Page 81 of The Abandoned Princess

“I’m trusting you,” Celeste said fiercely. “Save my daughter and my husband. No matter what it takes.”

“We will,” Xander said equally firmly.

Celeste nodded once, stood up, and punched her fist through the glass of the window. She had wrapped her fist in her thick skirts, which muffled the sound, but it was still a shock. By the time I had absorbed what was happening, she had unlatched it from the inside and pushed it open.

I stood as well, and she immediately offered me her cupped hands. When I dazedly put my foot into them, she catapulted me through the window head first.

I retained just enough sense to roll on landing, springing to my feet just as Xander bounded through the window and landed behind me.

“The broken window might look suspicious later,” he said in a cheerful tone.

“I suspect she’ll have her guard cover that up,” I replied before remembering with yet another pang that he couldn’t hear me.

“You again!” Eulalie screeched, her eyes on Xander.

“Yes, it’s me.” He smiled even more broadly before looking around the room.

Celeste might have seen Eulalie standing alone, but just as she’d predicted, I could see three other people. The king and prince had both been bound and were sitting together against one of the walls. It was easy to see how she had subdued them given she held a dagger in one hand and Danielle in the other.

Danielle’s eyes were fixed on us with a hopeful expression while the two men had no room on their faces for anything but anger.

“Your Majesty, Prince William.” Xander bowed in their direction. “I apologize for leaving so abruptly, but you have now experienced the enchantment I fell afoul of.”

“You claim no one can see or hear us,” King Richard spat at Eulalie, “but neither of them are having any trouble.”

“I’m afraid she’s telling the truth,” I said. “We can see you because we’re inside the enchantment with you. I’ve been inside it for five years in fact. I’m Princess Daisy of Trione.”

“So you found her!” William said to Xander. “I’ll confess I didn’t think you would.”

“Never doubt the godmothers,” Xander said. “No matter how cryptic their guidance. Their words gave me confidence I would find her—even though my own brother didn’t believe. I’m going to enjoy telling Xavier I interpreted their words correctly.”

Eulalie screamed again, the strident sound cutting through the conversation. She was enraged by Xander’s attitude, as he had no doubt intended.

“Don’t think your presence here makes any difference,” she hissed. “There will merely be four to die in this pavilion instead of two. And no one shall ever find your bodies. Northhelm cannot claim I killed their king when they saw him enter this pavilion with their own eyes, just as they will see me emerge with no sign of any bodies left behind. They will have to believe that the High King intervened directly as was promised with this jewel as seal.”

She stroked the glowing sapphire that now lay around her own neck.

“She is not the true ruler,” King Richard said when he saw our eyes linger on the gem. “It glows only because my son and granddaughter are so close.”

“Yes, we know how it works.” Xander sounded a little guilty. “And we apologize for disturbing your sleep. But we really needed to know if it would glow when not around your neck.”

“What?” the king asked, clearly confused.

“Let’s save our confessions for another time,” I said. “Eulalie, you must realize that my presence here shows you will never be able to control Danielle for any length of time. Your plan can’t possibly work.”

Her eyes narrowed. “I didn’t wait four hundred years to fail now!”

“You’ve really waited four hundred years for a plan this flawed?” I asked skeptically. “Are you sure you haven’t been waiting only fifteen years since your brother died and you got your hands on the godmother objects he collected—the ones he was much better at controlling than you?”

“Don’t you speak of him!” she snapped. “Those beasts killed him!”

“He brought his death upon himself,” the king said coldly.

To my surprise, Eulalie seemed to accept that statement. “He was always interfering and unpleasant,” she said. “So I’m not surprised.”

I stared at her, shocked by her complete turnaround.

“He was jealous of me is the truth of it,” she said. “He knew all three of my brothers liked me best, and I always preferred my middle brother. I think that’s why Rumpel chose to freeze me.”

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