Page 49 of The Princess's Pet

“I vote we leave them to whatever they’re doing and explore for a bit,” I offered to Ana who turned to look at me nodding in agreement.

“Yeah, they’ll find us, hopefully they’ll have stopped playing with their food by then,” she agreed and looked confused and concerned all at once. “Why are they like this?” she asked herself quietly as she looked back at the two boys shaking her head.

We explored the fair, there were rides and games and food stands. After playing and losing a few impossible games and standing in line for rides that went too fast, we stopped for a snack of cotton candy. It left my fingers sticky and my stomach protesting at the sugar. Luckily Harris arrived and was more than happy to finish the treat for me.

“Hey Harris, over here, look,” Dylan called waving the other boy over to a stand that had a water shooting game. “Play ya?” he offered. Harris didn’t reply as he shoved the last of the cotton candy in his mouth and ran over to join Dylan.

“We should go on the Ferris Wheel next. The line looks long,” Ana suggested.

A Ferris Wheel was far more intimidating in person. A giant wheel with little 2-person chairs, and only a bar barely across your lap to stop you from falling a million feet to your death. I wanted to ride it but my hands also began to sweat as Ana grabbed my arm and dragged me over.

“We should get in line now while the guys are playing their game, instead of waiting,” she told me a little bossily as I followed clumsily at her side.

It was only about 5 minutes before the boys found us. They approached with a kind of excited nervousness, that made me uncomfortable. Both their hands behind their backs hiding something from us.

“Ladies,” Harris greeted formally, bowing his head slightly.

“What are you up to?” Ana demanded and I took a step back as they smiled a little wider.

“We have something for you two,” Dylan answered.

“If it’s a bug or something gross, I don’t want it,” I told him as he came closer to me.

His smile dropped slightly. “I would never Percy. I’m not a child,” he argued. I hummed in disagreement.

“Here,” Harris said first, holding out a keyring to Ana that had a small plastic white dog attached to it. “For you,” he said shyly offering it to Ana.

“I won one too. It’s like my beast,” Dylan said, a big smile back on his face as he revealed a keychain with a small black wolf attached. “If you want it?” he asked a little hesitantly, a slight blush to his cheeks. It was very cute, and he was very cute in his puppy-dog way. I nodded my head smiling at the offered gift.

He smiled back brighter still and dropped to his knees, hands reaching for my shoes.

“What are you doing?” I giggled.

“Attaching this little dude to your shoe, not anywhere else for it to go,” he said in answer and I waited for him to fiddle with the clasp and loop it through the shoelace hole. “There, all done,” he said standing up rubbing his hands on his thighs and happy with his work.

“I love it,” I told him toeing the ground and looking at the small figure attached to my shoe.

“It’ll bring you good luck,” he told me.

“Oh yeah, is it a magical keychain you won?” I asked teasingly.

“Of course, didn’t you know this whole fair is enchanted? Any prize won and gifted to a pretty girl is automatically a good luck charm,” he answered seriously, I blushed and pushed him away.

“Stop being silly Dylan,” I told him, feeling a mixture of flattered and anxious at his compliment.

Dylan was handsome in the classical shifter way, tall and broad and very confident. And if I was being honest with myself, just a couple of weeks ago I would have been wooed by his exuberant puppy charm. But even as I looked up at his boyish grin and watched as his top strained when his chest flexed and he lifted his hand to run through his hair, the Princess flooded my mind. I felt guilty for even thinking Dylan was cute. But I reminded myself that I didn’t have to feel guilty. Dylan was only being his version of overly friendly and ridiculous I had come to expect. Plus, there was no harm in recognising someone as attractive.

“It’s getting late,” Harris commented and I noticed that the sun was setting.

“Does anyone know the time?” I asked. I remembered hearing the clock tower, but I hadn’t paid much attention.

“It’s just gone 6,” Dylan told me.

“Do you think we’ll be finished with the Ferris Wheel in time for me to get back for 7?” I asked the group.

“Oh yeah, the Ferris Wheel only lasts 10 minutes and we should be at the front of the line in the next 5, plenty of time. Why 7?” Ana answered and I could hear the excitement in her voice as she bounced on her toes when she looked at the line to estimate our waiting time.

“I’ve to be back by 7,” I told her a little anxious, wishing I had a watch.

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