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E lowen bit her lip and stared at Cedar standing in front of her in the troll queen’s breakfast room. She could grab him and run out of the castle right now. Ash would fly them home and it would all be over.

Or could she?What about Vale? What about the trolls standing between her and the forest? What if Ash was still a golden goose?

She stared at her brother. He looked pale, but otherwise well enough. His golden hair was clean and tidy but needed a trim. They’d dressed him in wrinkled clothes, and his wrists poked out past the sleeves of his shirt.

Cedar stared back at her in shock and confusion, his mouth hanging open. Don’t let the flies in, she wanted to say.

“Come now, boy, don’t gawp,” Queen Grumhilda said. “It’s not like you never saw a lady human before in my castle. She’s to be a princess, you know.”

Cedar’s shock was replaced by more confusion. He closed his mouth and then opened it again as if he wanted to say something. After a glance at the queen, however, he clamped his lips together.

He held out his hand to help Elowen climb onto the huge chair. “Princess?” he mouthed so that only she could see.

She took his hand as she stepped onto the stool and squeezed tightly, but she didn’t dare even whisper anything in case the queen or the maid might hear. Cedar saw her safely settled on a barrel nailed on top of the chair, and then he returned to his place in the shadows.

“You’ll have to forget him,” the queen said. “Prettiest page I’ve ever had, but not the brightest.”

Elowen’s face burned. She had no patience for the troll queen’s odd word choices. She would never forget her brother, and he was the brightest. He’d lasted this long among a castle full of trolls, hadn’t he? She swallowed a lump in her throat, hoping the centerpiece of peacock feathers on the table would hide her expression.

“When will Prince Vale be joining us?” she asked, trying to keep her voice conversational.

“No men today. Several of my court have taken Prince Vale hunting. It’s history, after all.”

“History?”

“Of course,” Queen Grumhilda said. “All men go hunting on their wedding day. I might be a troll, but I know that much. And it’s bad luck for him to see his lady before the wedding.”

Elowen pinched herself to make sure she wasn’t still dreaming in the oversized troll bed, or worse, fallen off and knocked herself unconscious.

A troll servant entered and set plates full of food on the table. Crispy bacon, uncooked quail eggs, thick slices of buttered toast, and ... snails? There was a fancy name for them when served in rich houses, but Elowen couldn’t remember it. The last plate contained steaming heaps of mushrooms. They looked like the chanterelles Ash had picked. Or were they the smiling-pumpkins that Vale had mistaken for the edible ones?

Elowen played it safe with bacon and toast, mostly to keep herself busy so she wouldn’t give in to the urge to turn around and make sure Cedar was still there. It was difficult to stomach anything with the stench from the moat, but she would need her energy. The queen ate everything that was not on Elowen’s plate.

With a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, Elowen finally spoke to the queen, “So ... you said something about ... the wedding day?”

“Everything will be perfect!” The queen burped. “Don’t worry your pretty little head over a single detail. You will be unified with your true love this very evening.”

Elowen wished she had Vale’s way with words. She wished she could protest and insist the wedding be postponed. Instead, she tried to hide her unease with words that might please the queen. “I am ... overwhelmed with gratitude. Your Majesty’s ... graciousness ... is too kind.”

Let the queen think her stammering was nerves. She nibbled a crust of toast while the queen prattled on about wedding details, and risked a couple of glances over her shoulder at Cedar. The peacock feathers hid most of the queen herself, so Elowen also stared out the window. The bees didn’t seem to mind the moat. The sunflowers swayed in a light breeze, and Elowen imagined herself standing among them with Cedar and Vale and Ash by her side.

Something glinted in the shadows of the trees beyond the garden. Elowen squinted, unsure about what she’d seen. Pixies usually avoided trolls, who coveted their glitter, but there were always a few who lost their way now and then.

It couldn’t have been Ash. He would be hiding in the safety of his tree during the day.

Elowen ran out of crust, and still the queen talked. She double-checked the safety of the golden feather in her sleeve three times, and finally Athaga interrupted with a message for the queen.

“Breakfast has been lovingly, but duty calls,” Queen Grumhilda said. “You rest up in your room like a dear. I can’t wait to see you as a bride very soon.”

“Your Majesty,” Elowen said. She climbed down from the barrel and the chair, not waiting for Cedar to bring the step stool. She held the golden feather in both hands and presented it to the queen. “Thank you ... for everything.”

The troll queen’s small eyes glinted and she gleefully accepted the gift, poking it into her hair immediately. She eyed the others tucked in with the rose in Elowen’s hair, but she walked out of the room without a word. The human maid that had stood beside Cedar followed closely behind.

Elowen grabbed Cedar by the arm before he could leave and pulled him into the shadows. They hugged each other tightly, and Elowen allowed herself to shed a few tears. No one raised an alarm at Cedar’s absence, but she couldn’t delay him long. She held him at arm’s length, looking him over.

