Page 29 of A Thieving Curse

“At least please consider what I’ve said,” Jasper asked quietly.

Raelyn met Jasper’s eyes. He looked tired and care worn. She nodded hesitantly.

“Thank you, Your Grace.” He bowed and shuffled out of the room.

She picked at the food, trying to revive her appetite. If the monster prince’s curse wasn’t his fault, she had to agree that the prince had been done a grave injustice. But what about the injustice of keeping her against her will when there were two entire kingdoms counting on her? While she stewed, Meredith, Peter, and Lucas returned and finished filling the tub.

Lucas swung his empty pail. “Are you going to run off?”

“Lucas!” Peter snapped.

Raelyn stood and pushed the stool under the table. “No. Not for now, anyway. I…agreed to consider some things Jasper told me.”

“Yes!” Lucas whooped, startling her. “We’re gonna be friends.” He grinned as he walked out. “My friend, the princess. Ha!”

Meredith sighed. “I apologize. Lucas is…exuberant.”

“He’s a handful, you mean.” Peter laughed as he followed his son out.

“Also that.” Meredith smiled. “By the way…” She reached into the pocket of her apron and pulled out a simple wooden comb. “Lucas mentioned you wanted to comb out your hair. I agree it needs done.”

“Oh. Um, thank you.” Raelyn accepted the comb, feeling awkward. Meredith turned to go. “Wait! Please.”

“Yes?”

“I’m…would…” Her cheeks burned, and she ducked her head. “Could you help me with my dress? The laces are difficult for me to reach and…I’m sorry, I don’t want to bother you—”

“Of course, dear.” Meredith smiled. “I can help you comb your hair when you’re done too, if you like.”

Raelyn rubbed her fingers over the teeth of the comb. “You would do that?”

Meredith looked surprised. “Why not?”

“Even though I don’t like…him.” She chewed on her lower lip, then stopped, remembering Mother’s scolding.

Meredith considered her. “You’ve been unkind to Alex, yes. More than you know. But I can’t change your mind by being unkind in return. And…to be honest, I understand. He is unusual-looking, and you’ve been through a lot.”

“Thank you.” Raelyn couldn’t think of any other response. But she did have another request. “You wouldn’t…I don’t suppose… Do you have an extra dress?”

Meredith’s grin widened. “Oh, thank goodness. I thought you’d never ask.”

11

THE DRESS MEREDITH brought after Raelyn’s bath was nothing like the wool frock Meredith currently wore. To Raelyn’s surprise, the soft cobalt linen fit her slimmer figure, and the hem brushed the ground. Despite its simplicity, the dress was beautiful.

“This was mine,” Meredith said. “I held on to it because I always hoped I’d have a reason to wear it again. And then because I hoped, one day, I’d fit in it again.” She laughed. “I wore it to my cousin’s wedding.”

“I can’t take this—”

“Nonsense.” Meredith laced up the back. “It’s doing me no good sitting in a trunk.”

Meredith combed the knots out of Raelyn’s hip-length tresses—which took an embarrassingly long time. At one point, Raelyn almost suggested they cut it off, but with everything else, she didn’t know if she could handle losing her hair, too. Meredith was mercifully silent while she worked, which allowed Raelyn to think about what Jasper had said. He was right, she needed to talk to the dragon-man further, but she wasn’t sure she was ready to face him again.

After Meredith detangled Raelyn’s hair, she pulled it back into a braid and finished the end with a piece of string. “Done.” She rose from the bed. “How would you like to go outside?”

Raelyn nearly collapsed with joy. “Oh, please.”

The fresh air and sunlight felt magnificent. The cave opened onto the mountain like a gigantic, gaping mouth. A large grassy area stretched out to a line of pines where the forest began. Meredith joined Jasper and Peter on a sunbathed boulder a short distance away, repairing a trapping net.

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