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E lowen cringed inwardly when the troll maid announced her as Lady Elowen, but she walked a few yards towards the throne with Vale. She stood straight and tried to appear worthy to stand beside a prince. Perhaps he shouldn’t have used their real names, as the trolls seemed to know he was a prince rather than a mere lord. Thankfully, he seemed to own the room with his presence.

Despite her travel-stained gown, she certainly felt more regal than any of the troll courtiers, who were dressed in clashing colors, garish jewels, and odd assortments of lace and velvet sewn to their finery. To top it off, every last one of them stood barefoot with dirty, ragged toenails.

After the introduction, the courtiers oohed and aahed, and Queen Grumhilda clapped her hands in delight to have a human prince and his lady in her presence. She expressed her pleasure that the king had seen fit to send proper emissaries this time, and also stared greedily at the golden feathers in Elowen’s hair.

Elowen started to lift her hand to the feathers, wondering how Ash was faring, but she thought better of it and clenched her fist at her side. Trolls invading her family’s cherry orchard and now trolls in a throne room. Trolls should stop showing up in odd places.

Her attention snapped back to Vale and the queen, who was peppering him with question after question. He answered each one, his audience attentive to the romantic tale.

Queen Grumhilda finally nodded, studying the rings on her fingers. She spoke while admiring the gems. “Disappointing father. Running away with a lope. You poor dears need my help.”

Elowen exchanged a look with Vale. He raised an eyebrow ever so slightly. The queen seemed to have the gist of it, even if her vocabulary was questionable.

“Such a sublime pretty you are,” the queen said to Elowen. “The brown gown and the feathers. Are they gold? Really real gold?”

“Yes, Your Majesty,” Vale answered.

Queen Grumhilda leaned back in her throne, her expression thoughtful. Finally, she turned her attention to a couple of ladies-in-waiting at her side and whispered excitedly. When she finished, the ladies rushed over to a side door and squeezed themselves through.

If Elowen could exchange the feathers and the golden coin for her brother right then and there, she would do it.

“I am delightful that you and your lady have come to me in your time of need.” Queen Grumhilda addressed Vale but had eyes only for the golden feathers. “I attend to prepare a wedding for you my very self. You can be married right away with no inner fear ants from the prince’s nosy father.”

The troll court approved the queen’s decree loudly, their enthusiasm wafting their stench around the room.

Elowen eyes watered. She thought she’d been nervous and sweating before, but she’d been wrong.

Vale, too, seemed taken aback, but he stayed calm. When the commotion died down, he said, “Nothing could please us more. We knew we were making the best decision to seek you out, Your Majesty.”

He spoke more words as flowery as the queen’s throne, laying on the compliments generously. Queen Grumhilda and her court grew more pleased with each one, and surprisingly not suspicious. Very interested, especially in the golden feathers—the queen wasn’t the only one eyeing them—but not suspicious.

After the queen dismissed them, Athaga led Elowen and Vale back to the antechamber. “Tea will be served lately,” she said, “and rooms are being prepared for your comfrey.”

Vale checked to see that the door was securely shut behind the troll maid ... and remained unlocked.

“I wouldn’t recommend comfrey tea,” Elowen said absently. She sank onto the couch and leaned her elbows on her knees, glad for the small fire that had been lit in the fireplace. Now that she was no longer sweating, she felt the chill of the musty castle.

“Don’t worry.” Vale sat beside her. “We won’t be here long enough for them to arrange a wedding.”

“What if we are? I’m not leaving without Cedar.” She still had to find Cedar. “Would such a wedding even be legal?”

“With enough witnesses ...”

“Never mind.” She cut him off with a wave of her hand. The trolls would never be able to get anything ready before Ash caused his distraction. They were much too sloppy and disorganized.

Later, a human servant brought in a light supper on human-sized dinnerware. She said nothing, but she stared at Elowen with a curious expression. Did the girl know that Elowen was only pretending to be nobility? Surely she wouldn’t tell the trolls if she suspected anything.

Again, Vale checked the door after she left. He crossed his arms and leaned against the mantle. “At least the wedding plans will keep them occupied.”

