Irving ignores Galinor. “Something? Something like what?”
“I have no idea!” I exclaim. “For all I know, he could be prancing around the battlements as a unicorn.”
Irving shakes his head. “You can’t curse someone into a unicorn. They would just undo the magic themselves when they shifted.”
I glare at my childhood friend.
“Now that I think of it,” he muses, a hint of a smile playing at his lips. “It’s too bad we don’t know where to find a herd of them. They could undo your father’s curse, and then he would never need a changeling stone.”
“That’s a wonderful idea, Irving,” I say with mock sincerity. “And then we can all sit down for tea with a manticore!”
Irving grins. I know I’m rising to his bait, but right now, I can’t seem to help myself.
“If I remember correctly,” Irving says. “We dined with fairies last night. Is finding a herd of unicorns so unimaginable after that?”
I’m about to retort, but Galinor holds his hand up. “Enough, you two.”
I groan and dismiss Irving with a wave of my hand.
Galinor nudges my shoulder. “What are you going to do?”
Instead of answering, I watch a little blue bird hop from tree to tree, following us.
“Anwen?”
“I’ll do the same thing I came to Lauramore to do. I will track Dimitri down, and I will take back the changeling stone.”
“But how? You can’t just wander until you find him. You have no resources—you don’t even have a horse.”
“She has me,” Irving says. “I promised I would help her, and I will.”
“Where will you go?” Galinor asks.
Irving glances at me. “Vernow has festivals year-round. We should try there first.”
Galinor shifts behind me. “You’ll travel throughGlendon to get there. I’ll ride with you. We can make it to my castle in two days. You can stay as long as you want and take whatever you need.”
I wish he’d offered to seek Dimitri out with us, but at least this gives me a few more days to change his mind.
That’s enough for now.
We’re on a higher terrace, and the palace is now visible. I must find a way to persuade Pika to go back to her woods.
“Oh,” I whisper when I look back.
Galinor turns toward the empty path. “It’s better this way.”
It’s foolish, I know, but I’m sad she’s gone.
Chapter 7
The day dawns as beautiful as we could hope. There are a few clouds in the sky, and the morning is cool. Soon autumn will touch the trees. I wish I could be here to see it. Autumns in Primewood are unspectacular; only the brush turns color. Until the snow tops the evergreen boughs late in the season, it doesn’t look much different from spring or summer.
We prepare to leave, and I wait and watch, not sure what I can do to help. During last night’s evening meal, Bran and his brother decided to travel with us as well. When the decision was made, all four princes sent their men on ahead, satisfied our group is large enough for safety.
Bran’s brother, Dristan, joins me by a mountain cherry. He walks with a slight limp, but he seems to be doing very well for being in a rock slide, which is what Irving said happened to him during the tournament.
“Are you ready, Lady Anwen?” he asks. “Irving hasbought you a horse so you don’t have to ride with Galinor anymore.”
