time difference. Itâs two hours earlier where you live, isnât it?â
âThatâs okay,â said Tansy. She hoped Lysandra couldnât tell how faded her robe was. She didnât like to ask her parents for a new one with the royal treasury at an all-timelow. âWhatâs up?â
âIâm bored out of my skull,â Lysandra said with a sigh. âThings are so dull around here that I almost wish Gabriella hadnât gotten married and moved away. Even listening to her nag was something to do.â
Tansy laughed. Gabriella was Lysandraâs older sister. If given the choice, Tansy would take one nagging sister over six annoying brothers any day, but she didnât say so. Instead, she said, âWe need to get together again soon.â
Lysandraâs face brightened. âExactly what I was thinking. In fact, I already talked to Elena and Fatima, and weâd like to come visit you, if thatâs all right. We could even be there in a few days. Fatimaâs offered to fly all three of us on her carpet.â
âFantastic!â Tansy exclaimed, panicking at the same time. Her familyâs small castle was an embarrassment compared with the grand castles and palaces of the other princesses. What would the girls think of the way Tansy lived? Still, she couldnât very well tell them not to come. That would be rude! Besides, she really wanted to see her friends. Tansy bit her lip. âIâd love for you to visit.â
âGreat,â said Lysandra. âIâll contact the others. See you soon!â
As she sat in the Crystal Ball Room, Tansy hoped having everyone come wouldnât turn out to be a mistake.
2
The Ogre
W HEN HER PARENTS CAME DOWNSTAIRS FOR breakfast, Tansy joined them at the long oak table. âMy friends want to visit in a few days,â she said. âI told them it was okay, but if you donât think this is a good time, thatâs fine.â Tansy paused, half hoping her parents would say they couldnât possibly host anyone right now. Then she could suggest that the princesses meet somewhere else. Maybe theycould all go to Elenaâs home instead. Theyâd never been there either.
But Queen Charlotte, a cheerful, plump woman with dimpled cheeks, just smiled. âI think that sounds like a lovely idea,â she said, pouring herself a cup of tea. âYour father and I would enjoy meeting your friends, wouldnât we, dear?â
King Albert glanced up from his copy of The Majesta Daily . Though his long, crooked nose and dark, shaggy eyebrows gave him a rather stern appearance, he was quite reasonable most of the time. âSure. Why not? The more the merrier, I suppose.â He turned back to his paper.
Well, thatâs that, thought Tansy. She hoped her friends wouldnât be too disappointed when they saw what her house was like.
Shouts and heavy boots sounded on the stairs, and Tansyâs brothers Edward and Jamesclomped into the room. âScoot over, squirt,â growled Edward. He jabbed her with his elbow as he plopped onto the bench beside her.
âWatch it!â Tansy jabbed him back.
Edward only laughed and reached across the table to grab a platter of sausages. At nineteen, he was strong and muscular, with the same dark, shaggy eyebrows as King Albert but a much straighter nose. Edward was very interested in girls, and it puzzled Tansy that they seemed to like him, too. She found him hotheaded and rude.
James sat down heavily on Tansyâs other side, squishing her between himself and Edward. Short and compact, with their motherâs sandy hair and freckles, James was two years younger than Edward. When Edward wasnât around to influence him, he could be good-natured. But if Edward waspresent, James followed his lead.
James grabbed a large plum from the fruit bowl, stuffed the whole thing in his mouth, and started chewing. Juice spurted from the corners of his mouth