Page 74 of The Abandoned Princess

“Eulalie,” I said flatly, even while a detached part of me noticed that she wore elaborate ruby earrings I had never seen before.

“Daisy.” She sounded far more surprised by my presence than I was by hers. “So you really are here. I thought I must have been dreaming when I saw you earlier. But this is much better.”

“Better?” I asked, my heart speeding up until it was beating so fast I thought it might burst.

“I’m not going to ask why you disobeyed me and left the tower,” she said in the tone of an indulgent parent. “It’s all worked out for the best in the end. I was going to attempt to do this from afar, but I think it will be more successful with you here.”

“What are you going to do?” I asked, trying not to shake.

I had lain awake so many nights, planning what I would do and say when I was finally free to stand up to her. But now that she was in front of me, it was hard to shake off years of habit.

“I’m going to remove your enchantment, of course,” she said.

My thoughts stuttered to a halt. “What? You’re going to remove it?”

She nodded, smiling with cold amusement. “I considered your words back in the tower, and you were quite right. The only way to ensure the success of today is to return the power I’ve wasted on you to the ring.”

“You’re…you’re just going to release me,” I said, too dazed to make sense of what was happening.

“That is correct.” She raised the hand wearing the ring.

“I’ll be free.” My lips felt strangely numb.

She paused, her hand hovering in mid-air. “I don’t think I can allow that.” She sounded almost apologetic.

“What?” I stared at her, and my heart, which seemed to have stopped, began to beat too fast again.

“I’ve grown fond of you over the years,” she said conversationally. “In a way, at least. You were so very compliant.” She smiled but there was no true warmth in it. “But I can’t possibly have you running around talking about me. There are some remarkably intelligent people in Northhelm, and I can’t possibly get rid of all of them—not immediately, anyway.”

I tried to make sense of what she was saying. She was going to free me only to kill me like she had her previous test subjects?

“I’m not saying I didn’t learn anything from your test,” she said conversationally. “It took me a full year to work out how to overcome the mistake I made regarding children.”

“Only a year,” I said slowly. “So my birthday never mattered. That’s why you didn’t care about being at the tower for it.”

“Oh, did you think it was important this whole time?” She gave me a look of false sympathy. “I was merely inexperienced in triggering the enchantment when I captured you. It won’t be a problem for future uses.”

I considered telling her she was too late, that I had already told many people everything I knew about her and her plans. But I kept my mouth shut. I had to protect the young princes and princesses, as well as Xander and Lori.

At least if Eulalie removed the enchantment, they would be free. Xander’s charade back in that distant market had served more than one purpose. She had no idea he was still caught up in the enchantment, let alone that he was here in Northgate with me.

The weak, trembling feeling of shock left me, replaced with a steady resolve. Eulalie might manage to kill me, but I would go down fighting. And I would make sure she lifted the enchantment first. I would be free, if only for a moment. And I would leave the people I loved free as well.

I felt the certainty of that thought hit me. Lori was like a favorite aunt, and I had loved her for years, but I was no less sure about my feelings for Xander.

I loved him, and not just because he was the one who had turned up to rescue me. I loved him because he included me but also everyone else. Because he was a royal, but he also cared about everyday people. Because he was intelligent, strong, and entertaining, and he was just as willing to run straight toward trouble as I was. The fact he was a royal from a kingdom my parents would want as allies was merely the gilding on top. No matter where I had met Xander, I would have fallen for him.

If my last act in this life was protecting the two of them, it wouldn’t be a waste.

I felt myself straighten, but I tried to keep my expression cowed and off-balance.

“So, are you going to lift the enchantment or not?” I didn’t have to fake the greedy look I gave the ring.

“Yes, that’s the first step, certainly.” She looked down at the ring, running a hand across the broken surface of the gem and muttering words I couldn’t catch.

Nothing happened.

She frowned and stepped toward me. I backed up instinctively, and her eyes narrowed.

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