Page 70 of The Frog Prince

Tripped, another added.

Pinched butt, a third said.

“Oh for the love of…” Alwin pinched the bridge of his nose.

“What did they do?” Otto asked.

“You do not want to know,” he said as noise rose from down the street; angry yelling and commotion. “But we will have to go earlier than expected, it seems.”

“Yes, you will,” Gisela agreed. “I took the liberty of packing you some clothes and supplies. It isn’t much. I was rushed.”

She picked up a bag lying next to her feet and tossed it to Otto.

“You best go before Henne gets here,” she said.

“I don’t want to leave you when he is like this,” Otto said, brows furrowing and chin setting. “You don’t have to endure his madness for me. I got us into this mess in the first place.”

“Oh please.” Gisela set her chin the same way, as stubborn as her brother. “He is a miserable old man with too much time onhis hands. I can handle him just fine. Besides, he wants nothing from me. It’s you he’s after.”

Brave, Farwin croaked from Gisela’s head, and she nodded.

“What he said.”

“You don’t even know what he said,” Otto argued.

“It was a compliment, obviously. I am clearly superior, and he is a very smart frog.”

Alwin watched Farwin puff up proudly.

“He did call her brave,” Alwin chipped in, just to watch the attractive way Otto scowled.

“See,” she said, lifting her hand to pat Farwin’s back.

Alwin was afraid he might be losing his favorite little frog.

“You want to stay here and keep Gisela safe?” he asked, and Farwin nodded enthusiastically, burrowing deeper into Gisela’s braids.

Soft, he croaked.

The shouting grew louder, a door slamming in the distance followed by a dog barking.

“Go,” Gisela hissed, walking over to hug Otto tightly before turning and wrapping a hand around Alwin’s neck.

She yanked him down to press her lips to his ear. “You will take care of him, right?”

“I will.” Alwin nodded. “I promise, I will give up my own safety for his.”

She pulled back, looking him straight in the eye for a moment before a smile stretched her lips. “Interesting.”

Alwin shifted on his feet. “What?”

She glanced at her brother for a moment before looking back at Alwin and shaking her head. “Oh, not a thing.”

She pushed both of them toward the edge of the forest, frogs trailing them. “Go. I’ll distract them.”

“Gisela—”

“Let me protect you for once, Brother. Trust me.”