“I’m still not used to ‘highness,’ and it’s been a month and a half,” Rapunzel says. “I guess it just takes time. But anyway, what did you need help with?”
“I actually wanted to show you something. Come on.” Verette beckons them to the rim.
Eugene frowns. “If this is an assassination attempt, frankly, it could use a little more polish.”
“That’s how you know I’m not really trying,” Verette says cheerfully. She ducks under the rope fence and heads for a ladder.
Eugene and Rapunzel follow her down into the chaotic morass of broken stone and petrified roots. Even what was exposed mud is now coated in pale dust. The former starcloud tree sits like a bizarre statue in the corner, the trunk splintered and twisted around the gash the water screw left as it pulled it up, roots and all. The network of roots itself makes a strange webbed dome of stone tendrils under the tree, lit from within by a soft glow. Ruvon did say the tree was planted over where the stardrop fell, and now it’s finally exposed.
“Look at this.” Verette kneels at a low patch in the rubble.
Eugene looks down as Rapunzel sucks in a breath. What he thought was dust on the ground—shivers. The reflection of a wheeling seagull darts through it. He crouches and dips a finger in.
He only gets one knuckle deep before grazing the mud, but when he lifts his hand, the drops of water gleam like pearls.
“It’s coming back already?” Rapunzel’s voice squeaks with excitement.
“Like you said, it just takes time.” Verette stands. “But I wanted you to see before you leave tomorrow. And…I may have another surprise before you go.”
Verette does not tell them what that is, only sending them to go pack before Rapunzel can run off to help hold a ladder for a repair crew or grab a broom and sweep up glass. She’s come alive in an entirely new way the past week, lending a hand wherever she can but letting Eugene and Cressien steer her away from burning the candle at both ends.
That is, when Cressien hasn’t been…distracted.
As Rapunzel and Eugene approach the guest wing, Eugene sees through the open door of the parlor that it’s already occupied. Never before would he have considered Cressien a man capable of lounging, but the minister looks positively at ease on the parlor sofa, smiling as Hughes passes him a cup of tea and sits beside him.
Eugene promptly steers himself and Rapunzel back into the hall outside the guest wing, then says under his breath, “I think we can give them some privacy.”
“Agreed.” Rapunzel’s mouth twists as they lean against the wall. “Especially since it’s their last day together for a while. Ididoffer to talk to my parents for him, but…”
Eugene doesn’t have to ask; both Cressien and Hughes love their kingdoms too much to abandon them. “I guess we’ll just have to force them to take alotof vacations. But that reminds me—there’s something else I wanted to settle before we head back.” He ducks his head. “We didn’t really have time to mull it over back in the sunmill, but how do you feel about Sunshine?”
“Er…generally favorable?” Rapunzel blinks. “I mean, I like rainy days too.”
Eugene stifles a laugh and whispers, “No, I mean—as your official nickname.”
Rapunzel just stares at him, and this time, he doesn’t think it’s a lack of comprehension.
“You hate it,” Eugene says nervously.
But Rapunzel’s whole face is lighting up, brighter than the dawn. “Iloveit. It’s perfect.”
“Really?” His grin nearly matches hers.
“Really,” she says.
There’s a sudden crash from the guest parlor. Rapunzel rushes in, Eugene on her heels as she blurts out, “Is everything okay?”
Cressien and Hughes are mopping tea off the parlor’s low table, an overturned teacup the clear culprit. Hughes scrambles to his feet, Cressien a second behind him, neither forgoing so much as a scrap of decorum. “Good afternoon, Your Highness. We were just…”
Hughes falters, clearly coming up empty for excuses. It’s really a miracle he didn’t get caught all these years, but then again, from the way he and Cressien are both acting, Eugene also suspects it’s been a long time since either of them was in puppy love.
“Crocheting,” Cressien croaks. “We were…crocheting.”
Eugene lets out a dramatic gasp. “No—don’t tell me you were consideringsmoochingin here. No boyfriends until you’re eighteen—we discussed this!”
“We did?” Rapunzel makes a face.
“I’m leaving.” Hughes gives him a sour look and heads for the door. Then he stops. “Actually, Fitzherbert, I, er. I was sent to track you down. Councilor Persevault would like to speak with you before you go. I believe she’s currently in Queen Gaelle’s library.”
