“I’m seeing two of Penelope, if that tells you how I’m doing,” I grumbled and belched. My stomach churned with nausea, heavy enough I thought I might throw up again. My bags were already tied tightly to my Fae-gift’s saddle, thanks to a direct order from one of my nosiest guards. “Imagine trying to fly right now.”
My cousin’s face turned positively ashen. “Say no more. You have it worse.”
“Exactly.” I rubbed gentle circles against my flat belly, attempting to calm the damned organ down. With my free hand, I tugged at the sturdy flying saddle equipped with the normal belt for my waist and straps for my feet to hold me on. “My only comfort will be the fact I can’t fall off her.”
Caspian glanced at the horizon, more than likely gauging the time from the sun’s location in the sky. “You’d better leave now if you want to make it there by this evening.”
I pondered aloud, “I wonder if I can sleep while flying?”
“If she flies steady, you can.” My cousin stepped forward and stared up into Penelope’s fiery eyes. “Be nice on this trip, girl. Your owner is feeling under the weather. Will you do that for her?”
My precious Fae-gift bared her teeth and stomped her hooves.
I sighed and pulled a blue apple from my pocket. “Don’t rile her up now. She’s behaved so far.”
Caspian snorted. “She kicked the stable hand in the jaw. Broke his face in four places.”
I lifted the treat and smiled as Penelope munched on the blue apple right from my palm. “My baby only likes me. Everyone knows this. And I’m sure his jaw is fine by now.”
“That’s irrelevant to her ‘behaving.’”
“Not for me.” I ran my fingers down her long black face. “You’re going to be a good girl today, aren’t you?”
Penelope twitched her ears in agreement, even as she finished off her treat. She wasn’t ignorant. My Fae-gift knew I had more blue apples—her favorite—in my satchel. If she did as told, she’d get all the delicious treats she wanted.
“Help me up, Cas?” I brushed off my hands on my riding leathers, ridding myself of the sticky juice remaining on my skin.
Caspian dutifully did as I asked, damn near tossing me too far up and over. Penelope veered to the right quickly, positioning her body right under me so I didn’t fall.
