I tried to stop them, it reads.Working hard on more viable solution.
Eight days after the curse, the chimes over the door tinkle, and a familiar male figure male figure steps into my shop.
My traitorous heart leaps and, within moments, plummets. Not only is it nothim, it’s not even a customer.
It is, unmistakably, a prince.
And not justanyprince.
It’s Drizen, crown prince of the kingdom of Parciful.
Parciful, an island two miles across and two and a half miles long.
Parciful, which has a crown prince exactly my age.
Parciful, which has been trying to marry into my family for generations.
I sigh.
“Tanadelle, it is I! Prince Drizen, crown prince of Parciful, duke of the Dintmore Rocks, earl of the Dintmore Bay, and twice winner of the Parciful Royal Fish Race, here to unlock your heart’s desire—and my own—and the desires of our two kingdoms—and bring an end to this foul curse!”
I blow out a long breath. “Hi, Driz.”
“My darling, I came as soon as Icould,” he announces. “To think that you have been stuck in thisfoul, lissome townfor the better part of aweek.”
Sasha, who has been sitting behind the desk with me during this extraordinary display, whispers, “What does he think ‘lissome’ means?”
“Almost certainly not what it does mean,” I murmur.
“My darling Tanadelle,” he shouts, drawing closer. “Come, let me kiss you, and break this fell curse! You shall soon be free!”
I groan.
“You’re not actually going tokissthat, are you?” Sasha whispers.
“I think I’d better, or he’ll never leave.”
“Have you ever kissed anyone before?”
I shoot her a look. Now is not really the time to admit that I have not. “Hush,” I whisper. Driz is drawing ever closer, managing to flare his little half cape dramatically with every step.
“Do you think he practiced that in front of a mirror?” Sasha squeaks. I glance at her. She has one claw in front of her mouth, and is clearly trying not to laugh.
“Absolutely,” I sigh. “All right,” I say, more loudly. “Hold on.”
I stand and step out from behind the desk.
Driz freezes, dramatically. “My dear, my darling, have you lost your will to live so soon?” he says, his gaze roving over my pretty linen gown and embroidered vest. “Your clothing is so shabby! Make haste, let us complete this happy moment and return you to your former despondence!”
And here I’d been thinking I looked quite nice just this morning.
“Look, Driz,” I say, approaching him. “Don’t take it personally if, well…if this doesn’t work.”
“Hah!” he laughs dramatically, a puff of his breath blasting my face. “If this doesn’t work? The very idea! Come, let me take you in my arms!”
Before I have the chance to do much more than take a breath, Driz pulls me into his arms and bends me over backward in the most alarming fashion.
“My darling Tanadelle, how long I have awaited this most incipient moment!” He is, despite my proximity, still speaking at a volume intended to reach a distant audience. I try not to cringe. Horribly, behind him, I hear the chimes over the door tinkle. Fabulous; my first customer in two days. Sasha isn’t going to be the only witness to this extraordinary event.
