The Bravest Princess (17 page)

“I'm sure that's true, but Snow White didn't really have any choice. Her father has given her a short time to find a prince, certainly not enough time for a fullblown quest. And I'm sure that if the princes are intent on winning her hand, they'll figure something out.”

Liam nodded. “Good enough.”

“Are you really going to shoot at crows?” asked Annie as she helped herself to the berries.

“Later, when some of the princes get tired of stomping through the woods and come back to the castle,” said Liam. “The number of crows seems to have doubled since yesterday. And you?”

“Horace and I are working on a project together. I'm hoping to finish it today.”

“In that case, here's to a successful day!” Liam said, raising a tankard of cider.

Annie was on her way to meet with Horace when she came across some of the ladies of the court she hadn't
met before. There were only a few left on her list, so she was happy to have found them. Although she doubted that any of them was a witch in disguise, she pretended to bump into them just to make sure. The first two ladies were polite about it, but Annie knew they'd be whispering behind their hands as soon as they walked away. The third lady, who was by herself, was close to Annie's own age. When Annie bumped into her, the girl acted as if it was her own fault.

“I'm so sorry,” the girl said, helping Annie to her feet. Annie's touch made the young lady's hair change from strawberry blond to flaming red, and freckles appeared on her cheeks and nose. If anything, Annie thought she was even prettier without the magic.

“It was my fault,” said Annie. “I shouldn't have come around that corner so fast.”

“Neither should I!” the girl said, laughing. “I have to say, it's so nice to have royalty visiting who behave like normal people. I probably shouldn't tell you this, but when Queen Marissa was here, we were all afraid of our shadows, the king was a ghost of himself, and no one ever laughed.”

“That must have been awful!” said Annie. “I understand that a lot of people left then. If I might ask, why did you stay if it was so bad?”

The girl shrugged. “I didn't have anywhere else to go. My parents are dead, and the king is my godfather. Everyone is afraid that the queen is going to come
back, but why would she with all these princes here ready to protect the castle?”

“Why indeed,” said Annie. “I wonder … I have a project that I'm working on, and I could use your help. How would you like to play a role in a test for honesty?”

“You want to see how honest I am?”

“No, the test would be for Princess Snow White's suitors.”

“What would I have to do?”

“It's very simple, really,” said Annie. “You just have to drop a coin as you're walking away from a prince and see if he returns it to you. I'll have someone come watch so you'll know what the princes do with the coin if they don't give it back. When you're all finished, you tell me how everyone did.”

“That sounds like fun!” the girl exclaimed. “I'd be happy to help. I'm Lady Cynara, by the way.”

“And I'm Princess Annabelle.”

“Everyone knows who you are!” said Cynara. “We know the names of all the princes, too. When would I start this test?”

“Whenever you want. I'll send someone around with the coins later today.”

When Annie finally reached the office, Horace, Marta, and Tesia were already there, waiting for her. “I found a young lady who has agreed to help us with the honesty test,” said Annie. “Lady Cynara is going to drop
a coin and see if a prince returns it to her. I need some volunteers to watch from a hidden spot and see what the princes do.”

“Spying on nobility! You'll have a lot of volunteers for that!” said Tesia.

After making plans for the honesty test, the two sisters left to bring more women to meet Annie. When every name was crossed off her list, she noticed that none of them had belonged to the girl who wore the furs.

“She works as a scullery maid,” Marta told them, “so she should be in the kitchen, but no one has seen her today. No one seems to know her name, either. They just call her Hey You!”

“Please watch for her,” said Annie. “We can't leave anyone out.”

“Where to now, Your Highness?” asked Horace.

“I need to return to my chamber to get the coins for Lady Cynara. If you'll come with me, you can take them to her so she can start the honesty test.”

“I wonder how those young princes are doing with their test for bravery,” Horace said as they walked down the hall.

“I wonder if they've all left the castle yet. Some of them seemed to be having a difficult time making up their minds.”

“Your Highness,” a maid said, curtsying before Annie. “I have a message for you from a young man. He
said to tell you that the person you're looking for is by the south tower right now, but might not be there long.” Curtsying again, the girl scurried off.

“I guess I'm going to the south tower,” said Annie. “Liam must have spotted the girl in the furs.”

“Then it's good I'm still with you,” Horace told her as he tried to keep up. “I don't want you meeting people alone, especially if she might be a fur-wearing, crow-loving witch!”

It took them longer than Annie would have liked to reach the south tower, which was at the far end of the castle, away from most of the day-to-day activity. Once they stepped outside, they didn't see anyone on their way there other than the guards on the tops of the walls, who seemed more interested in watching crows than people. The birds were perched on the tops of the towers, on the crenellations of the walls, and on the poles supporting the banners. A few crows circled the castle as if they were on patrol, watching everyone who came or went. Annie could feel their eyes on her as she crossed the open spaces. She was prepared to run if they came any closer, but none of them did.

The door to the tower was closed when they finally reached it, but it wasn't locked and they walked right in. “Is anyone here?” Annie called.

A shadow flitted across the far wall, but the person who cast it was out of sight. “I just want to talk to you!” cried Annie.

A door opened and closed somewhere ahead. Annie darted toward it.

“Wait!” Horace called, running after her.

Annie reached the door and stopped to peer inside. It was a long stairwell leading down, and the air wafting out of it smelled musty and damp. Torches lit the way, revealing moisture on the walls. Hearing the tap of feet on stone in front of her, Annie started down the stairs.

