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dance floor, some looking for their partners, others searching for the girl who’d caught the prince’s eye.
    I gambled too much for a little leisure. My comeuppance was an all-out sprint through the balcony doors and across the castle grounds to the log that held my bow. As soon as I arrived, the enchantment ended and the necklace disappeared with it. The moment my fingers closed around my filthy servant’s clothing they appeared on my body, replacing the beautiful gown spun by my godmother’s magic. I caught my breath, called up the memory of the boy in the market, and wrapped the glamour around me.
    I finally relaxed. My armor was firmly back in place.
    At my feet, the Daymaiden lily stared up at me, almost mocking me, if it were possible for flowers to do so. I knelt and retrieved it, scratching at the fabric covering the place I’d carried it on my leg.
    “Were you worth the trouble, pretty thing?” I whispered to it.
    Of course, the lily had no response.
    I stashed it inside my quiver of arrows and hurried back to the stables. With the unmasking complete, some guests would be leaving, and I had no desire for another bruise to match the one I’d gotten that morning.

Chapter 4

    Per Delphine’s instructions, I wrapped the flower and placed the bundle on a log in the clearing the night following the masked ball. No sooner had I set it down then a large hawk swooped in and carried it off. I scratched at my thigh as I watched it fly away, southbound toward my sisters.
    By the light of my small bucket fire back in the stable, I examined the offending spot on my leg. Even in the dim glow, the place the Daymaiden lily rested against my skin looked splotchy and irritated. Hopefully my sisters would be able to do something for it soon.
    The next morning I spent time with the horses, showing the royal mounts extra care after the influx of guests stole my attention from them for two days. It was as I finished up with Remy that the stable doors opened, admitting Prince Leopold and Master Grey mid-argument.
    “The boy should not be trusted with this, Your Highness,” Master Grey said. “It’s unwise to leave such a fine steed in the care of a simpleton.”
    “Are you insinuating that I’m incapable of good judgment, stablemaster?” The prince stopped and turned to the thin, twisted form of Master Grey.
    The other man stumbled and stammered. “No, Sire. I would never!” He bowed as low as his misaligned spine allowed. “I only wanted to counsel you against—”
    “When I have need of your counsel, I will ask it,” he interrupted, then proceeded on his way. “No other than your stable boy, Rae, is to touch my horse.”
    “As you wish, Your Highness,” Master Grey grumbled before seeing himself out.
    Pretending as though I hadn’t overheard him defending me, I resumed brushing Remy’s tail, using the long, slow strokes he liked.
    “Pay him no mind,” the prince said as he leaned up against the doorway. “His words carry no weight with me.”
    “Whose words, Highness?” I asked, feigning ignorance.
    “You know whose words. There’s no need to hide your intelligence with me. I’ve seen through your façade already.”
    I paused, startled by his statement. Surely he couldn’t see through my glamour. It wasn’t possible. I met his eyes, searching them for any hint he saw me as other than what my magic dictated, but there was only kindness in his gaze.
    I looked away to finish Remy’s grooming, uncomfortable with the eye contact. “His misconceptions cause me no harm and prevent him from giving me more work than I already have, Sire. There’s little chance to risk punishment for mistakes when all I’m given is simple tasks.”
    “Competence can have much greater rewards, however,” he said. “Eventually I’ll convince you of this and perhaps win myself a trusted companion by my side.”
    By his side? Spirits above and below, the mere thought of it slackened my jaw and sent my knees quaking.