My mother’s eyes narrowed and her chin squared into an even harder line. “And what of the curse? Have you forgotten? Or perhaps you think we stay inside to avoid grass allergies.”
I folded my arms, refusing to budge. “Seriously, has anyone ever thought about the shelf life of this thing? That spell is as ancient as Verte and probably past its expiration date. The elemental hags are probably dead, so maybe their magic died with them.” No one said anything for a few beats, so I continued, determined to win my cause. “I promise I’ll be really careful and not play with matches and only go into stores that use glow crystals.”
My father, ever compassionate, stepped in to help plead my case. “Em, perhaps just a few minutes with an escort wouldn’t—”
Mother cut him off with a withering glare. “Henry, I believe you have other things to attend to.”
In my head, I imagined the crack of a whip as my father’s shoulders slumped and he went back to catching will-o’-the-wisps in the courtyard.
Mother’s eyes softened a little as she walked toward me. “I’m not purposely being cruel. This is the story the Makers have given us. Were it just the possibility of an endless sleep, I might consider breaking the rules. But it’s more. Girl of Emerald, no man can tame. Burn down the world, consumed by flames.” She placed a gentle hand on my cheek. “Can you really risk the lives of our people on a few maybes?” Anger and sadness filled her voice. After all, she was bound by the curse too.
And that’s exactly why she should understand how I felt.
“But can’t you see I won’t be risking anyone?” I started to explain my brilliant backup safety plan, which included half a dozen servants with water buckets. My words withered and died in my throat as her eyes turned steely again.
“You have already put us all at risk by breaking the dragon and thus the protection spell cast over this entire palace!” Before she turned away, I saw her unmistakable and familiar look of disappointment.
Oops didn’t quite seem sufficient, but how was I supposed to know the dumb carving actually did something useful besides looking sparkly? “Sterling,” my mother snapped sharply. The prince immediately stopped cowering and stood at attention. “As a favor to the throne, would you please stand guard at the door? With the barrier broken, now we must watch both what comes in and what goes out.”
Sterling bowed, going on and on about his guarding pedigree as my mother walked away without giving me another look.
I gave Sterling a thorough evaluation—yeah, I could take him, but then he’d scream and the guards would have my nose in the dirt before I made it past the carriageway. But now I knew it was possible; I would just have to wait for my chance.
Almost as if the little dragon could hear me plotting against him, he stirred again and pulled his shortened foreclaw to his head in a melodramatic gesture. “I feel myself slipping away. Is that a light I see?”
Verte bopped him on the snout and ambled away. “Be quiet, you ninny, or I’ll turn you into a pair of earrings.” Her voice faded down the hall.
Most of the crowd had dispersed. The final few stragglers looked at me with the all-too-common look of fear mixed with trepidation. Pix ’em. They were just servants. It wasn’t like their opinion mattered.
Only one remained, watching me with open curiosity. He looked to be in his late teens or was magically enhanced to appear so. He could have been a hundred for all I knew. I’d never seen him before in my life. He was handsome enough, for a commoner, even in his worn leather pants and cracked work boots. A foreigner, his hair was unruly and dark auburn, which complemented his tanned but dirt-smudged complexion, though the tall, dark stranger vibe was ruined by his piercing pale blue eyes.
Well, I’d had enough of being a sideshow for the day. “If you’re the new gardener, the hedges are overgrown and in need of a trim.” I pointed in the direction of my father. “While you’re there, you can help the king with the wisps.”
The young man’s expression clouded over, but he didn’t move.
I stamped my foot and pointed more forcefully. “Off with you. Courtyard’s that way. Be sure to clean those awful boots before coming back in.”
“Someone told me I’d find a princess of great worth here. One with the strength to be the hero this realm needs.” He stared at me with those unsettling blue eyes. They were cold, like ice water—made me shiver from head to toe. Then his gaze seemed to search even deeper. Finally, he looked through me, like I was nothing.
In brisk steps, he strode across the marble to the courtyard. But before crossing the threshold, he turned back to glare at me with his lip curled ever so slightly. “It seems she was mistaken.”
Just like that, I had been sifted, weighed, and found wanting.