Page 19 of Pippa of Lauramore
Irving stands beside me and drapes his arm across my shoulder. “We know who she is. We walked in on a very private moment between her and the valiant Prince Galinor.”
Leonora’s eyes go wide, and she looks like she might pass out from the thought. I shrug away from Irving, giving him a good, hard poke in the ribs.
“They were only speaking, Your Highness,” Lady Marigold interjects, glaring at her sort-of brother.
“Who are you?” Leonora asks, her voice sharp.
I blink. That’s as rude as I’ve ever heard her speak.
Undaunted, the prince bows low. “Prince Irving of Primewood.”
She scowls at him but turns to Lady Marigold.
“I’m Marigold of Primewood,” the girl says, her voice small and mousy again.
“LadyMarigold,” Irving adds.
“Ah,” Leonora says, her face softening at the girl’s introduction. “Of course. It’s very nice to meet you.”
A trumpet sounds from the palace walls, and we all turn toward the road. A trio of riders charges through the trees, their leader on a magnificent black stallion. The two behind him hold an orange and black flag with a slain dragon on its crest.
“Well, well,” Irving says. “He made it after all.”
“Who is it?” I watch intently. The man’s very handsome. “I don’t know him.”
The newcomer rides past us, nodding. His hair is black, and his eyes are almost the same color. I hear whispers behind us, and it seems everyone has something to say about our newest guests.
Leonora answers me before Irving gets the chance. “Lord Rigel of Errinton.”
“Errinton?” I rip my gaze from the man and turn to her. “We’re not on good terms with them.”
Irving snorts. “Who is?”
The princess takes a deep breath. “Your father invited him.”
Of course he did.
CHAPTER 5
The knock on my bedroom door wakes me up with a start. I blink, trying to figure out what time it is. The sun shines through the crack in the balcony curtain, so it must be morning.
“Pippa,” Leonora calls from the other side of the wooden door.
I flop back down and groan. “Go away.”
I stayed up half the night reliving the events from yesterday. What was Galinor going to say before we were interrupted, and why has Father allowed a lord from Errinton to enter the tournament?
“I will not go away, Pippa. Let me in,” Leonora says, irritated.
The guard would have opened the door for her if she’d just asked.
“Let her in,” I call.
I had hoped she would have breakfast with her, but her hands are sadly empty.
“You look awfully nice for how early it is.” I eye hersilk brocade dress. Her hair is braided back, and pearls are woven through it. She sweeps in the room like the future queen she is and yanks open the curtains. The room is flooded in bright, evil sunlight. I cringe and throw the covers over my head.
“You were supposed to be at your music lesson over a half hour ago.” She pulls the covers away from my eyes. “Haven’t you heard the morning bells?”
