Princess in Disguise (6 page)

“The floor is slanting up,” Liam called to her. “I think the water level is dropping. Yes, it's definitely lower. How are you doing?”

“Fine,” Annie said through gritted teeth. The
thing
was still stuck to her boot, and she was dragging it forward with every step. If it was a snake, as she feared, she wasn't going to do anything about it until she could see what she was doing. She was sure that Liam would help her if she told him, but it would mean they would have to stop. Although the tunnel was dryer now, it could still collapse around their ears. The thing on her boot would just have to wait.

As they trudged through the tunnel, Annie could tell that it was definitely angling upward. Her boots felt like lead weights and she could hear the thing dragging behind her each time she moved her right foot.

When Liam stopped suddenly and called, “We've reached the end of the tunnel,” Annie wasn't sure what he meant at first. If they'd reached the end, why had he stopped?

“There's something blocking the way,” Liam called to her. “I just … Ah, I see. We turn here and … Come
on, Annie. You have to walk around the boulder and you'll be outside.”

The light from the torch vanished along with Liam, but an instant later it was back as he shoved the torch into the tunnel. Annie hurried then, shuffle, drag, shuffle, drag, to the end of the tunnel, which was indeed blocked, spying the opening to her left only when she was feet from the boulder.

Annie sighed with relief as she stepped out into the cool night air. They were in a field with a mound of boulders behind them. Hay grew thigh high on every side, but they couldn't see more than a few feet because of the thick green fog that surrounded them.

“I think I should put out the torch,” Liam told her, his voice slowing with each word. “The light might make the fog around us brighter and give us away.”

“Not yet,” Annie said, pointing at her foot. “There's something on my boot and I'll run a lot faster without it. I need your light to see what it is.”

“Annie,” Liam said as he lowered the torch. “You've been walking with
that
on your foot?”

A snake as long as her arm lay stretched out on the ground behind her. Its body was limp and battered, and its fangs were stuck in her boot.

“I tried to shake it free,” Annie told Liam. “But its fangs are really in there.”

“First of all, let's make sure it's truly dead,” Liam drawled. Even though the fog clinging to his skin
and clothes slowed his movements, it took him only a moment to find a fist-size rock. When he was sure the snake couldn't possibly be alive, he grabbed its head and unhooked its fangs from her boot. “I'm glad you suggested we wear these heavy boots. If you'd worn anything else, the snake would have bitten you.”

“I know,” Annie said, not wanting to think about it. “Which way should we go?”

“Your father said the tunnel led east. In that case, the forest should be straight ahead.”

“Don't put the torch out yet,” Annie said as she peered into the fog. “It's so thick, I don't think anyone could see the light.” She took a step forward and the fog retreated so that she stayed in a clear circle about eight feet wide wherever she went. “Look, the fog is moving away from me. I think I … Liam?” He had been there a moment before, but the fog had already swallowed him.

“I'm right here, Annie,” he said, his voice faint although she knew he couldn't be far.

“Don't move. I'm coming to find you,” she said, retracing her steps. He was there, right where she had left him. “And my name is Seth, remember?”

“Uh, right. Sorry, Seth,” Liam said with a grin.

Annie noticed that while he was covered with the sticky fog, none of it had touched her. “Hold my hand and don't let go,” she told him. “We need to get to the forest.”

“The fog will probably be there, too,” said Liam, his words normal now that he was in contact with Annie.

“I know, but at least we'll be able to hide there when the fog disappears.”

Walking hand in hand, they began moving toward the forest. Although Annie doubted anyone could see the light, she still felt better when they finally reached the trees. She was familiar with the woods around the castle, having explored them as a child and again with Liam when they needed to get away from everyone. Shortly after entering the forest, she figured out where they were and led the way to the road. The fog was so thick that they could walk beside the road without being seen by riders.

