A creaking door startled me awake.

  I opened one eye, my heart already racing. Have they found me? Are they going to kill me? But it didn’t look like it. A very sleepy stable boy, twelve years old at most, was standing on the threshold and rubbing his eyes in the early dawn light.

  “Who’s there?”

  I sat up. It was best to show myself, and to make up a good story.

  “Hi there! I’m the Great Hero Al, I was a guest at yesterday’s ceremony, and I suppose I had too much chilper wine, because I didn’t expect to find myself here in the morning.” I smiled. “I hope I didn’t scare you.”

  The boy reached behind the door and grabbed a broom. He didn’t look like he fully understood what I was saying. Half his braincells were probably still asleep.

  “You only startled me a little, my lady. Now please leave, or I’ll be in trouble.”

  “Sure. Just let me awaken a little better.”

  I stood up slowly and stretched. Sleeping on a hay bale had taken its toll on my body. I might not be old yet, but still, I’m not twenty anymore. And now I need to get my hands on a horse.

  Calling Kossi for help was out of question, now that I was in the stables and he was kept in a third-floor room at the far end of the chateau. I could only reach him via miracle, but why ask Cherub to warn Kossi when I could ask them to help me saddle a horse and ride away?

  I closed my eyes and worded my request.

  “Cherub, my friend, can you make sure everyone else looks the other way while I get out of this place and ride away on a horse I don’t currently have?”

  Silence hovered uncomfortably in my head. What’s going on? Did I lose contact with my guardian angel after the soulfeather incident?

  “My lady?” asked the stable boy, sweeping the floor.

  “I’ll be gone in a moment, just…”

  My head was spinning. I still felt no sign of my guardian angel. Was our link severed for good? How could I save myself, let alone other people, without Cherub?

  “Hello Al, sorry, I was thinking.”

  I let out a sigh of relief.

  “What were you thinking about?”

  “Your request. Does it count as one miracle if I distract the whole staff long enough for you to choose a horse, saddle him and ride out of the chateau? It goes a little beyond my powers.”

  “Come on, Cherub, you remodeled a whole forest to save my life, back in Inabar!”

  They ignored my remark and went on with such enthusiasm that I could feel the joy in their silent voice.

  “Anyway, you’re lucky! A gentleman will be arriving at the gate with a reasonably fresh horse. Just walk out, and as soon as he dismounts, there will be a loud bang that will frighten the horse and make him run in your direction.”

  “How am I supposed to catch a galloping horse?”

  “It’ll be possible. You’ll find out.”

  I could almost feel them chuckle.

  “Thank you, Cherub, you’re the best!”

  But they were already gone from my head. I walked out of the stables, just as a group of grooms arrived from the far end of the courtyard.

  When I approached the gate, it was closed. The guards gave me suspicious looks.

  “Where do you think you’re going? Day’s not even up yet!”

  I raised my eyebrows.

  “Can’t I simply take a walk outside?”

  “Of course not! What do you think this is, a low-end inn? This gate won’t open for a while, and certainly not for you. What are you doing here this early anyway?”

  These guys were certainly not as sleepy as the stable boy, and it was pointless for Cherub to get me a horse if I couldn’t reach my mount. How could I get past them in time? I crossed my arms.

  “I’m trying to retrieve a hairpin I lost while strolling yesterday. It belongs to Crown Princess Nigella, and as you might know, we’ll be leaving the Citadel soon, along with King Esthar.”

  The namedropping didn’t work as well as I’d hoped. It only made one guard frown.

  “Really? You’re with Crown Princess Nigella?” he asked, his voice heavy with disbelief.

  I nodded.

  “One of her servants?” he insisted.

  “No, one of her personal guests.”

  He scoffed.

  “Our Crown Princess invites you to a ceremony, she gives you a hairpin, and you thank her by losing it? I understand why you’re asking to leave. You’re trying to run away before she finds out, aren’t you?”

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  I doubt she’ll ever notice. It was mother-of-pearl, not a precious gem.

  “No, I’m really trying to get it back before we leave. I know where I left it. Please, sir!”

  “We’re not opening…”

  A loud whistle covered his voice. All the guards looked up at their colleagues on the wall-walk. One of them was waving a small flag I didn’t recognize.

  “We’re on it!” shouted the guard I’d been talking to.

  The group unlocked and opened the gate, working together like a well-oiled machine. The sleeping countryside smelled of unknown flowers.

  “You’re lucky,” said the guard. “We have to open for someone else. Now get out, and find that hairpin if you can, before the princess gives you the whip!”

  “Thanks,” I muttered, trying not to show how appalled I was by the idea.

  As Cherub told me, someone was riding a horse east of the Citadel, probably coming from the city of Zerta. I walked to the west, along the road that followed the coast, knowing I’d find Brunz in the first farm on the right.

  Why does this guy think Nigella could whip me? I’ve never seen one violent gesture from her in two months! The worst thing she ever did in my presence was lecture a girl who’d washed her clothes and left soap on her collar, because it gave her a rash. She didn’t need to raise her voice. The girl was pallid with shame.

  Jilu, on the other hand, seemed to consider rising a hand on her employees was a normal management system. I’d assumed it was a Foleshian thing, but these words were sowing seed of doubt in my mind.

  A loud bang made me startle. I was just past the limits of the gardens, so absorbed in my thoughts that I’d almost forgotten I was waiting for a miracle. I turned around, to the sound of panicked hooves. A beautiful bay horse was galloping towards me, but his left front leg was caught in the reins. A dangerous situation.

  I must stop him before he hurts himself.

