"Moriah?"

The name came like a blast over the head. My heart lurched, and I found myself staring up into the faces of Prince David and Alexander. It was my husband holding a full glass of water. Had he really considered throwing that at me?

"Princess," Alexander said in a hushed voice. He had my hand in his. "Are you all right?"

I nodded, supposing so. Why would I not be fine? Except for the fact that Lydia had sent me some crazy letter. And… and how I had wound up on the floor? I would never forgive myself if I had fainted. Fainting had not been an option. I had only thought about fainting. I had almost fainted. Almost, not doing so. I had never fainted before in my life. So how was I supposed to know what it was like?

"Jesser saw you go down," Prince David said matter-of-factly.

Jesser? Was that the name of the servant? I sat up groggily and realized that Lydia's note was still in my hand. Only now crumpled.

"Let's make sure you haven't hurt yourself, child," Alexander said, grabbing my shoulder. "This is a marble floor, after all."

I didn't feel hurt. "Did I faint?"

Prince David actually laughed. "How else do you think you wound up on the floor?"

I didn't bother looking at him. As my husband, shouldn't he be concerned about me?

"I brought you some water," he continued. "You should sip it. You probably haven't drunk enough water—might have led to your fainting spell."

A lack of water would not have stopped Lydia's message, but I graciously accepted it. It was good and cold, I had to admit.

"Jesser said he delivered you a message," Alexander continued.

Of course. The message. The reason for my first ever fit of fainting. I hoped no one saw. I wasn't sure if I were one of those girls who could fall down gracefully. I nodded and extended the note, which Prince David took and read.

I tried to watch his expression, but as I have said, he was a very fast reader. In a few seconds he was finished.

"Lydia," he murmured. "The sister whom I never had the pleasure of meeting."

I think I had mentioned Lydia once or twice to him. "She's my big sister. She's brave. She knows magic. I don't know how she could have ever been captured."

That's when one glaring possibility hit me. This could all be a horrible ruse Lydia had created. I stared at the note, which Prince David had returned to me. Could it be? Could she honestly be faking this note? But what would be the purpose? Either way, I couldn't tell. I had never received a distress message from her before, and I couldn't be sure if she were serious. If she wanted to sound serious, I was certain she could pretend to be so.

She had told me to run away from this marriage, and I hadn't listened. Suddenly I was angry. Did she truly expect me to join her on some maddening adventure? She had mentioned adventures before, but she had never done anything like this. This was a complete method of evil to get me out to her, where I did not want to be!

On the other hand, if she really were in trouble… but why would she notify me? Mother and Father would die for another grand adventure.

Maybe I should send them the message.

I gritted my teeth. I couldn't. Lydia had sent this message to me.

More evidence she could be lying.

Oh, I had no idea what I was supposed to do!

"We'll gather a team immediately," Prince David was saying. "If anyone is skilled at tracking, they can take a look at this map. Whatever has happened to Princess Moriah's sister, it must be reversed. I will not stand for this happening to the sister of my wife."

I smiled up at him gratefully as Alexander helped me up. There. Prince David would take care of it. If Lydia were in danger, she would be saved. If she weren't, well, then I wouldn't have to go out after her. It was best for all.

Then why did I feel guilty?

"Moriah," Prince David said, taking my arm. "Are you worried about your sister?"

"A little," I confessed. "But she… she has always been able to take care of herself."

He seemed like he wanted to say something more, but he didn't. "Don't worry; I'll take care of everything. She will be fine."

As he marched off with Alexander, I wondered if I should have told him my suspicion of a prank.

What a perfect way to ruin a perfectly good day. I wanted a bath now, one with lavender, something to help me relax. I was in such a daze.

I was almost to my room, not at all watching where I was going, when I brushed shoulders with someone.

"Princess Moriah, excuse me!"

I stopped. It was the servant who had given me Lydia's letter. What had Alexander called him? Jesser. That was it. He was vaguely familiar—I didn't spend lots of time paying attention to the servants. This was the first one, besides my maidens, whom I had really looked at.

He was handsome, very handsome. That realization hit me hard with some embarrassment, after all I had thought about my own husband. His hair was like spun gold—the silliest comparison that popped into my head. And his face was good and… I didn't know what else to say. For a servant, he was very good looking.

"You're feeling better, Princess," he continued, eyes properly lowered to the ground. "I was worried. I informed the Prince as soon as I saw you fall."