When they finally stopped to rest beside a stream, Liam handed Annie the torch and stepped into the water, staying within the fog-free circle that surrounded her. “I'm going to rinse this gunk off,” he said. “I can't stand the smell much longer. And I hate that you have to hold my hand so I can walk and talk normally. I'd rather hold your hand because I want to, not because I have to. Would you mind sitting right there so I can see what's around me?” He pointed at a rock by the edge of the water.

Annie sat down and leaned over to inspect her boot. One of the fangs had broken off in the leather when Liam had pulled the snake free. Shuddering, she looked away, and her eye caught movement in the fog. Holding
the torch higher, she tried to see it again, but it was no longer there. All she was left with was the impression of two bright green circles looking out at her from the swirling, drifting fog.

“Uh, Ruben, are you almost ready to go?” she asked.

“Just a minute,” Liam said, dunking his head in the water to scrub the foggy goo out of his hair. When he stood again, he shook his head, sending droplets flying everywhere. Some reached Annie, but the two green circles were back and she was watching them draw closer. She thought they were eyes, but had no idea what kind of creature had eyes like those.

Liam climbed out of the stream and took Annie's hand again. “I think we have company,” she whispered.

Turning to see what she was looking at, he frowned and bent down. “I can take care of that,” he said, picking up a rock.

The eyes seemed to be watching him as he pulled back his arm and threw the rock between them. Suddenly, the eyes separated, moving farther apart. Annie gasped. Maybe they weren't eyes after all. When the green circles didn't leave, Liam picked up another rock and chucked it directly at the circle on the right. It disappeared as if a light had gone out. As Liam took aim again, the second circle darted out of sight.

“What do you think they were?” asked Annie.

“Heck if I know,” said Liam. “But I didn't like the way they were watching us.”

They started walking again then, although Annie kept looking back to see if the green circles had returned. “You mentioned getting horses,” she said after a while. “How are we going to do that? We're past Shelterhome and we don't dare go there anyway. There are bound to be enemy soldiers in the town. But I don't know of any stables in this direction.”

“I wasn't planning to visit a stable,” Liam said, scratching his neck. “There are plenty of farms around and I'm sure some of them have horses.”

“I do recall seeing horses in a field a few miles from here,” said Annie.

“Then lead the way,” Liam replied.

They were more than halfway through the forest when the fog began to dissipate. The torch gave out an hour or so later, leaving them to stumble through the pre-dawn gloom. By the time they reached the edge of the forest, the sky was growing lighter in the east and they could see a farmer's fields. Only a few thin green tendrils of fog floated between the trees.

“The sun is coming up,” Annie pointed out. “There will be people on the roads soon.”

“I'm trying to decide which horses to go after. I think the bay for me and the chestnut for you.”

Annie gave the horses an appraising look. “I think they're probably cart horses. I don't know if we can ride either of them. Besides, isn't it up to the farmer which horses he'll sell to us? Not all horses are for sale.”

“They are at the right price,” Liam said, eyeing the fence that separated them from the field. “If I was planning to pay for them.”

Annie was shocked. “You're going to steal these horses!”

“Well, I'm not going to go to the farmer's cottage to introduce myself. It's better if the farmer doesn't see us at all. Then he won't have anything to tell Dormander's spies if they ask. Don't worry, I'll bring the horses back and pay the farmer for their use after Treecrest returns to normal.”

“In the meantime, he won't have a horse to pull his wagon!”

“In the meantime, we'll be risking our lives to make sure he has a good king on the throne to keep him safe! And if it means we steal a horse, then so be it!”

“You have a point,” Annie said. “I just don't think it's right to steal.”

“I don't think any of this is right,” said Liam as he took two lengths of rope from his knapsack. “But we don't have a choice. Now, do you want to help me catch these horses, or do I have to do it myself,
Seth
?”

“I'm coming,
Ruben
. Why don't we see who can catch their horse first?”

“That doesn't seem like a fair challenge,” said Liam. “I'm very good with horses.”

“It isn't a fair challenge,” Annie admitted. “Maybe I should give you a head start.”