She hadn’t thought of it that way. And perhaps having the trolls realize that Vale was the crown prince would keep them safer than if they’d used false names.

They’d barely had time to finish eating when Athaga returned to show them to their rooms. The human servant scurried in after her, collected the supper tray, and disappeared without a glance at either Elowen or Vale.

Was she a willing servant, or had she been kidnapped like Cedar? She hadn’t seemed frightened of the troll, but rather eager to get out of her presence. Elowen couldn’t blame her, with such an overpowering odor of cheesy feet and rotten fish coming from the troll.

Hand-in hand, Elowen and Vale followed Athaga, but not too closely. The castle proved to be significantly smaller and less winding than King Odolph’s, and Elowen was certain she could find her way out if needed. She hoped that meant Cedar wouldn’t be too hard to find, once she was able to start properly searching.

The doors to their rooms faced each other across a hallway on the second floor. Athaga lingered, which forced them to part for the evening with an audience.

“Goodnight, my buttercup,” Vale said. He stepped forward, kissed her lightly on the lips, and retreated into his room before she could react.

Elowen stepped into her own bedroom and leaned against the door. She grinned and put a finger to her lips. As far as pet names went, it was one of his better ones.

“Shall I help you with your gown, m’lady?” a human maid asked.

Elowen jumped, startled for the second time that day.

This maid was shorter than the one who had served tea, and she was nearly hidden behind a standing vase of roses at the foot of an enormous troll-sized bed. A crumbling fireplace with a crackling fire warmed the room. A chipped washstand, a curtained window, and a faded changing screen crowded the empty spaces.

“I’m Starla, m’lady. I’ll have your gown freshened up, and there are nightclothes for you.” The maid gestured to a white garment draped over the changing screen.

The room seemed clean enough.

As if reading her mind, Starla said quickly, “It’s been washed. Everything here is clean. Bedclothes, too.”

Elowen let the girl help her out of the gown but kept the embroidered band tied around her waist. She waved off help to don the nightgown and retreated behind the changing screen.

“This wing of the castle is kept extra clean for the king’s emits ... ems is ...”

“Emissaries?” Elowen offered.

“Yes, them. The trolls hate water, but that’s why they have us.”

Hidden behind the screen so Starla couldn’t read any expression on her face, Elowen asked, “Are there many human servants in the castle?”

“A few for cooking and cleaning. They don’t like too many humans underfoot.”

Elowen struggled with the nightclothes. Had the girl made a mistake and given her a bed sheet? “And you ... came here by choice?”

“With eleven girls in the family, I had to go somewhere. It’s not so bad.”

Elowen held up the swath of white linen in her hands and frowned. It was a troll-sized shirt, but at least it was clean. “So, how long have you been here?”

“Three years.”

Should she ask about Cedar? Certainly not by name, but perhaps she could ask if there had been any new servants lately. Then again, even trolls might inspire loyalty, and she didn’t want this young maid to report anything suspicious to the queen.

“If that’s all, m’lady, I’ll let you get some rest.”

“Yes, thank you,” Elowen said. She’d managed to find her way into the shirt, but the sleeves eluded her.

Starla bid her gooodnight and closed the door.

Elowen sighed, realizing the shirt was sleeveless. She poked her arms through, laced up the front, and tied it securely, but it still threatened to slip off her shoulders. Clutching the front in her fist, she lifted the hem and tiptoed to the washbasin. After taking a minute to freshen up, she left the hairpins behind and took the golden feathers with her to bed.

She could have used the cherry-picking ladder to climb onto the mattress, which rose as high as her shoulder. A troll had broken that ladder, and now here she was grabbing fistfuls of sheets and climbing onto a troll bed. What had her life become?

She lay down on a thankfully human-sized pillow and tucked the golden feathers underneath. After tossing and turning and wondering if Ash had eaten well, if Vale’s bed was as ridiculous as hers, and if she should sneak out early to start her search for Cedar, she finally fell asleep.

ELOWEN WOKE THE NEXT morning with the same thoughts swirling through her mind.

She also overslept, something she hadn’t done in years.

