Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 107763 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 539(@200wpm)___ 431(@250wpm)___ 359(@300wpm)
“Hathor?”
I could not breathe. My chest ached and burned, and my lungs were on fire. All I could do was slowly sink to the floor just inside the door and just sit there, breathing heavily.
“Hathor, are you all right?” She rushed over to me. “I’ll call for—”
“The gentleman you fancy…” I managed to say when I looked at her. “When you looked at him, what sound did your heart make?”
“What?”
“Your heart…did it feel like it suddenly thumped against your chest?”
“Yes…”
“Oh, no…” I groaned and slid farther down. I’d waited years, dreamed and begged God for this feeling…and now it was here, for someone who’d vowed never to marry.
It could not be him.
I was mistaken…yes, it was just a flutter, not a thump.
It would go away, surely.
“How long do you plan on staying like this?” Devana asked me as I had come to lie on her lap to sulk.
“As long as it takes for me to make sense of my thoughts.” I rolled over and glanced up at her. “So, a few years should do.”
“My legs will surely fall off; you are very heavy.”
“Hey!” I sat up, poking at her sides and causing her to giggle…and then there was a hammering at the door.
“Devana? Is Hathor there?” Abena called.
“No, she is not,” I yelled back, only for her to wiggle the door handle. With us up against the door, it would not open.
“No fair! You both are leaving me out again!”
I sighed, rolling my eyes and getting up. The door swung open as she entered, wearing…Hector’s breeches.
“Why are you dressed in Hector’s old clothes?” I asked her.
“It’s a disguise.” She grinned and came in, closing the door. “When you dress up as a boy you can do so much more outside. No one even notices it is me, and I can join the other kids on adventures.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but threw up my hands. I was far too tired for this. I moved to the bed, taking off my coat. “That is for you and Mama to figure out, Abena.”
“What is wrong with her?” Abena asked Devana, who’d gone back to her desk.
“I believe she likes someone.”
“I do not!” I yelled at her, lying back on the bed. “I merely had a slight excitement of the heart after shooting a stag.”
“You shot a stag?” Abena ran up onto the bed. “Really? You?”
“Yes, me! Why is everyone surprised by that?”
“Because you are a horrible marksman,” Devana said.
“You lack balance,” Abena stated at the same time.
I looked them both over. “With little sisters like you, who needs enemies?”
They laughed at me as I sulked.
“What else has happened?” Abena sat up, waiting for me. “What is the queen like? Is she still mean?”
I pinched her cheek. “You are not allowed to call her mean. And I have not spoken to her much today.”
“I’m more interested in who made your heart go—”
I took the pillow and threw it over at Devana, who caught it quickly. “Those in glass castles ought not throw stones.”
“What does that mean? Our castle is made of stone, so shouldn’t you say not to throw glass?” Abena questioned, and I laughed, pulling her cheeks.
“Do not worry, little bug. One day you’ll grow up and understand everything.”
“I do not want to grow any older.” She smacked my hands away. “Can we not all just stay as we are?”
“No, Abena, we all have to grow up one day,” Devana said to her.
“Or spend the rest of our lives with Mama,” I said.
“Mama has been busy. Papa is busy. Everyone has been busy…except Mini and Hector. But Mini is a baby and Hector only wants to read.” She huffed, kicking her foot.
“What of me?” Devana asked.
“You’re boring too—all you care about is music,” Abena replied, making me laugh.
“That is not true. She also cares about—” Devana threw the pillow at me as hard as she could.
“What?” Abena questioned.
“Nothing!” Devana snapped, glaring at her.
Abena sighed. “See? I do not know about anything going on. I can’t go anywhere unless I disguise myself. I cannot wait for it to be over. Thank goodness there are only two more days left.”
“Are there only two more days?” I paused, trying to recall where all the time had gone. “How can it be almost over, and my love story hasn’t happened yet?”
“What have you been doing all this time?” Devana asked. It was a very good question. What on earth was I doing? Quickly, I got back on my feet and grabbed my coat.
“I must go back out there.”
“I just got here! Are we not going to play?” Abena called out.
“Later, little bug, later! I must figure things out quickly. I do not have much time.”
And the very first thing I had to figure out was whether or not I had somehow come to like Prince Wilhelm.