Page 49 of A Thieving Curse

He sobered. “I’m sorry, Princess. I won’t laugh.” But the corners of his mouth twitched toward a smile. “Tell me about this shepherd boy. Please. I’m dying to know.”

“Fine, just to get you to stop asking about it! His name was Gabriel, he was sixteen, and he always let Gareth and me pet the kids and gave us goat cheese curds that tasted like angel food. And he would sing while he milked the goats. Every spring, he would let us name the new kids.”

“I can’tbelieveyou didn’t run off with him.”

“Hilarious.”

“What became of Gabriel?” Alexander asked, a peculiar tone to his voice.

Raelyn bit her cheek. “I don’t know. I got too old to be allowed to spend time visiting the goats. Officially, anyway. Didn’t stop Gareth and me from sneaking out to see the kids by moonlight every spring and giving them unofficial names. But I had a prince waiting for me. I had to forget about silly things like wanting to be a shepherdess and tanned boys who were only nice to me because my father was the king.”

“I don’t think it’s silly.” She was surprised by the gentleness in his tone, all the mockery gone. “And I doubt he was only nice to you because you’re a princess.”

“Guess I’ll never know.”

They finally arrived at the cave and made their way to the dining cavern, where they found everyone already eating. Meredithwasirritated they were late. The prince just kissed the top of Meredith’s head, which seemed to calm her.

“So. What did you two get up to?” Jasper looked between Raelyn and the prince.

“Why were you late, more exactly?” Meredith demanded as she pointed a fork at Alexander.

Alexander cut into a piece of fowl on his plate. “Checked the traps. Showed her the cliff over Timber Lake. Answered some questions for the princess.”

“Like what?” Lucas asked.

“About my parents and uncle and dragon-ness.” He glanced across the table while Raelyn continued to silently eat her food. The meat tasted like pheasant. “I think we made some progress.”

“Progress?” Lucas frowned, then grinned. “You mean she’s being nicer?”

Raelyn blushed.

“She wasn’t really mean, Lucas.” Alexander shrugged. “Just afraid. People do and say dumb things when they’re scared.”

“And you said I was clever.” She mentally kicked herself.Did I just say that out loud?

“You had the presence of mind to lie and barter and argue with me when you were afraid,” the prince said. “That’s either very smart or very stupid. You don’t strike me as stupid.”

“Thank you?” She looked up. Alexander had returned to focusing on his food, but the others were all watching her with curiosity. Meredith observed her and the prince, appearing pleased.

“He’s not so bad, right?” Jasper squinted like he was trying to see right through her.

Raelyn shifted, and her chair squeaked beneath her. The others all looked at her expectantly, even Alexander. “I suppose not,” she murmured, too embarrassed to say more.

“Do you likeanybody?” Lucas regarded her quizzically.

“Of course I do.” Raelyn took a drink of ale. “I like your mother. Trying to decide about you, though. So many questions…” She winked, and he dropped his bite of food off his fork onto his lap.He reminds me of Gareth and Nathaniel.Her mood deflated.I wish I could have said goodbye.“I like my family,” she whispered.

Everyone quieted at that.

After a few minutes, Alexander cleared his throat. “Oh, Peter. I suspect the princess might like to help you with the goats.”

Peter fumbled his fork and barely managed to catch it before it tumbled to the floor.Like father, like son,Raelyn thought with amusement. He eyed her. “The princess…goats?”

“She thinks they’re cute,” Alexander explained. “And shepherds. Shepherds are also cute, apparently.” He smiled, but his tone had that peculiar quality again. “Anyway, you can fulfill her lifelong dream of being a shepherdess. Minus the cottage, field, and muscular shepherd boy.”

Raelyn gulped down her ale. “I’m really never telling you anything again.”

Lucas stared at her likeshehad sprouted horns and a tail. The horrible idea almost made her check that she hadn’t. Meredith, Jasper, and Peter kept giving each other those annoying looks people do when they know something no one else does, but that they aren’t going to share.

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