  I spread my arms and legs, both ready to intercept the horse and aware that he could choose to run around me. However, he was slowing down, his head low, probably hampered by the reins. I reached forward slowly.

  “Calm down, buddy, you’ll injure yourself! Let me help you.”

  Cherub’s feathery hand was probably behind the way the horse slowed down, enough for me to catch a cheekpiece of his bridle and bring him to a stop. Men were running after him. I didn’t have much time. I reached along his left front leg, pushing against his shoulder to make him shift his weight.

  “I’ll remove this. It’ll be quick, trust me. There you go.”

  The horse lifted his hoof and I quickly removed the reins from around his leg. Then, ignoring the guards shouting at me, I put the reins back over his head and engaged a boot in the left stirrup. The saddle wasn’t too comfortable for me, but it’d have to do. I had no time to adjust anything.

  “I’ll be back in a moment!” I promised, riding away.

  By the time they get their own horses, I’ll be out of sight. Besides, I do plan on returning this horse.

  Still, I was technically stealing a horse for the second time since my summoning. While hoping it wouldn’t become a habit, I let the pleasure of the ride numb my shame. My hands brushed against black mane, the wind carried mixed scents of leather, warm flesh and summer dawn.

  The farm was awaking, with flickering lights and sleepy voices. I dismounted in front of the main house, where I’d left Brunz on the previous day. The farmer walked out of the house. He frowned when he recognized me. I waved at him with what I hoped was a friendly smile.

  “Good morning, I’m here for my friend.”

  “Already?”

  “We’re leaving sooner than expected. Where can I find him?”

  The man scratched his horn in hesitation, but Brunz appeared on the threshold behind him. His face lit up when he saw me.

  “Lady Al!”

  Please, can’t you just call me Al? I’m not comfortable being a lady.

  “Hi Brunz, how did the night go?”

  “Better than I thought. Did you find something for me?”

  I shook my head. “No long-term arrangement, I’m afraid, but I have a job offer for you. I’m about to return to Carastra, and I need an assistant. You can accept the position, or you can decide to stay here, but I’ll be gone and I’m sorry about it.”

  I looked over my shoulder, already expecting to find guards looking for the stolen horse.

  “Look, I have no time to explain right now, but I promise I’ll find you a better position as soon as possible…”

  “It’s okay. I’m coming with you.”

  His determined face left no room for doubt. He wasn’t staying in Zerta without me.

  I told the farmer he could keep the hairpin for his trouble. He still looked confused when I rode away, with Brunz behind me. The two of us weighed on the horse’s back, restricting my choice of gaits, so I decided we’d just walk back.

  “Why are you back so soon?” asked Brunz behind my shoulder.

  On twenty-first century Earth, he’d need a shower. In this world, he just smelled of sweat and morning breath. I sighed.

  “Something happened. King Esthar and his suite must leave at once, and this includes me.”

  “Because you’re a hero?”

  “Sort of.”

  The horse’s walk gently rocked us as we moved slightly faster than if we’d walked ourselves. Brunz shifted behind my back.

  “You sound unsure, Lady Al. What’s the matter?”

  What could I tell him? All I knew about him was his sea-sickness, his skill with dogs, and his blind loyalty to the princess who’d sacked him with extra bruises. Could he be a spy, pretending not to speak Brealian so he could overhear crucial information?

  No, it made no sense. Hiding under a hedge outside the Citadel was the worst way in the world to get intel. I had to assume Brunz really was the dog guy he seemed to be.

  In the distance, to the left, a group of horsemen was pacing along the road. They broke into a gallop as soon as they noticed us. Duke Irmel’s guards. We’re in trouble.

  If I wanted to speak, it was now or never.

  “You might not know much about the local geography, but there’s a small country in the mountains north of Brealia. It’s called Inabar. A lot happened over the past few months, and long story short, Inabar was invaded in just a few days by the army of Elkodunar, also known as…”

  I paused. There was no strict equivalent of “demon” in the Foleshian language, so I needed to find another way to convey the meaning.

  “As the evil empire.”

  Brunz nodded behind me.

  “Why do you call them evil?”

  “The emperor is all-powerful and every succession entails a civil war, so bloodshed is part of their culture. Apart from this, I’ve only been here for a few months and I haven’t had time to look into what their daily life looks like. In any case, they’re supposed to be a threat to Brealia, and as the Great Hero Al, I’m Emperor Faur’s sworn enemy.”

  And the first thing I did when we met was to conclude a pact of non-aggression of sorts. Except he lied to me and I think it invalidates the pact.

  “So, what’s the problem? Does your king fear that the empire might conquer Brealia too?”

  “Exactly.”

  “But yesterday, you told me you considered yourself the people’s hero, not the king’s. Are you sure it’d be worse for the people if it happened?”

  Brunz’s words were a punch to the gut.

  Of course I wasn’t sure. From what I’d seen, the kingdom was fairly prosperous and peaceful, but Faur was clever enough to disrupt things as little as possible, if he did conquer the land. Most people didn’t care who ruled their country, as long as they could live their lives.

  Was one power really worse than the other?

  I’m stuck between two monarchs who want to use me. And these guards are getting real close now.

  “Dismount and don’t try to resist!” shouted the leader of the guards.

  Brunz stiffened. “What’s wrong, Lady Al? Are these men here for us?”

  I hung my head low. “I wanted to waste no time bringing you back, so I kind of stole a horse.”

  “You did what?”

  “That’s the problem. They summoned me to be their hero, but it doesn’t grant me any real privilege, save for staying at the palace for free. I have no real power here.”

  I brought the horse to a halt, letting the guards circle us.

  “And now, we’re both under arrest,” I concluded.