Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109099 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 364(@300wpm)
Half-breed? Hadn’t he seen me the night before? Why was he acting like he didn’t know who I was?
“I’m just—” I began…but then I caught a glimpse of myself in the huge, mirrored wall behind him.
The words died in my throat as I stared at my reflection—at least, I thought it was mine. Because other than having my facial features, the woman in the mirror looked nothing like me.
She looked a lot younger than me for one thing—no more than eighteen or nineteen at most, I estimated. Her hair was so long it fell to her lower back and it was many shades of purple mixed with silvery white. She looked kind of like I had back in my college years, only prettier, I thought. Much prettier. Her features were more delicate and when I pushed her—my—hair aside, I saw that the tips of her ears tapered to a sharp point.
“Answer me!” Mordren snarled, dragging my attention away from the impossible reflection in the mirror. “Who are you and what are you doing in my Palace?”
“She’s a spy!” one of the guards holding me exclaimed. “I saw her, Your Grace—she burst out from one of the walls!”
“So, a spy, are you?” Mordren said, apparently accepting this explanation at once. “And who are you spying for? What information did you hope to learn and bring back to our enemies?”
“I’m not—” I began but then a new voice interrupted me.
“That is no spy—that is the Lost Princess!”
It was Seldarin, striding into the room with Krynn right behind him. They came right up to the guards who were holding me and Seldarin gave them a fierce glare.
“You two are dismissed. Go back to ranks at once!”
The Fae guards dropped my arms and hurried away. Seldarin and Krynn took their places, flanking me protectively.
“What do you speak of?” Mordren demanded. “Is this more nonsense from last night? Everyone knows the Lost Princess is gone and is never coming back.”
“Lord Mordren is right.”
It was the elegant Fae lady who had looked down her nose at me when I had tripped and fallen at her feet. She moved forward with a rustle of skirts. Her clothing seemed to be sewed together from some kind of silvery, semi-transparent leaves. They covered her curves while leaving little to the imagination.
Looking around, I saw that all the ladies of the Court were dressed in similar fashion. No wonder I looked out of place wearing the nightgown Krynn had given me with my dirty jacket and my car keys still in the pocket over it.
“Lord Mordren is right,” she said again, as though to drive home her point. “There is no point in looking for the Lost Princess anymore—she is clearly gone for good. It’s time we moved on and crowned a new ruler—and who better to be our King than the Lord Regent who has served us faithfully since Good King Valerin died?”
“You know that isn’t true. You only want to curry favor with Mordren by kissing his ass, Elgiana,” Seldarin growled.
She whirled on him in fury.
“How dare you speak to me, you ugly half-breed? And I am Lady Elgiana—as your companion there, well knows.” She gave Krynn a smirking look and I suddenly realized where I had heard her name before. This was the Fae woman whose servant Krynn had been when he first came to Court—at least, I thought that was what he’d said.
“Greetings, Lady Elgiana.” Krynn nodded at her coolly.
“Krynn, darling—how are you?” she purred, reaching out to stroke his cheek.
Krynn flinched away from her touch, but she didn’t appear to notice.
“I’ve been thinking of you lately, darling boy,” she said to him. “I’ve never found anyone half so pretty as you to serve me since you left. The position is still open, you know—if you should ever like to return.”
“I am the Court Historian and Keeper of the Royal Records.” Krynn’s face was as stiff as a mask. “I’m no longer your servant and not interested in being so again.”
“So you didn’t like serving me?” She pouted at him. “You don’t miss me at all? Not even when the Needing comes on you?”
Krynn’s face flushed and for a moment I saw his composure slip. Then he swallowed hard and lifted his chin.
“I serve another now—for the Lost Princess has returned.” He nodded at me and raised his voice so the whole room could hear him. “I say again—the Lost Princess has returned and is now standing before us! Who among you is still loyal to the Blood of Lolth which flows in her veins?”
“Cease this nonsense!” Mordren hissed, narrowing his eyes as the whole Court started murmuring among themselves. “You are lying—this is not the same creature you found at the clearing last night and insisted on dragging back to the Palace!”
“Yes, she is!” Seldarin growled. “This is the Princess—she has eaten our food and shed the human dross that collected while she lived in the Mortal Realm.”