Riven picked up his instrument and began strumming, trying to envision exactly what he desired.
And once he knew what he needed, he knew exactly where in the pond it was buried.
Chapter 12
Although Bella hadbeen inside the castle walls just yesterday, the aura today was different.Perhaps it was due to not having lively conversation with her amphibious guide, but she knew she had to do something to help before heading home.She rode down the wide street, heading toward the brownstone castle on the hill, but the main road did not lead to the castle gate.She had to stop and ask someone how to get to the castle and was directed down narrow streets intended to slow any advancing enemy armies.Portcullises hung between the supporting buildings, with guard towers at either end.One word of alarm and those gates would drop, trapping enemies in a kill box.
For such a protective edifice, Bella wondered why they had not included the pond within the walls.Wasn’t protecting their source of water just as important as protecting their lieges?
She made her way to the castle door and hesitated.Did she merely knock and ask to see the king and queen?
Out of options, Bella dismounted and tied Nocturne to a hitching post, hoping no one would bother him while she went inside.The guard outside the door took one step into her path.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
“I have an urgent message for the king and queen.”
“Do ye now?And what is it?”
She hesitated.“I know where their son is.”
He assessed her in a slow gaze, head to toe, that had Bella jutting out her chin at him.
“Why don’t you tell me, and I’ll tell them?”
“Why don’t you letmetell them, since I can answer their questions, which I guarantee they will have.”
His eyebrows slammed into a thick bar, and his jaw squared.
Bella huffed at the difficulty she received while trying to help the prince.“Fine.Please tell the king and queen that their son is now a frog, living in the pond outside the walls.”
He scoffed.“You want me to tell my lieges that their son is now a frog, living in the pond outside the walls?”
“I do.And he cannot be removed from it, else he will turn irreversibly into a bullfrog and never be able to speak again.”
He barked out a laugh.“Our prince is a talking bullfrog who now lives in the pond?”