“I don't think this is a good idea,” Horace called after Annie when he reached the top of the stairwell.

Annie wasn't so sure it was, either, but she was determined to talk to the elusive scullery maid. Only a few more steps and she'd be at the bottom of the stairs. She caught a glimpse of a dark-clad figure running ahead of her and through an open door.

“Hold up!” Horace shouted. “I'm coming!”

Annie ran across the short corridor and into a small, dark room. She stopped abruptly, looking for the person she'd been following. A moment later, Horace was there, huffing and puffing as he tried to catch his breath.

“Well, where is she?” he gasped, bent over with his hands resting on his knees.

“I don't know.” Annie turned to look around the room. “Over there!” she cried as a heavy door, hidden in the gloom, ground shut. She darted toward it, but the floor was slippery, and the door closed before she could reach it. Hearing the grinding sound again, she
turned in time to see the door through which they'd come close behind them as well.

“Well, isn't that just dandy,” Horace said as they were plunged into darkness. “I hate to say it, Your Highness, but I think this was a trap.”

“You think so?” Annie said, already mentally kicking herself. She started to walk toward the door and stubbed her toe on the uneven floor.

“Hold on a minute,” said Horace. “I think I've got a flint here.”

A gurgling sound started in one of the walls. Suddenly, water gushed from a series of holes and splashed onto the floor.

“It looks as if someone means to drown us!” said Horace. “I told you I didn't think coming down here was wise.”

Annie shook her head even though he couldn't see her. “That isn't helping, Horace. Have you found that flint yet?”

“I know it's here somewhere. Ah, here it is! Now all we need is something to light.”

“I don't think there are any torches on the walls,” Annie said, straining to see in the absolute black of the room.

“I was thinking more of a stick or something.”

“Would a handkerchief do?” she asked.

“It won't last long, but it's a start,” said Horace.

Water was swirling around her ankles when Annie
waved the handkerchief toward where she'd last seen Horace.

“Say something so I know where you are,” Horace told her.

“This water is cold,” said Annie. “And it's awfully dark in here.”

“I'm doing the best I can,” said Horace.

“I'm talking so you can find me!”

“Oh, right. Do it again.”

Instead, Annie began to sing, which wasn't easy because she was shivering so hard. The icy water was inching up to her knees, and she could hear Horace splashing as he stumbled around trying to find her. She flinched when he hit her arm.

“Here, I've got it,” Horace said, his fumbling fingers taking the handkerchief from her hand.

She heard the sharp tap of the flint, but the spark was weak and went out right away. Suddenly, over the sound of the splashing water, there was a roar so loud and fierce that the entire room seemed to vibrate.

Annie's heart raced as she stared into the darkness, afraid of what she couldn't see. “What was that?” she asked.

“Sounded like a monster to me,” said Horace.

Annie was incredulous. “You've got to be joking! First someone traps us in the dark and tries to drown us, then they send a monster after us? What's next, werewolves and dragons?”

“I don't think the monster is coming in here,” said Horace. “Listen.”

Staring into the dark was only making her imagine all sorts of dreadful things, so she closed her eyes and listened. There it was, a short, sharp sound like a dog barking. The monster roared again, and she could have sworn she heard people shouting.

“Is anyone out there?” Annie screamed, wading toward the sound. The water was up to her waist when she bumped into the door.

Horace stumbled against her, knocking her into the water. The old man grabbed the back of her gown and pulled her to her feet. “I thought maybe if we both yelled …,” he said.

Annie was drenched from head to toe and shivering so hard that her teeth chattered, but she staggered toward the door and raised her voice to scream as loud as she could. “We're in here! Please help us!”

They were both pounding on the door and yelling when something banged against it on the other side. The barking was furious now, the roaring more frequent. Suddenly, the door slammed open and the water poured from the room, carrying Annie and Horace with it. They fell, swept headlong down the corridor, where they crashed into the first steps of the stairwell. For an instant, Horace was beside her, gasping like a beached fish, his eyes wide as the current dragged Annie away. When the monster roared again, the sound was
almost deafening. Annie fought against the pull of the water, but before she could get her feet under her, something knocked her onto her back. A pair of enormous jaws closed around her middle even as she saw Liam lurch toward her, his sword raised high.

The crushing pressure on her back and stomach vanished. Something wiggled at her side. She looked down to find that a little lizard no longer than her hand had its tooth snagged on her sodden gown. The water was draining away when she sat up. Swiping her hair out of her eyes with one hand, she freed the lizard's tooth with the other and set the little creature on a stair. The last of the water trickled through cracks in the walls and floor as Annie got to her feet.

“Annie!” barked Dog, launching herself from the stairs.

She staggered under the dog's weight until she was able to brace her legs. “I'm happy to see you, too!” she said as Dog joyfully licked her face.

Horace groaned as he pulled himself onto a step. “Are you all right?” Annie asked him.

Dog left Annie to go nudge the old man.

“Fine as frog's hair,” Horace gasped. He leaned against the wall, propping himself up with his arms. “I'm just not as young as I once was. This kind of thing takes a lot out of me.”

“Annie,” Liam said, and a moment later she was in his arms. After a quick hug, he held her at arm's length
so he could look at her. “What about you? Did that monster hurt you?”

“That little lizard?” she asked, turning to watch it disappear into a crack in the wall.