“You’re all right?” she said.

“Yeah, but you gotta get me out of here.” His voice was breathless, as if he were aware they didn’t have much time before someone noticed he was gone. “What’s going on? You’re getting married?”

She couldn’t possibly explain everything in a few seconds. “Long story. I am engaged—sort of—and he’s here. We’ve also got ... other help. You remember the dragon with the mushrooms?”

Cedar’s eyes widened and he nodded.

“He’s here, too—sort of—it’s complicated. Just be ready to go when the time comes.”

He nodded again.

She pulled a golden feather from her hair and handed it to him. “Tell the queen I dropped one. That will explain why you stayed behind.”

She turned him by the shoulders and nudged him forward. Ruffling his hair, she whispered, “I’m so proud of you.”

He rushed out the door without looking back, and it took all of Elowen’s willpower not to run after him.

Not knowing what else to do, she returned to her room and paced in the small space in front of the window. Obviously, Cedar wouldn’t have recognized Vale even if he’d seen him, but had Vale seen her brother? She wished she could get word to Ash that she’d found him safe and sound—he must be so worried. Unfortunately, he wouldn’t cause his distraction until the following night at sundown, which would be too late to stop the wedding. Elowen could think of no way to stop it herself without causing suspicion.

She would deal with the aftermath of that later. She shifted her pacing to the hallway, hoping to catch a glimpse of Vale even though the trolls were keeping them separated until the ceremony.

Cedar was safe, and that was all that mattered at the moment. As the queen’s page, however, he would likely be by her side more often than not, so how would they get him away, even with Ash’s distraction? They couldn’t very well exit through the main doors and saunter out over the drawbridge. She would need to check more windows to see if any of them opened besides the ones in the queen’s breakfast room.

Elowen slumped against the wall outside her door and then slid to the floor. She wrapped her arms, with their absurdly long sleeves, around her knees and lay down her head. She envied Vale his freedom to roam the woods hunting. Then again, perhaps not. He was with trolls.

Sometime later, Starla woke her from a light sleep. “It’s time, m’lady.”

“Time?” Elowen’s stomach growled. She’d slept through breakfast and then had breakfast for lunch. No wonder she was hungry.

“I’m to escort you to our bathing room—the human one—so you can clean up before the wedding. The queen insists.” She giggled. “Says she doesn’t understand, but it’s all right since you’re a human.”

Elowen stood eagerly and followed the girl. Human spaces meant the possibility of seeing Cedar. And the wedding meant she would see Vale again. Perhaps they could think of a way to get Cedar and get themselves out before Ash was needed. Would the fairy approve? Had she only meant for Ash to be useful in his golden goose form? If so, then why had she turned Ash specifically into the golden goose?

She had to stop thinking about the fairy’s intentions. After the fairy had given Elowen a gift and scant instructions, she'd left her alone to make her own decisions. So ... Elowen would make her own decisions.

The human bathing room was located near the kitchen, which was bustling with activity ... and no trolls. It smelled amazing, like warm bread and roast meat and fruit pies and spices. Elowen’s stomach growled again.

“I’ll get you a bite to eat,” Starla offered.

Elowen barred the door of the bathing room behind her. A sawed-off wooden barrel served as the tub, the ankle-deep hot water inside steaming up the entire tiny room. No window, only a chair with a threadbare towel and a small shelf. She bathed quickly, careful not to muss her hair after Starla had worked so hard on it. After slathering herself with some lavender-scented water from the shelf, she put the cherry-red dress back on and paced, waiting for Starla to return. If hiking through the woods hadn’t worn out her yellow dancing shoes, all the pacing would.

No. She was done pacing, and she was done waiting. What would they do if she wandered around the castle and conveniently got lost—while looking for a way out? She unbarred the door and peeked into the hallway. All clear.

Her stomach clenched in hunger at the scents wafting from the kitchen, but she ignored it. She hugged the wall until she rounded the corner, and then she tried to walk as if out for a purposeful stroll. She jiggled every window she could reach—all shut tight—and peeked in every open room—all dark and empty. Not a troll in sight. And no Cedar.

She walked farther with no one to stop her, until she finally saw a troll.

The troll brushed cobwebs from a corner, eating the bits he collected on the end of the raggedy broom. He stared at her open-mouthed as she passed, and a spider jumped from his tongue and escaped on a gauzy thread.

Elowen suppressed a shudder and raised her chin, passing him by as if she had every right to be there. Her heart pounded. Who was she among all these trolls except a powerless and insignificant and fragile human? She placed her shaking hands over her waist, hiding them in the long sleeves, and drew comfort from the coin and Ash’s token and the embroidered tree names on the linen band.

Who was she? To most people she was no one. But to those who mattered, she was Elowen, daughter and sister and companion ... and friend. Fiancée? She was still cloudy on that last one, but she wasn’t alone. She was more than one puny human. Could she do this alone, like she’d thought when she first set out? Doubtful ... and she didn’t have to.

