Page 22 (1/2)

Lady Linnea was not waiting--which didn’t surprise Gemma It was still early; Lady Linnea hadsword practice

Gemma sat down on the stool and picked up the outer layer of her gohich was a plain brown color--and ripped off a small piece of her linen kirtle She tied the little strip in a bow around one of the bars in case Lady Linnea could not reet closer to theto breath in the fresh air, her sto froeons She glanced at the blanket and the soldier’s cloak left on the ground from the previous day before she hopped off the stool

I should rest Even if I don’t want to

She tucked the blanket around herself after she sat down in a corner She closed her eyes, trying to come up with an escape plan

Lady Linnea paced back and forth She had heard--thanks to a fist full of copper coins presented to a servant--that Ge The servant insisted it was because Geold, but that was i She’s an excellent seaic!" Lady Linnea said, addressing Lake Sno "Prince Toril h to his father That is the only reasonable explanation"

Lady Linnea rounded the bend so she could peek past the trees and peer at the Verglas palace No one was in sight

"Will he take all day to arrive?" Lady Linnea groaned Her e to Prince Toril asked him to meet her at the shores of Lake Sno immediately Evidently the diency

"The lovesick fool is probably off sighing over flowers and a reflecting pool," Lady Linnea sourly said, her expression pinched "Perhaps I should see if I can speak to Ge a beautiful stallion, broke through the line of trees at the border of the forest

"Prince Toril," Lady Linnea said, treating the prince to a delicate and elegant curtsy before she sive you a million thanks," she asked The smile fell from her lips when Prince Toril rode closer and Lady Linnea was able to read his stormy expression "What is it?"

"Your maid--,"

"She’s my seamstress"

"Fine Your seamstress has not been released, nor was she spared because of s falling over his eyes like a horse’s unruly forelock "She spun flax into gold"

"Impossible," Lady Linnea said

"Impossible or not, she did it I saith one, and instead, there was a spindle of gold thread," Prince Toril said, dis

"Then it was a trick of sooldsold"

"But how? Geic I know she doesn’t! If she had an ability like that, she would have used it before now to make her dresses even more exquisite! She has too much pride as a seamstress not to"