“We go to The Hallowed, I assume to your castle, and then what?” That’s my Gwyneth, straight to the point. He flicks his gaze to me before sliding it back to Gwyneth.
“The shoe identifies potential princesses.”
“Then what?”
A wicked smirk appears on his face. If I could shrink back, I would, but the carriage is in the way. Damn immovable objects. Wait. This is a carriage, and a forward moving one. I'm still, so shouldn’t I have been going backward? How does that work? Maybe that’s part of the magic?
“Then we see if we are compatible.”
“How?”Holy Hallowed, she isn’t letting go of this, buddy. Better own up now.
“There will be a feast where you and yoursister,” his eyes narrow on me before going back to Gwyneth, “will be guests of honor.”
“How does that determine our compatibility?”
“It doesn’t. The night in my chambers will be the deciding factor.”
“That’s it? One night wonder?” I ask.
Gwyneth’s hand lands on my thigh and she squeezes. It’s our universal sign for shutting the bunkum up and to let her handle this. Speaking of bunkum, I wonder if we will see the beasts that litter the land of Far, Far Away. They weren’t native to Strongfair, but I had their meat in stew once—at least, it was meant to be bunkum. It tasted just like capon to me. Then again, everything tastes like capon–plump bird-like creatures that can’t fly. I have no idea why they have wings. Perhaps someone glued them on and they got stuck, dooming all future capons to be flightless. How sad, to own wings and never soar in the sky.
“After the night together, we will know if we are destined for true love,” Charming answers with a sparkle in his eyes.Sure buddy, true love isn’t on your to-do list.
“Does she get the shoe?” I wonder.
Charming frowns. “The shoe?”
I roll my eyes. For a prince trapped in the Cinderella narrative, he doesn’t have a good grasp of the fundamental concepts.
“The glass slipper? Does she get it regardless of whether she is your one true love? Wait, does she get a pair? Like a memento of your time together?”
Charming glances at Gwyneth like he’s begging her for help. She ignores him. He runs a hand over his stiff hair. “I guess I could have another one made.”
“Excellent,” I declare. A pair of glass slippers could be exchanged for a hut somewhere in The Hallows. This is the reason Gwyneth brought me along. She is brain smart, I’m street smart. Together, we’re smart smart.
We jostle as we go over an extra big bump. “Goodness me, my lady fair, are you well?” the mirror shouts.
“I’m fine,” I respond.
“So if we aren’t compatible,” Gwyneth says, “what becomes of my sister and I?”
Charming puts his hands behind his head and grins. Oh, Holy Hallows. This prince thinks of himself as a gift from the Idols to all maidens across the land. “There are many job roles in the kingdom that ladies of your talents can turn their hands to.” He sunk an entire world of hidden meaning into those words. He better not be insinuating what I think he is.
“So we enter the employment of The Hallowed?” she pushes. “And it’s our choice what we do?”
She’s negotiating a deal before he has his wicked way with her. She is always thinking ahead. Anticipating the consequences, while I commit actions with consequences. This is why we work as sisters.
He tilts his head. “No, the training castle for the Hallowed is where you will be stationed should we not be compatible. They always need new,” he scowls like he’s trying to find the right word and it sends a chill through my body, “assistants.”
Gwyneth’s hand tightens even more on my thigh, making me yelp. “In Strongfair, we worked in the library.”
No,wedidn’t. She worked in the library. I hid in the library unless they needed odd jobs done like statues of plump dukes erected. She is trying to find the least chaotic position in The Hallows for me, so I don’t become unalived quicker than you can say Holy Hallows.
“I can enquire if there are positions available.”
Gwyneth sucks in a breath and nods once at the prince. “See that you do.”
My stomach growls and rumbles, it can be heard over the wheels of the creaking carriage.
