Page 21 of The Prince and His Stolen Throne

The other three royals looked at Delilah, who was honestly acting onlyhalfas weird as she usually did, and all came to the same conclusion.

“What does the quest involve?” Maximus asked.

“We have to defeat a ‘great and terrible evil,’” I explained, putting air quotes around the words.

“But the Desolated Lands don’thaveany great and terrible evils,” Angelica insisted.

“Then we leave the Desolated Lands.” Everyone fell quiet. I frowned and looked at each of them, noticing how they flinched away from my gaze. Even Maximus’ hazel eyes were pinned somewhere on my left shoulder. “What’s the matter?”

“No one has left the Desolated Lands in decades,” Fitz explained. “At least, no one in my family.”

The other three nodded in agreement, and Angelica said, “It’s not safe out there. That’s the whole reason wehavethe Kingdom Defense Spell.”

“It’s not that bad,” I muttered.

Four pairs of eyes locked on me.

Delilah finally broke the silence. “You’ve been outside the boundary?”

Of course I had—I was born out there. But if they learned that, they might start to untangle the threads of my false past. I shrugged, trying to sound nonchalant as I explained, “Before I came to live with my father. The world outside our borders isn’t all fire and brimstone. It’s normal, with normal businesses and normal families, who are sometimes plagued by evil.”

The world won’t end if the spell ends.I had to keep telling myself that if I wanted to finish this mission.

“I’d like to see it,” Maximus said.

Now everyone turned to stare at him. After a thoughtful moment, Fitz said, “I’ve read several books published outside the boundary. If they have publishing houses, it can’t bethatbad.”

“My mother’s favorite romance author is from outside!” Delilah exclaimed, bouncing once more in excitement.

Angelica straightened and replied primly, “A queen is well versed in the ways of the world. Venturing out into it will only make me a better ruler.”

We’d pretty much nixed the marriage idea, but I had to ask anyway. “All in favor of going on a quest?” I raised my handin the air.

As I expected, Maximus’ joined me first. Slowly, the other three followed, until we all agreed.

“How do we figure out which quest to go on?” Delilah asked.

Fitz jumped out of his seat. “I’ve been collecting quest pamphlets!” He ran around the room, gathering up several thin booklets. Once Fitz had his arms full of pamphlets, he passed them out to the rest of us.

I received a few copies ofThe Daily Magical,The Adventurers’ Weekly Guide to Main Quests and Side Quests, andMonster Slayers Wanted.I opened a copy ofThe Daily Magicaland idly flipped through it.

“Outside our lands, they print these for people looking to gain experience or earn money,” Fitz explained. “People take out ads with the problems they’re experiencing—everything from minor monstrosities to full-fledged evil mage invasions—and any associated rewards for completion. When someone fulfills the quest, their adventure is printed in the next issue.”

Delilah perked up at the last part. “You mean these are real-life adventure novels?”

“A ‘real-life novel’ is an oxymoron, but yes, essentially.”

She giggled in delight and wriggled deeper into her seat, settling in for a good read.

I stared down at the pamphlets. Would the Lord of Grimnight be featured in something like this? If not, how would I suggest him for our quest?Maybe I don’t. Maybe we can go on a real quest, and they’ll never have to face him or find out who I am.

Whether I led them straight to the Lord of Grimnight or not didn’t matter. My presence alone meant the Kingdom Defense Spell would fall. Venturing off on some other quest would only delay the inevitable.

But dammit, I’d cling to the delay as long as possible.

Interruption One

Deep within a haunted forest, the Lord of Grimnight was blissfully unaware of his minion’s—cough—son’s wavering loyalties. Brutus Arnulf stood in the center of his throne room, basking in the evil atmosphere. Every inch of the room was a black so deep it swallowed all hope. Hundreds of people could fit inside it, ready for the crowds who would one day bow to his glory. At the back of the room, a hideous mix of roots and branches twisted into a foul throne for a wretched lord.