She walked with more confidence in her stride, searching for anything that might be useful to help them escape when the time came. Besides several empty rooms, she found a sitting room with broken chairs, a staircase winding upwards, and a storage room so crammed with bits and pieces that a rickety ladder and a bucket fell on her as soon as she opened the door. She caught both before they caused too much commotion and crammed them back inside. She shoved the door with her shoulder until it clicked shut and then leaned against the wood to catch her breath.

Starla ran up to her with a panicked expression. “Oh, m’lady! There you are!”

“I got lost,” Elowen said. She hoped the poor girl wouldn’t get in trouble. “Could you show me to my room, please?”

“Yes, m’lady.” Starla sagged in relief. “I had some food sent up for you, but you disappeared.”

Elowen almost apologized, but she bit her tongue. She was supposed to be a high-born lady, and she could do whatever she wanted. After all, it was her wedding day. She broke out into a cold sweat at the thought. She hadn’t had a chance to discuss anything with Vale all day, and the next time she saw him would be at the ceremony.

She ate dutifully from a tray set on the floor beside a milking stool someone had brought for her to sit on. When Starla returned with the wedding gown, Elowen stared at the horrendously frilly creation in lime green silk.

“It’s an eyeful, to be sure,” Starla said.

It reminded Elowen of the unicorns who had given them the golden coin. “It’s ... not exactly what I had in mind for my wedding day, but the queen is ... most generous.” She imagined Vale in a matching outfit and giggled.

The maid helped her change and then looked her over with a pleased expression.

Elowen twirled, trying to act the part of a happy bride-to-be in case Starla reported to the queen. The layers of skirts rustled like a breeze through river rushes, the corset poked her in the hips, and the sleeves fell unevenly on her arms.

“Now for your hair,” Starla said.

“But I had my hair done this morning.”

“Queen’s orders. It’s flowers in the hair for a wedding.”

Elowen endured more brushing and some flowery-scented oil, and then the maid pinned each side of her hair back at the temples.

“You have beautiful hair, m’lady,” Starla said. She added some tiny pink blossoms to each pinned side, keeping it simple and comfortable. “Shall I leave the feathers here in your room?”

“No,” Elowen said impulsively. “I want to give them to Queen Grumhilda.”

“All of them?”

“Yes.” The first feather had pleased the queen, and no doubt the second, given to her by Cedar. Why not give her all five in the hopes of softening her mood even more? “Could you have them delivered to her in gratitude for her kindness?”

“I’ll deliver them myself! Sit tight, please, and don’t wander off this time, m’lady.” Starla grabbed the golden feathers and rushed from the room.

More waiting. Elowen normally tolerated waiting when there were other things to do in the meantime, but waiting in idleness was almost physically painful. She’d found Cedar, he was safe and unharmed, and she was ready for this adventure to be over. But first she had to get through a wedding hastily organized by the troll queen who had her brother unwillingly employed as her page.

A wave of nausea had Elowen wishing there was somewhere to sit tight besides the tiny milking stool. An engagement ball in a human castle was one thing, but a wedding among trolls? She was supposed to rescue Cedar, take Vale back to Northling, get out of marrying him somehow, and then fly home to her family with Ash. At least one of them was safely outside the castle full of trolls.

“It’s time,” Starla said, echoing her words from earlier, but this time referring to the wedding ceremony. “And there’s to be a ball afterwards!”

Elowen nodded and wrung her hands. Wasn’t it a bit early in the day for a ball? Actually, she wasn’t even sure what time it was. She’d been indoors all day. Hopefully, Cedar would be near the queen again so Elowen could get another look at him, if nothing else.

“We’re here,” Starla said.

Elowen stopped in front of the throne room, startled to realize she’d been blindly following the maid along empty hallways. The same guards stood ready to open the doors, and a loud rumble of voices reached them from inside. She took a deep, trembling breath.

She hadn’t been this frightened since leaving home. But ... was it fear, or something else? Perhaps she simply needed to see Vale and her brother and she would feel calm again.

The guards opened the doors, and the maid tapped Elowen’s shoulder. “Wait for the music, m’lady,” Starla said.

As Elowen stood at the threshold, her gaze darted back and forth, from the treasure-covered pillars to the masses of flowers covering every possible surface. Trolls who had decorated themselves in more blooms stood three deep along the walls.

Vale stood facing the queen. He wore deep orange velvet from head to toe, his fists clenched at his sides. Cedar stood behind the queen to her right and matched her in shimmery gold fabric that made his blond hair shine. Queen Grumhilda had all seven golden goose feathers poked into her tightly curled yellow hair.

Finally, both of Elowen’s people were in the same room she was. She only needed Ash for it to be perfect.

And then she saw him. Sitting in the queen’s lap and blending in with all her golden splendor ... was Ash.