Page 61 of The Mirror and the Curse

Wide-eyed, Xiretta turned to Olis. “It’s the strangest thing. I know most of the words she uses, but the way she strings them together makes no sense to me at all. How about you?”

Olis made a noise like a whinny, snorted in a most unladylike fashion, and shook her head.

Huffing out a breath, Xiretta fixed Eddi with a steady stare. “What are you when you’re not being people?”

Eddi laughed. “I’m sorry. Obviously, I’m terrible at explaining things. When I’m not at Faraway Castle, I’m a princess. I must dress in expensive clothes and do public appearances and cut ribbons at groundbreakings and smile sweetly all the time. I can’t blow my nose or burp or trip and fall without it being all over the news. I can’t fall in love without it being written up in gossip columns. But here at Faraway Castle, I can have a boyfriend without the whole world talking about it.” Feeling like a blabbermouth, she sipped her tea, which was quite nice with the macaron.

Her companions opened their eyes wide. Even the cinder sprites goggled at her and clicked their teeth. “Doyou have a boyfriend?” Xiretta asked, looking expectant.

“I . . . um . . .”

At that awkward moment, Olis set down her tea mug, pointed at the sky behind Xiretta, and made a snorting noise. Eddi turned, and relief swept through her in a hot wave. She leaped to her feet, waving both arms. “It’s Kai and Flurry!”

“I knew it!” Xiretta sounded triumphant. “Did you see that, Olis? First time I said Kai’s name, her face lit up like the Northern Lights. And now you get to meet him. I know he’s not half horse, but you’ve got to admit he’s still cute.”

Flurry circled the area once, then landed daintily on a small flat area atop the ridge, looking quite pleased with herself. Eddi was already charging up the slope. Kai removed his helmet, slipped it into the mesh bag hanging from Flurry’s saddle band, and dropped lightly to the ground.

Eddi’s first impulse was to throw her arms around him, but something in his manner restrained her.

“Looks to me like you’ve made new friends already,” he commented, nodding toward the table.

“They scared the daylights out of me,” Eddi admitted in a near-whisper, “but they’re nice.” She paused. “I think. I mean, I hope they are.”

He chuckled. “Introduce me?”

“Sure.” When Flurry reached over to give her a little nose bunt, Eddi patted her, remembering, “Oh! White flew away!”

“We’ll find him,” Kai assured her. “First, your friends?”

“Oh, yes.” Eddi led the way down the rocky slope but slipped partway. Kai caught her by her parachute harness, preventing a nasty tumble. “Thanks. My feet aren’t working right,” Eddi mumbled. Maybe it was the altitude?

When they approached the table, Xiretta was standing, and even Olis scrambled to her feet, forelegs first, then hind legs. She shook herself, much like any horse. They both shifted their attention between Eddi and Kai with evident interest and approval.

Indicating him, Eddi said, “Girls, this is Kai, um, Longthane.” She fumbled over his last name, which she hadn’t even known until a few weeks ago, and felt her face grow hot. “Kai, may I introduce Xiretta, my hostess, and Olis. They have been kind to me today.”

Kai bowed slightly. “Ladies, I am delighted. Thank you for your hospitality to Her Royal Highness during her time of need.”

“To who?” Xiretta asked in her blunt way.

He motioned toward Eddi. “To Princess Eddi.”

“Oh, yeah, right. She was just telling us about being a princess and how she can’t put on air while she’s at the resort.” Xiretta then bobbed a curtsy. “And Kai the dwarf, we’ve met before, but you wouldn’t remember. Your real name is Mordekai after your uncle, right? My parents know pretty much all your aunts and uncles, and I know your cousins. And I gotta say, you’re even cuter than you used to be.” Her gaze shifted to Eddi. “You and Eddi have got to be the prettiest couple ever.” She shrugged her thick shoulders. “I’d be happy to be half of theugliestcouple ever, so long as the fella treats me right and isn’t a complete chucklehead like my brothers.”

Olis made a quiet nickering sound, and Xiretta smiled at her friend. “I hope you’re right, but I doubt I’ve met him yet. And one of these days, Olis, Tymesis will figure out that you’re the sweetest filly-gal in the region and make you happy.” She looked at Eddi. “Olis has been in love with a studious stud for years now, but he’s too busy reading the stars to notice a real live centaur girl.”

Eddi thought about setting the record straight regarding her relationship with Kai, but what did it matter? She was unlikely ever to see these two creatures . . . girls . . . again.

While she dithered, Xiretta asked, “Would you care to join us for tea, Kai? I imagine you gotta take our princess back to the resort, but we seldom get company up here, let alone posh types like you two.”

Kai gave Eddi a questioning glance just as Olis clearly said, “Macarons?” and indicated the plate of colorful sweets.

Eddi nodded hopefully.

“We would be honored,” Kai answered for them both.

So it came about that Eddi and Kai sat at a little stone table on a mountainside, drinking tea and nibbling macarons with a centaur and . . . an ogress.

Eddi didn’t learn that detail until she and Kai prepared for flight while her new friends watched from a respectful distance. “Are you kidding me?” Eddi whispered back harshly, her eyes wide.

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