Page 78 of The Mirror and the Curse

“But sir,” Fidelio began, his tone hesitant. “I’m not her true love. She broke up with me last week. You should ask—”

“Broke up? Eddi never even told me you were dating!” The king’s voice seemed to ring through the stables. Several of the flying horses snorted or squealed.

Could this get any worse?Eddi longed to slither under the bench.

“It was only a few weeks,” the prince attempted.

“Never mind that now. Just kiss her, dear boy,” Jakinda said. “It’s worth trying.”

“But it won’t—”

“Stop dawdling and wake up my daughter!”

Eddi’s heart dropped through the floor.Yes, in fact, this could get worse—I just had to ask. Worst day of my life, to date.

A moment later, Fidelio whispered, “Sorry, Eddi,” then kissed her for the second time that day, his lips gentle despite her father’s looming presence. If Eddi’s tear ducts had been working, she might have cried for him when he murmured near her ear, “Kai’s all right. And you and I will always be friends.”

As Fidelio pushed away and stood upright, King Koldo said, his voice edged with fear, “Nothing happened! If Prince Fidelio can’t wake her, who can?”

Eddi’s heart warmed.Aww, Dad really cares!

“Don’t look at me,” Geoff said with a note of humor. “I already kissed my true love awake.”

Into the subsequent storm of conversation, Fidelio spoke with resolution. “It’s Kai’s turn to try. He’s Eddi’s true love.”

Eddi’s heart began to pound as a battle between dread and hope swirled through her.

“What did you say?” King Koldo exclaimed. “Where are you going? Your Highness!” Eddi could see her father spin back toward Geoff. “What did he say about Eddi’s true love?”

“You heard him, Your Majesty. He said Kai is her true love.”

If she’d had the ability to move, Eddi would have bopped Geoff Bryant for drawing this out into some kind of show and laughing at them all!

“Who is this Kai person?” King Koldo inquired.

Jakinda spoke quietly. “He helped her train—”

“This is utterly ridiculous.” Tea’s voice held a strident edge. “My son would never fall in love with a human princess. Our presence here is pointless. Kai, come away from there.” A pause. “Mordekai Crossbow Longthane, you heard me!”

“Now, Tea,” Cog began in his gentle way.

Although Eddi couldn’t see Kai, she knew when he stepped forward. “I am Kai Longthane, Your Majesty. With your permission, I will attempt to wake your daughter.” Kai’s husky voice sounded unusually deep, his words and tone blending dignity and respect. Eddi heard gasps all around. She could hardly breathe.

“Wait! You won the maiden-filly race today, didn’t you? How do you know my daughter?” her father inquired sharply.

“He is the young man Eddi hired to train her flying horse,” Jakinda reminded him.

“Yes, Kai helped Eddi with Snow White,” Geoff affirmed. “And as I explained a few moments ago, he rescued her in the mountains last week and assisted me at the Sangiovese Stakes.”

“At the . . . oh! But . . . but . . . If this is true, I do thank you for that.”

Eddi wanted to smile. Her father sounded so startled.

“It was my honor, sir.”

“This is all very well, but . . .” King Koldo sputtered. “Young man, do you seriously ask permission to kiss the Princess of Bilbao? A young woman so far above your station that—”

“Enough, Koldo,” Jakinda said firmly. “Let him try. If he succeeds, perhaps he is not so far below her station as you think.”

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