gasped. “What did you say?”
“He is a frog. I swear it!”
“My appearance is that of a frog,” Robert said. “But I am in truth a prince. Prince Robert of Lustrea—”
“No, my cousin’s dead, you dirty—”
Serenia raised her hand imperiously. She was, after all, a princess. “Quiet! Both of you! Let me think.” She pursed her lips, her eyes darting between the golden ball in her hand, John, and the spot where Robert was hiding. “Very well,” she said finally. “I’ll give you your kiss.”
“Vow it on your honor.” Robert didn’t know why he felt compelled to add that, since he would’ve found it insulting had someone else demanded it of him. However, this was no ordinary circumstance. His future was at stake, and the oath had to be ironclad.
“Upon my honor,” she said. “Well? Will you show yourself?”
“Yes.” Robert hopped out from behind a small rosemary plant.
Serenia’s throat moved as she swallowed. Her eyes widened until he could see white all around the cornflower blue. “Gods,” she whispered.
“Thank you, but I fear I’m not quite at that level.”
“What?”
Robert sighed. But did it matter? He hadn’t sought her out for intelligence or a sense of humor. “You needn’t touch me with your hands. And you may keep your eyes closed if you wish. But I must have my kiss.”
She flinched.
“You vowed it upon your honor,” he reminded her.
John whispered something in her ear. Serenia shuddered; her grip on the ball tightened.
“Fine,” she said, her voice raspy. “I’ll close my eyes. Don’t move.”
Robert stayed put, his entire being tense with anticipation as Serenia approached. This was it. The moment he’d spent years waiting for. The moment Serenia’s lips touched his—
A slippered foot caught him in the stomach with an impact that drove the breath from his body. Something cracked in his chest, and he shot into the air like a cannon ball, flying away from the garden.
He saw the triumphant face of Serenia, rapidly getting smaller. Her mouth moved, though he couldn’t hear anything through the ringing in his ears.
Blackness.
* * *
Molly ran after Robert, leaving John and Serenia sitting in a shaded spot in the garden. Their laughter faded as she went deeper into the wooded area, searching.
How could Serenia break her promise?
The princess had never been generous, but it was one thing to be stingy, quite another to be dishonorable.
Or murderous.
Robert had told her who he was. Did she not care that she could have killed him with that vicious kick?
Molly finally found Robert near a small man-made pond. He lay belly-up on a bed of white pebbles. A deep red discolored the smooth stones beneath him.
Oh no!
She picked him up, cradling him gently. His forelegs dangled limply, the skin clammy.
What was normal for a frog?
Though his chest rose and fell, the motion was irregular and troubling. Sticky blood from the back of his head coated her fingertips. He must have hit his skull on the rocks.
Her mother had told her many times what a serious head injury could do to a man. He might appear perfectly whole—functional limbs and body—yet his mind would empty itself of all memories and knowledge. Sometimes he became as a child, unable to control any of his impulses.
The possibility strangled the breath out of Molly. She refused to let Robert become a drooling idiot.
Why did I ever suggest he give presents to Princess Serenia?
She should’ve known the princess would never honor a promise made to a frog. She didn’t consider even the higher animals worthy of her notice. She even intentionally stepped on snails and worms on occasion just because she could.
Snails eat leaves, which are pretty, and as for the worms… Well, there will always be more.
Molly pulled out a plain white handkerchief and wiped the blood from Robert, then carried him away from the palace, away from John and Serenia.
Mother would know what to do.
* * *
What
“He is a frog. I swear it!”
“My appearance is that of a frog,” Robert said. “But I am in truth a prince. Prince Robert of Lustrea—”
“No, my cousin’s dead, you dirty—”
Serenia raised her hand imperiously. She was, after all, a princess. “Quiet! Both of you! Let me think.” She pursed her lips, her eyes darting between the golden ball in her hand, John, and the spot where Robert was hiding. “Very well,” she said finally. “I’ll give you your kiss.”
“Vow it on your honor.” Robert didn’t know why he felt compelled to add that, since he would’ve found it insulting had someone else demanded it of him. However, this was no ordinary circumstance. His future was at stake, and the oath had to be ironclad.
“Upon my honor,” she said. “Well? Will you show yourself?”
“Yes.” Robert hopped out from behind a small rosemary plant.
Serenia’s throat moved as she swallowed. Her eyes widened until he could see white all around the cornflower blue. “Gods,” she whispered.
“Thank you, but I fear I’m not quite at that level.”
“What?”
Robert sighed. But did it matter? He hadn’t sought her out for intelligence or a sense of humor. “You needn’t touch me with your hands. And you may keep your eyes closed if you wish. But I must have my kiss.”
She flinched.
“You vowed it upon your honor,” he reminded her.
John whispered something in her ear. Serenia shuddered; her grip on the ball tightened.
“Fine,” she said, her voice raspy. “I’ll close my eyes. Don’t move.”
Robert stayed put, his entire being tense with anticipation as Serenia approached. This was it. The moment he’d spent years waiting for. The moment Serenia’s lips touched his—
A slippered foot caught him in the stomach with an impact that drove the breath from his body. Something cracked in his chest, and he shot into the air like a cannon ball, flying away from the garden.
He saw the triumphant face of Serenia, rapidly getting smaller. Her mouth moved, though he couldn’t hear anything through the ringing in his ears.
Blackness.
* * *
Molly ran after Robert, leaving John and Serenia sitting in a shaded spot in the garden. Their laughter faded as she went deeper into the wooded area, searching.
How could Serenia break her promise?
The princess had never been generous, but it was one thing to be stingy, quite another to be dishonorable.
Or murderous.
Robert had told her who he was. Did she not care that she could have killed him with that vicious kick?
Molly finally found Robert near a small man-made pond. He lay belly-up on a bed of white pebbles. A deep red discolored the smooth stones beneath him.
Oh no!
She picked him up, cradling him gently. His forelegs dangled limply, the skin clammy.
What was normal for a frog?
Though his chest rose and fell, the motion was irregular and troubling. Sticky blood from the back of his head coated her fingertips. He must have hit his skull on the rocks.
Her mother had told her many times what a serious head injury could do to a man. He might appear perfectly whole—functional limbs and body—yet his mind would empty itself of all memories and knowledge. Sometimes he became as a child, unable to control any of his impulses.
The possibility strangled the breath out of Molly. She refused to let Robert become a drooling idiot.
Why did I ever suggest he give presents to Princess Serenia?
She should’ve known the princess would never honor a promise made to a frog. She didn’t consider even the higher animals worthy of her notice. She even intentionally stepped on snails and worms on occasion just because she could.
Snails eat leaves, which are pretty, and as for the worms… Well, there will always be more.
Molly pulled out a plain white handkerchief and wiped the blood from Robert, then carried him away from the palace, away from John and Serenia.
Mother would know what to do.
* * *
What
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