Gripping the golden feathers in one hand, she climbed down off the bed. They had until sundown the following day to find Cedar. There was no time to waste.

Her most pressing problem—she couldn’t run around the castle in an oversized troll shirt. Someone had entered during the night and hung her clean shift to dry on the dressing screen, but that was no more appropriate. She peeked into the hallway. Empty. Was Vale awake? She stepped forward, ready to knock on his door, but she stumbled on the shirt hem. Perhaps she would wait to see him.

Her room had no chairs, and she refused to climb back onto the bed. Instead, she perched on the window ledge, which overlooked the smelly moat and the gorgeous flowers. She was waiting—for something. If the maid didn’t return soon, Elowen would be forced to wander the halls. She wouldn’t wait forever.

Starla had indicated that there were a number of human servants in the castle responsible for cooking and cleaning. In that case, Cedar might be working somewhere out of sight. Could she or Vale gain access to those areas without raising suspicion? Perhaps she should ask Starla outright, but the girl’s loyalty was still in question.

Thankfully, Starla entered a few minutes later with a pitcher of fresh water for washing. “Queen Grumhilda wants you to join her for breakfast.”

Elowen glanced outside. “It must be near noon.”

“Yes, m’lady. The queen sleeps late.” She set the pitcher beside the washbasin and held up a dress that had been draped over her arm. “For you to wear today. Your brown one isn’t ready, yet.”

Bronze. Briony’s beautiful gown was bronze and copper, and Ash was bronze. With a sigh, Elowen ducked behind the screen and changed into her shift. The maid hadn’t brought a corset, and Elowen didn’t ask for one. The dress was only an inch too long, and it was loose around the waist, but it fit decently otherwise. The fabric had been expensive once, the color of overripe cherries. Bell sleeves swept the floor.

“Here, m’lady,” Starla said. She tied a mustard yellow sash around Elowen’s waist to help with the fit. “Can’t have you tripping.”

Elowen had left behind her own yellow sash with its golden threads, stowed with their supplies in the tree stump near Ash’s hiding place. Her throat tightened. She missed her dragon companion already, and she missed Cedar. And Vale. Her night in the ridiculously enormous bed had been the first time she’d been alone since she’d met Ash and the fairy.

Starla offered to arrange her hair.

Elowen handed over all but one of the golden feathers. “Can you make these work somehow?”

“Of course, m’lady. I’ve had lots of practice with the trolls. They can be particular about those things.”

Particular, and perhaps a touch vain.

With no chair in the room, Elowen stood awkwardly as the maid brushed her hair and secured it into a small knot at the base of her neck. Starla added a red rose from the vase and arranged the golden feathers around it to look like an elaborate fan.

“You did that with so few hairpins?” Elowen asked. The finished look was more flamboyant than she’d wanted, but she had to give the girl credit for her skill.

“I’m always prepared,” Starla said and patted her pocket.

Elowen assumed Vale would join her for breakfast with the queen. She followed Starla through the hallways and down a flight of stairs, double checking the golden feather she’d hidden in one of the voluminous sleeves. She would present it to Queen Grumhilda and suggest that there might be a golden goose somewhere in the forest. That should get a few of the trolls out of the castle so she and Vale could search for Cedar. As far as the troll queen knew, they would be with her for a while, so they should have plenty of leisure time.

Queen Grumhilda sat alone at a troll-sized table in a room that had once been a library. Shelves lined the walls, but instead of books, they were stuffed with treasures—silver, bronze, jewel- crusted, and gold. Lots and lots of gold. The open window overlooked the flower gardens, and warring scents wafted into the room: moat stench and floral breeze. The queen wore the same gown as the day before, but her hair was freshly coiffed and topped with the gold-and-ruby crown.

Elowen curtsied. The two of them were alone, except for a page and a maid standing in the shadows near the door. Where was Vale?

The queen smiled pleasantly and waved at a troll-sized chair across from her.

Was Elowen expected to climb onto it while wearing a dress? She stepped forward, considering her options.

The queen clapped her hands, and the page ran forward carrying a step stool. He placed it beside the chair and then turned to look at Elowen.

She gasped. It was Cedar! The page was Cedar!