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Authors: Michelle Smart, Aimee Duffy
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here.”
“They’re rats .”
“They’re the best friends I’ve ever had,” Ella contradicted. “And at this moment they have human form. If the creatures spot them, they won’t stand a chance.”
“Get the soldiers to bring them to safety.” Izzy’s voice had become shrill. “You can’t put yourself in such danger.”
“Itchy and Scratchy are terrified of humans – they won’t listen to anyone but me.”
At this, Izzy slumped forward and clutched at her hair with her good arm. “There’s nothing I can say that will stop you is there?”
On impulse, Ella knelt down and kissed her stepsister’s cheek. “I won’t be able to come back here until sunlight. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The glimmer of faith that resonated from Izzy’s eyes filled her with even greater determination.
Skipping back up the stairs, weaving in and out of the last people to file in, she reached the door and came face-to-face with the Queen. Her Highness was flanked by her maids and two high-ranking Knights. It was with some relief Ella noted Jonas was not one of them. There was no way he would allow her to leave. Even so, the Knights blocked her path.
“Going somewhere?” For someone so ill, the Queen’s face was positively alight with excitement.
“I have to find Ana,” Ella said, keeping her voice firm but polite. She didn’t bother mentioning Itchy and Scratchy. The Queen did not strike her as the sentimental type. “She knows nothing about the creatures or that there is any danger.”
“A foolhardy exercise.”
“Possibly,” she conceded. “But a necessary one.”
“You do realize that if anything happens to you, my son will be devastated?”
Ella’s throat closed. She really didn’t want to think about James, not when he was in so much danger. She nodded. “I know.”
“Then make sure nothing happens to you. This kingdom needs a Queen who can show these men we’re not all delicate little flowers.” To her Knights, she said, “Let her pass.”
After throwing Ella a most unladylike wink, the Queen descended into the cellar.
Despite everything, a bubble of laughter escaped from Ella’s mouth.
She hurtled through the corridor, the tightness in her chest loosening a fraction, only to constrict again when she reached the end and found two soldiers blocking her way.
“We have orders not to allow anyone to pass,” one of them said with pumped up authority. “You need to go to the cellar ma’am.”
She rolled her eyes. Where the heck did James find these men? Had Merlin cloned an army for him? Flashing her blade at them, she said in a voice that broke no argument, “Either you let me pass or I will poke this through your kneecaps. And don’t bother underestimating me just because I have breasts – I also possess a pair of balls; they’re just hidden from view. Now kindly let me pass.”
Whether her words had been enough to convince them to move would have to be debated another time, because the loudest explosion to date rent the air, startling the soldiers. Ella grabbed the opportunity and ducked between them, running as fast as she could away from the chaos and carnage at the front of the palace. Using only her sense of direction to keep heading straight, hiding from view any time a harried person came into view, she emerged outside a few minutes later in a large square at the rear of the palace.
Chapter Eight
The pumpkin carriage had been left in a neat row with dozens upon dozens of other moonlit carriages.
Ella looked up at the moon and wished she had paid more attention to the time. She rushed up to Itchy and Scratchy and threw her arms around them both. “Thank God. You’re both safe.”
All the other carriages were empty; the footmen all having been led to the cellar, the horses released to find safety for themselves. Only her faithful pets remained, loyally waiting for her to find them.
“Have you seen Ana?”
Unfortunately neither had mastered the
“They’re rats .”
“They’re the best friends I’ve ever had,” Ella contradicted. “And at this moment they have human form. If the creatures spot them, they won’t stand a chance.”
“Get the soldiers to bring them to safety.” Izzy’s voice had become shrill. “You can’t put yourself in such danger.”
“Itchy and Scratchy are terrified of humans – they won’t listen to anyone but me.”
At this, Izzy slumped forward and clutched at her hair with her good arm. “There’s nothing I can say that will stop you is there?”
On impulse, Ella knelt down and kissed her stepsister’s cheek. “I won’t be able to come back here until sunlight. I’ll see you in the morning.”
The glimmer of faith that resonated from Izzy’s eyes filled her with even greater determination.
Skipping back up the stairs, weaving in and out of the last people to file in, she reached the door and came face-to-face with the Queen. Her Highness was flanked by her maids and two high-ranking Knights. It was with some relief Ella noted Jonas was not one of them. There was no way he would allow her to leave. Even so, the Knights blocked her path.
“Going somewhere?” For someone so ill, the Queen’s face was positively alight with excitement.
“I have to find Ana,” Ella said, keeping her voice firm but polite. She didn’t bother mentioning Itchy and Scratchy. The Queen did not strike her as the sentimental type. “She knows nothing about the creatures or that there is any danger.”
“A foolhardy exercise.”
“Possibly,” she conceded. “But a necessary one.”
“You do realize that if anything happens to you, my son will be devastated?”
Ella’s throat closed. She really didn’t want to think about James, not when he was in so much danger. She nodded. “I know.”
“Then make sure nothing happens to you. This kingdom needs a Queen who can show these men we’re not all delicate little flowers.” To her Knights, she said, “Let her pass.”
After throwing Ella a most unladylike wink, the Queen descended into the cellar.
Despite everything, a bubble of laughter escaped from Ella’s mouth.
She hurtled through the corridor, the tightness in her chest loosening a fraction, only to constrict again when she reached the end and found two soldiers blocking her way.
“We have orders not to allow anyone to pass,” one of them said with pumped up authority. “You need to go to the cellar ma’am.”
She rolled her eyes. Where the heck did James find these men? Had Merlin cloned an army for him? Flashing her blade at them, she said in a voice that broke no argument, “Either you let me pass or I will poke this through your kneecaps. And don’t bother underestimating me just because I have breasts – I also possess a pair of balls; they’re just hidden from view. Now kindly let me pass.”
Whether her words had been enough to convince them to move would have to be debated another time, because the loudest explosion to date rent the air, startling the soldiers. Ella grabbed the opportunity and ducked between them, running as fast as she could away from the chaos and carnage at the front of the palace. Using only her sense of direction to keep heading straight, hiding from view any time a harried person came into view, she emerged outside a few minutes later in a large square at the rear of the palace.
Chapter Eight
The pumpkin carriage had been left in a neat row with dozens upon dozens of other moonlit carriages.
Ella looked up at the moon and wished she had paid more attention to the time. She rushed up to Itchy and Scratchy and threw her arms around them both. “Thank God. You’re both safe.”
All the other carriages were empty; the footmen all having been led to the cellar, the horses released to find safety for themselves. Only her faithful pets remained, loyally waiting for her to find them.
“Have you seen Ana?”
Unfortunately neither had mastered the
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