Jason made exasperated grumbling sounds as he thunked angrily down the stairs. “You never should have wished me here.”
“You think?” I snapped, tired of his complaints. “I could have used that wish for something useful like, oh I don’t know . . . anything else in the world.”
I held up one hand to stop him from protesting. “I know there are hordes of girls who would love to be in your presence no matter how whiny you’re being, but I’ve realized I’m not one of them.”
He sputtered at that. “You’re insulting me, when all of this is your fault?”
From behind us, Donovan whispered, “I think you should ask the queen to turn him back into a frog.”
Jason turned the lantern to the sound of his voice, scattering light up the stairs. “Keep hiding, punk. If I see you, I will totally take you down!”
Donovan didn’t answer.
Jason waved a finger in his direction. “That’s right. You’re not so tough now.”
I put my hand on Jason’s arm and turned him the right direction. The princesses had stopped descending the stairs and were staring curiously at him.
“Who are you shouting at?” Penny asked, holding her lantern higher so its circle of light increased.
Jason dropped his hand. “Um, no one.” He cleared his throat. “I just do that sometimes. Yell randomly.” More throat clearing. “It’s a guy thing.”
I slipped my arm through Jason’s arm. “He’s fine now.”
The other princesses sent a few more puzzled looks in Jason’s direction, then turned and went down the stairs again, murmuring things. Probably none of it complimentary. Jason and I followed more slowly. “And that,” I whispered, “is why you can’t win an argument with an invisible man.”
Jason shot Donovan an angry look over his shoulder, then picked up his pace. “I don’t know why you like him, let alone trust him.”
I wasn’t going to let the conversation turn in that direction. Especially not with Donovan listening. “Don’t worry about him. I’ll get you home or die trying. All I’m asking you to do is sing for the queen. I’ll do the rest.”
Jason’s gaze went to me, surprised. “You’d die for me?”
“Well, it’s not part of the game plan, but it’s a possibility.”
Jason remained quiet for a few moments. The light from our lantern spilled down the stairs, one white marble step at a time. Finally he said, “I’m sorry I’ve been hard on you. I know you didn’t mean to screw up my life.”
Donovan snorted at that. Apparently he didn’t think much of the apology.
“It’s okay,” I said, both to Jason and Donovan.
After that, Jason and I made small talk. At first it was forced and cold, but after awhile things thawed out. We talked about what we would do first when we got home. Jason was going to book a relaxing vacation in the Caribbean. I was going to come up with a good excuse to explain my three-day disappearance to my parents. And then I was going to think of things to do while grounded, because there was no way on earth my parents would buy any excuse I gave them.
Donovan didn’t say anything. Maybe he didn’t want to blow his cover. Or maybe he was thinking of his probation officer. How much trouble would he be in for disappearing?
A couple of times while we walked through the forest, the branches of trees swayed in a way that made me suspect Donovan was pilfering more fairy wealth. After we’d passed through the diamond trees, I heard Donovan’s footsteps at my side, then felt something heavy slip into my pocket. When I checked to see what he’d put there, I found three small branches, a gold, silver, and diamond one. “For me?” I asked. Earlier, he’d given me some gold leaves. I hadn’t expected more.
“You should get something from your stint in this fairy tale besides Jason’s undying love.”
“Thanks.”
The princess procession reached the lake. Jason’s boat sat on the shore exactly where I’d left it last night. The other princes stood by their boats, waiting, and cheered when they saw Jason, human and well. Several came up to clap him on the back and rib him about his time spent as an amphibian. Geoffrey, Rosamund’s prince, predicted he’d be the quickest rower, since he’d been lounging around with the princesses while the rest of them had worked vigorously.
That prediction proved false, but Jason wasn’t bothered—at least not much—by being last again. This time he knew our boat was heavier due to an invisible stowaway.
“I don’t see why I have to row the whole way,” he grumbled. “Why can’t Mr. Invisible take a turn?”
“Because,” I said patiently, “it would look odd if the oars appeared to be moving by themselves.”
Jason pulled at the oars, halfheartedly trying to catch up with the other boats. “You’re not invisible. Whatever happened to equal rights?”
I relaxed against the side of the boat, listening to the slosh of the waves. “They haven’t been invented yet.”
Jason spent the rest of ride to the pavilion alternating between complaining about being shanghaied into the past and predicting our doom. I mostly tuned him out and talked to Donovan.
Once we got to the pavilion, Jason spent a while at the refreshment table, filling his plate, and then filling it again. I should have eaten too. I should have enjoyed what was possibly my last meal, but my stomach wanted no part of it. I stood next to him nibbling at flower petals I didn’t taste.
Kailen wasn’t around again tonight. Good. One less pair of eyes to watch us. Rosamund and Geoffrey came to the table for drinks, flushed from dancing. I took Rosamund aside. I had an irrational desire to fix this fairy tale. I didn’t want to disappear back to my own century and leave my sisters’ story unfinished.
I used my body to shield her from any passing glances and slipped the silver, gold, and diamond twigs into her hand. “Put these in your purse, and give them to Geoffrey before the ball ends. He needs to come to the castle, pretend to be a suitor from a distant land, and show the twigs to father as proof he’s solved the slipper mystery. Geoffrey will choose you as his bride, and he’ll inherit the kingdom.”
Rosamund’s gaze darted to the queen’s table to make sure we weren’t being watched. “Such a thing is impossible. Father would put a stop to our ball and never let our sisters see their princes again. I couldn’t marry Geoffrey knowing that by doing so I’ll ruin my sisters’ chances for happiness.”
She pressed the twigs back at me. I didn’t take them. “Trust me about this. He’ll let the princes marry the princesses. Probably insist on it, in fact.”
“He won’t. You know his stubbornness.”
“Yes, but I also know he loves us. It will outweigh his stubbornness.” I was suddenly sure of this fact, which was a nice bit of knowledge to have. In the story, the princesses wed and lived happily ever after. Despite his gruffness and threats, the king wanted his daughters to be happy.
Rosamund still looked unconvinced, but she slipped the twigs into her purse. “Mother did say she would talk to him about restoring the provinces’ rights.”
I nodded at her. “Mother will bring him around.”
Rosamund pressed her lips together, thinking. “She might be a willing ally.”
“Absolutely,” I said.
Rosamund smiled, suddenly hopeful. “I’ll ask Geoffrey his opinion of such a plan.”
After that, Jason decided he wanted to dance and led me out on the floor. As I waltzed to the swaying sounds of the fairy music, I kept surreptitiously checking the clock, watching as the hands made their way around the face. Eleven came. Then eleven thirty. Eleven forty. Eleven fifty. With every passing minute, my heart beat faster.
I both wanted midnight to come and dreaded it. I wondered where Donovan was. He told me when I switched the goblets, he’d be near the table. Ready to help me if I needed it.
When the clock struck twelve, Jason and I danced our way toward the queen’s table. She pulled a vial from her gown took the lid off, and poured the liquid into the goblet. Fear tingled up my back. My palms felt sweaty. It was almost time to make the switch.