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Authors: Carey Corp
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to head home when she woke up. With a little luck, she’d rally after a catnap and we would be back in Doon before anyone realized we were gone.
CHAPTER 7
Veronica
T he dregs of sleep fell away in slow layers, revealing the ache pulsing in my temples. I kept my eyes closed against the sun heating my face. So much to do, so little time. Petitions, a meeting with my advisors . . . What else? Oh yes, I’d agreed to meet with Analisa about her new gym. Then, golden-brown eyes and Jamie’s dangerously handsome face appeared behind my closed lids. Definitely no time for a headache.
I sat up and threw the covers off in one quick motion. And blinked at the cool blue walls, cherry furniture, and eyelet curtains framing a view of trees, the glint of a river, and . . . the distant arch of the Brig o’ Doon. Memories rushed back in and a scream curdled in my throat. “Keennaaa!”
Kenna appeared almost instantly, hair sticking straight up on one side, her eyes extra wide. “Vee, you’re awake.”
“Why did you let me sleep all night?” I hissed as I plucked my sweater off the end of the bed and shoved my arms into it, before realizing I’d put it on upside down.
“I tried to wake you up. You’re the one who practically passedout. Here . . .” Kenna peeled my sweater off, turned it right side up, and held it out for me. “So, you’re feeling better today?”
Finding my half-boots, I plopped into a chair and yanked them on. “I’m fine. But we have to go.”
Kenna yawned and smoothed down her tidal wave of crimson hair. “What’s the rush, Cinderella? It’s not like you’re going to turn into a pumpkin. You said it yourself, hardly any time will have passed in Doon.”
“At this point it will have been several hours. And what if . . .” I let my words trail off, not wanting to dump my worst fears all over her blissful oblivion. Standing, I wiggled my ankle until the rest of my foot slid into the boot. “And Cinderella doesn’t turn into a pumpkin. Her carriage does.”
That earned me a patented Mackenna Reid eye roll as she scooped up my crown and silver luckenbooth pendant and handed them to me. “Okay, we’ll leave soon. Where did you get that necklace? It’s really cool.”
I grabbed my old travel bag, shoved the necklace and tiara inside, and looped the strap across my chest. Taking Kenna’s arm, I lead her into the other bedroom. “I found it in the witch’s cottage. I recognized it from Queen Lynnette’s portrait and couldn’t stand the thought of leaving it there to rot. Now, will you please get dressed?”
“Of course, Highney.” She gave me a mock bow before tugging her night shirt over her head, her next words muffled by fabric. “Heaven forbid Prince Freak-Out discovers you aren’t where he left you for five minutes.”
Pausing halfway to the bathroom, I spun around. “Did you just call Jamie Prince Freak-Out ?” She was trying to diffuse my anxiety with humor. Just like when we were munchkins in our fifth-grade play and I refused to go on stage until she made some joke about the Lollipop Guild being the future juveniledelinquents of Oz. I’d giggled all the way through “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead.” But right now — with the sum-total of my life at stake — her teasing was having the opposite effect.
I marched back into the room and got in her face as she tugged her skirt over her hips. “Jamie is not a freak-out! He’s a teenage boy who has carried the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders since he was old enough to understand it was his duty. And yes, he’s protective of me, but it’s only because without each other neither one of us would be able to survive.”
My voice broke and I pivoted away, swiping at my stupid tears. Why did I always cry when I was angry? A shudder scraped through me, and I pressed a fist to my mouth. We had to get back to Doon. I couldn’t allow myself to imagine the alternative.
“Hey.” Kenna rested her hand lightly on my
CHAPTER 7
Veronica
T he dregs of sleep fell away in slow layers, revealing the ache pulsing in my temples. I kept my eyes closed against the sun heating my face. So much to do, so little time. Petitions, a meeting with my advisors . . . What else? Oh yes, I’d agreed to meet with Analisa about her new gym. Then, golden-brown eyes and Jamie’s dangerously handsome face appeared behind my closed lids. Definitely no time for a headache.
I sat up and threw the covers off in one quick motion. And blinked at the cool blue walls, cherry furniture, and eyelet curtains framing a view of trees, the glint of a river, and . . . the distant arch of the Brig o’ Doon. Memories rushed back in and a scream curdled in my throat. “Keennaaa!”
Kenna appeared almost instantly, hair sticking straight up on one side, her eyes extra wide. “Vee, you’re awake.”
“Why did you let me sleep all night?” I hissed as I plucked my sweater off the end of the bed and shoved my arms into it, before realizing I’d put it on upside down.
“I tried to wake you up. You’re the one who practically passedout. Here . . .” Kenna peeled my sweater off, turned it right side up, and held it out for me. “So, you’re feeling better today?”
Finding my half-boots, I plopped into a chair and yanked them on. “I’m fine. But we have to go.”
Kenna yawned and smoothed down her tidal wave of crimson hair. “What’s the rush, Cinderella? It’s not like you’re going to turn into a pumpkin. You said it yourself, hardly any time will have passed in Doon.”
“At this point it will have been several hours. And what if . . .” I let my words trail off, not wanting to dump my worst fears all over her blissful oblivion. Standing, I wiggled my ankle until the rest of my foot slid into the boot. “And Cinderella doesn’t turn into a pumpkin. Her carriage does.”
That earned me a patented Mackenna Reid eye roll as she scooped up my crown and silver luckenbooth pendant and handed them to me. “Okay, we’ll leave soon. Where did you get that necklace? It’s really cool.”
I grabbed my old travel bag, shoved the necklace and tiara inside, and looped the strap across my chest. Taking Kenna’s arm, I lead her into the other bedroom. “I found it in the witch’s cottage. I recognized it from Queen Lynnette’s portrait and couldn’t stand the thought of leaving it there to rot. Now, will you please get dressed?”
“Of course, Highney.” She gave me a mock bow before tugging her night shirt over her head, her next words muffled by fabric. “Heaven forbid Prince Freak-Out discovers you aren’t where he left you for five minutes.”
Pausing halfway to the bathroom, I spun around. “Did you just call Jamie Prince Freak-Out ?” She was trying to diffuse my anxiety with humor. Just like when we were munchkins in our fifth-grade play and I refused to go on stage until she made some joke about the Lollipop Guild being the future juveniledelinquents of Oz. I’d giggled all the way through “Ding-Dong! The Witch Is Dead.” But right now — with the sum-total of my life at stake — her teasing was having the opposite effect.
I marched back into the room and got in her face as she tugged her skirt over her hips. “Jamie is not a freak-out! He’s a teenage boy who has carried the weight of an entire kingdom on his shoulders since he was old enough to understand it was his duty. And yes, he’s protective of me, but it’s only because without each other neither one of us would be able to survive.”
My voice broke and I pivoted away, swiping at my stupid tears. Why did I always cry when I was angry? A shudder scraped through me, and I pressed a fist to my mouth. We had to get back to Doon. I couldn’t allow myself to imagine the alternative.
“Hey.” Kenna rested her hand lightly on my
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