"Thank-you, Jesser," I replied. It was proper to know servants' names, I suddenly remembered. I had not been doing very well there. Hardly good etiquette.

"It is good to see you doing well. I did not realize that the message was so distressing."

I didn't need to converse any further with him. He was a but a servant. But there was something about him, very warm, that I liked. Before I knew it, I spoke "It was from my sister, Princess Lydia. She's in trouble."

I expected Jesser to give me the proper sympathy, but he didn't. For an instant, his eyes met mine. His were brown. "Forgive me, Princess, but what are you going to do about it?"

How terribly rude. I stared at him, mouth agape. "Excuse me?"

His gaze fell back to the floor. His face was now red. "I'm so sorry, Princess Moriah. Sometimes I speak too quickly, too boldly. I just thought that you were afraid for your sister."

"I am!"

"I only think that if it were me, I would go after her myself. I would even go after your sister."

How dare he speak to me in such a manner! I felt my face grow hot. "The Prince is seeing to this matter, which is none of your concern."

"I was out of place," he said demurely.

My eyes stung. I realized I was tearing up. "Don't let it happen again." I spun around and marched to my room. I could never let a servant see me cry.

I threw myself onto my bed. I felt sick. My suspicion that Lydia was playing a trick on me was gone. How could I have ever thought such? Lydia would never force me to do anything.

And she was my sister.

How could I do this to my sister?

I thought about it for hours. I don't even know what changed my mind, not for sure. But I suspect it was Jesser. How could he not affect me, a servant behaving so boldly in front of a princess?

Maybe I needed to hear it.

I hated it, however. I hated it. I did not want to go out on a silly adventure. But the more I thought about it, the more plausible ideas for why Lydia had sent the message to came to mind. She wouldn't contact me if she couldn't help it. Perhaps I was her last chance.

Prince David was speaking with the King when I found him. I felt so unlike myself, standing in the doorway as defiant as anything. Like Lydia. Or Mother.

They both looked at me.

"My sister asked for me," I said, my voice shaking. "I must go with the rescue party."

King Theodore looked as if he might faint as well. Prince David looked stunned, but quickly shook his head. "No, no. Never. We don't know what is out there. It's too dangerous, Moriah."

There. That was it. I wasn't allowed to go. Part of me wanted to skip for joy, but the other part of me just thought of Lydia. "David, I must."

"What help would you be?" he asked, his eyes narrowing.

It was like a slap in the face, but I held amazingly firm. "She's my sister. If you don't let me, I shall… I shall… run away." I screamed inside my head. What on earth had possessed me to say such a thing?

King Theodore was in absolute shock. As well was I.

But Prince David… he smiled. A smile that made me want to scream aloud. "Moriah, if you run off to rescue Princess Lydia, I would join you. But you and I both know you're not running off. I promise you, my father and I will have the best men on this mission. Don't do something crazy."

And that settled it. I think. In a daze I curtsied, turned, and left the room. I did my best. Prince David had rescued me from doing something stupid. Thank goodness.

I found myself wandering out to one of the gardens, one encircled by roses. It was afternoon, clear and bright, and the scent of the roses was dizzying. I paced the garden, my heart torn in two. It shouldn't be, though. Lydia would be rescued, and I wouldn't have to help rescue her. This was perfect.

But I still felt the same guilt.

Then, out of the blue, a sack fell over my head. I gave a muffled scream and tried to tear it away, but my attacker was too strong. Powerful arms pinned my down, and my feet only barely touched the ground as I was carried away.

It seemed like centuries before the sack was removed. I had calmed down by then, sort of. I was still a panting, crying mess, staring up into the villainous face of…

Jesser.

But he didn't look villainous. He almost seemed terrified, but at the same time… something else.

"Jesser!" I shouted. "How dare you! I'm the princess! Prince David's wife! And you've kidnapped me! You've…"

I had no idea where I was. It could have been on palace grounds, but I had no idea.

"Alexander told me the conversation you had with the Prince," Jesser replied with the smallest of smiles. "Your threat to run away."

Oh, no. It had happened.

"I'm only assisting with that." He grabbed my hands gently and pulled me to my feet. "I shall probably be beheaded, but I couldn't stand the thought of you not rescuing your own sister. I am only assisting."

"Assisting what?" I wanted to scream. I wanted to tear his eyes out.

"The rescue. The Prince's small army which he was arranged will be too slow. I managed a copy of the map."

From Alexander, I presumed. I made a mental note to no longer like that man.

"You and I," Jesser said. "We are going to rescue your sister."