“Ha!” said Liam. Dropping one of the ropes at Annie's feet, he ran to the fence and vaulted over with the other rope clutched in his fist.

Before Annie followed Liam over the fence, she took the time to knot the rope into a makeshift halter, then stopped to pull up some long, sweet grass. Liam was hurrying toward the grazing bay as Annie climbed the fence and walked into the field. Making soft, encouraging sounds, she moved toward the chestnut horse, holding the grass in front of her. When she glanced at Liam, he was following the bay around the field. Each time he was within a few feet of the horse, it walked off.

Annie grinned. So much for his head start. She had learned how to ride from the stable boys when she was a little girl and had often gone into the field with them to bring in horses. She'd learned long ago that chasing a horse down was not the best way to catch one. Annie glanced at the chestnut again. It was a big, sturdy gelding, with a homely head and a kind eye. She already knew that she liked him.

When the chestnut finally came close enough, Annie gave him the grass, then began stroking his neck, finding an itchy spot up under his mane. The horse's eyes were half-closed with contentment when Annie slipped the halter on.

Hoping that the farmer had ridden the horse as well as made him pull a cart, Annie led the gelding
to a large rock, using it as a mounting block to climb on. The horse turned his head to glance at Annie, but didn't seem to mind. When Annie looked for Liam, she saw that he was still following the bay around the field. He seemed irritated when she walked the chestnut to his side.

“Have you come to gloat?” he asked.

“I came to offer you a ride. It's daylight now and I'm surprised the farmer hasn't seen us yet.”

“I suppose we could ride together,” Liam said, eyeing the gelding.

“I think he could handle that just fine,” Annie said, reaching out to give Liam a hand up. “I have no idea what his name is, but I'm going to call him Otis.”

“You and your names,” muttered Liam as he made himself comfortable behind Annie.

Liam started grumbling about the horse when they'd ridden less than a mile. “He doesn't have a very comfortable gait,” he said. “The other horse would have been better.”

“Would you rather sit in front of me?” asked Annie.

“Maybe we'll switch places when we take a break. I remember this place. We rode past that cottage when we were taking Granny Bentbone to the tower.”

Annie nodded. “This ride may be uncomfortable, but it's better than traveling in the carriage with that nasty witch.”

“It's better because I can hold you close,” Liam said, tightening his hold around her as he kissed the top of her head.

“Which is very nice for Annie, but weird if I'm supposed to be your brother, remember?”

“Oops, right,” Liam muttered. She could feel his arms relax as he leaned back on the horse, and she couldn't help but smile.

They rode past one small farm after another before the fields gave way to groves of linder trees. As the day grew warmer, Annie began to yawn and her eyelids started to droop. They had been awake since early the day before, and the lack of sleep was finally catching up with her. After a while she dozed, waking suddenly when she swayed and Liam caught her.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Just really tired.” Annie turned her head to glance at Liam and caught him yawning. “Maybe we should stop and rest for a bit.”

“I'm fine,” said Liam. “We need to keep going. You can take a nap if you want.”

“If you're sure …,” Annie murmured, and was asleep before Otis had gone much farther.

Less than an hour later, Annie woke to find herself leaning perilously to the side on a horse that was standing at the edge of the road, nibbling the leaves off a linder tree. “Hey!” she cried, startled, and realized that Liam was leaning, too. His arms were still around her, but now he was about to fall off and take her with him.

“Wake up!” Annie shouted, jabbing Liam with her elbow.

“Huh! What?” he said, and nearly knocked them both off when he struggled to sit upright again.

“That does it,” Annie said, swinging down from Otis's back. “We're not going any farther until we've rested.”

Liam yawned again as he slid down, landing beside Annie. “We're doing this for you,” he said, taking the end of Annie's rope. “I could keep going all day.”

“I'm sure you could,” Annie said, peering among the trees. “We need to get away from the road. Back in there looks good enough.”