“I want her to ride with me!” The door to the coach flew open, and a little girl with dark hair and skin poked her head out.
“Pixie, mind your business and get back in the coach.”
“No!” The little girl stomped her foot and repeated, “I want her to ride with me.”
The woman growled, but capitulated. “Fine! Just make sure you play nicely. We want to make sure the princess arrives in good condition.”
Lizzie was pushed into the coach with such force that she had to throw out her hands to catch herself. The windows were covered with thick curtains, and she blinked in the suddenly dim lighting, waiting for her eyes to adjust. Small hands wrapped around her waist and helped her up.
“Are you really a princess?” The little girl snuggled herself into Lizzie’s side as the coach started moving forward with a lurch.
“Not anymore.”
“Oh.” The sound was slightly disappointed. “But were you before?”
“Yes.” Lizzie’s mind was still trying to catch up with the events of the last quarter hour. She wasn’t panicked, but there was the hint of something akin to it starting to bubble in her chest.
Where are we going? What happened to Kai?
“How can you be a princess and thennotbe a princess? That doesn’t make any sense. Ma said that you have to be born a princess, or else marry a prince, but you can’t unborn yourself. Well, I suppose that would be like dying, and someone elsecould unborn you, then. But you’re still alive, which means that you weren’t unborn, which means that you have to still be a princess.”
Trying to keep up with the girl’s train of thought was making her dizzy. “I married a commoner.”
Does he know what happened? Will he try to come after me?
“But wouldn’t that make him a prince?”
“Not if the king said it didn’t.”
“If marrying him made you not a princess, then why did you? I would rather be a princess than married.”
“My father was angry, and he wanted to punish me.”
The little girl made a sound of disgust. “That’s a bad father, right there. My ma is a robber, and even she knows that you shouldn’t punish your child by making them marry someone who will unmake them what they are.” She paused long enough to take a breath. “What’s your name, anyway?”
“Eliza.”
“That’s a nice name, I suppose. Mine’s Polly, though everyone calls me Pixie. You might think that it’s because I’m small, but actually it’s because I’m the best pickpocket in all of Brisia and Anura and Nedra combined. I used to call myself a ‘picksie-pocket,’ but now it’s just Pixie. I can steal anything from anybody. In fact, one time I stole a knife right out of a man’s boot, and he didn’t even notice. It’s this one right here.” A long silver blade suddenly glinted in the low light. “I keep it with me all the time, and even under my pillow when I sleep.”
Lizzie was unsure what to say in response. “That sounds dangerous, especially for a child.”
Pixie was undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm, having enough in her tiny body for both of them. She kept talking, barely pausing to breathe as she took full advantage of having a captive audience. “And did you know, one time I even stole a coin purse from inside a lady’s petticoats. She had those bighoops underneath, and I just waited until she was going up a curb and darted under them when she lifted them up and then walked around inside like it was a moving tent. Getting out was a little harder…”
There was something about the continuous stream of conversation that helped bring her emotions back into cold focus.
Even if Kai does come, he won’t be able to fight this entire group on his own. For right now, the best course of action is to go along easily and see what happens.
Lizzie leaned her head against the back of the hard seat, and resigned herself to wait.
Chapter Fourteen
Lizzie
The coach continued bumping over miles and miles of road as the afternoon wore on. With the windows covered, it was difficult to tell exactly where they were, but from the direction of the vehicles on the road when they started, and the fact that they had made no sudden, sharp turns, Lizzie was fairly certain they were moving south.
It makes sense. If they are trying to hold me for ransom, they would want to be closer to Nedra. On the bright side, I suppose I can be thankful that I haven’t had to walk this far.
She paused at the thought. Kai was forever talking about finding the bright side—something that Freddy had done often as well.
