“Of course,” he says, just as softly. “Anything I can do to help.”
He’s always been such a nice kid. I lean forward and murmur something in his ear. He smiles and squeezes my hand.
“I’ll have it here tomorrow,” he whispers.
“Will you tell the others, too? Tomorrow?” I ask.
He nods.
“Thank you, Astebaen,” I say. “It’s not for me. It’s for my friend. I couldn’t have done all this without her.”
“Of course. But, Tandy, I can’t believe you gotcursed,” he whispers, smiling. “My parents wouldkillme.”
“Yes, definitely avoid it if you can.”
“For the record,” he whispers, before he pulls away. “This whole situation is so weird.”
“Duly noted,” I murmur.
He holds out his second hand and I take it, and we rise.
“Are we to assume the curse has not been broken?” his mother says, her tone loud and echoing in the empty room.
I give a shallow bow. “I’m afraid not, Your Highness,” I say.
She sighs. “We will inform your parents.” She gives me a long, chilly stare. “I do not believe they’ll find it welcome news.”
“I imagine not,” I say.
“If I may,” she continues, “from what our steward has told us about the state of the…premises before our arrival, I would strongly suggest that you…” She looks around significantly.
It would be polite in her culture—and mine—to merely incline my head to indicate my understanding. But I can’t bring myself to do it. I want to make her say it. I wait.
“You might consider a cleaning service,” she concludes. She bows, and I curtsy in return.
“You may keep the rugs,” she says.
And then, without a word, the three file out, followed by their steward.
“Oh mygoddess!” Amaritha shrieks, once the sounds of their footsteps have faded completely away.
“That wassoworth getting grounded for,” Sasha chortles. At my glare, she tries to compose herself. “If I’d gotten grounded, which I didn’t, because I have permission to be here.” And then she tumbles into Amaritha’s lap, crying with laughter.
“He was likeseven years old!” one of them shouts.
“Six!”
“Five, maybe!”
“Thirteen,” I demur. “You can’t become a prince of the realm until you reach your majority at thirteen.”
“Thirteen!” They giggle. I do not point out that they, at fifteen, are only two years away from Astebaen XXV in age. At fifteen, two years is a lifetime. I suddenly feel very old.
I dare a glance at Bash, who’s clearly trying to keep hold of himself.
“I don’t know why my mother didn’t want to be here for that,” Sasha is saying. “I can’t imagine why the whole town wasn’t here for that. All thebowing!”
“That does explain why they cleared everyone out of the inn last night,” Amaritha gasps. “They had to do a full clean of the entire place. And get rid of all the furniture.”
