Ellie and the Prince (Faraway Castle #1)(45)

“Whatever.” Jeralee stood up too. “Come watch the volleyball tournament with us, Ellie?”

“Not tonight,” Ellie replied. “But thanks.” The last thing she needed was to bump into Omar in the company of yet another hopeful princess. She ducked out of the cafeteria, took a back door out of the castle, and hurried to her cabin alone with tears streaming down her face. Laughter and voices drifted from the shore, where happy guests gathered to watch beach volleyball and enjoy bonfires.

Hours later, alone in bed with only two sleeping sprites nearby for company, Ellie struggled to fall asleep. Even though the “cutie-pie prince” had been scrupulously following her orders, she punched her pillow in effigy then blamed it for keeping her awake.



It was late morning Friday—the day before the Summer Ball. Ellie had just delivered additional lemonade for a children’s birthday party going on at the beach and was cutting across the lawn near the lakeshore, when she heard someone call her name. “Ellie, wait!”

Glancing back, she saw Yasmine and Rafiq racing toward her. “Didn’t you see us at the party? We waved, but you wouldn’t look our way,” Yasmine said, panting as she wrapped Ellie in a damp, sandy hug.

“I’m sorry, I was thinking of other things,” Ellie admitted. Guessing the Zeidan children would be at the party, she had tried to sneak in and out without being seen. The last thing she needed just then was more guilt about Omar. She already felt tears pressing at the backs of her eyes. One little nudge could open the floodgates.

“Omar is really sad,” Yasmine told her. “I asked him why, but he wouldn’t say. Would you talk to him, Ellie? He always seems happy when he is with you.”

“The happiest ever,” Rafiq added rather aggressively. He stood apart, arms folded across his chest.

Ellie swallowed hard. “I’m sorry about your brother, but I don’t think I could cheer him up. He needs to find his own happiness. Besides, I’ve glimpsed him a few times these past few days, and he looked happy to me.” Heartbreakingly so, in fact.

“You don’t see him when no one’s around,” Rafiq said, almost growling. “He pretends to have fun when he’s with people. When he thinks no one’s looking, he stops faking.”

Yasmine added, “Sometimes his eyes are all red, and he hardly talks to us anymore.”

“Is he drinking?” Ellie asked in concern.

Rafiq gave her a scornful glare. “Omar? Duh! He is crying, Ellie. Because you don’t talk to him anymore.”

Feeling thoroughly chastised, Ellie apologized. “You don’t understand. I don’t want to hurt him, but . . . It’s an impossible situation.”

“Because our parents won’t let him marry you,” Rafiq said. “I’m not stupid. I know what’s been going on. But just yesterday Omar told me he won’t marry anyone else.” He grabbed Yasmine by the hand. “C’mon. She doesn’t care.”

Yasmine looked back over her shoulder as Rafiq dragged her away. Her sorrowful, accusing eyes haunted Ellie throughout the day. A deep loneliness weighted her heart. The more she was around laughing, chattering people, the lonelier she felt.

True to his word, the Gamekeeper sent her a message that afternoon: He would arrive early in the morning to collect the sprites, and the unicorns as well if the mother wished to see the reserve.

Ellie immediately walked to the maternity barn and found Ulrica waiting for her. The unicorn sent waves of polite welcome and glowed brightly in the dim barn. Ellie would have loved to touch the beautiful creature but knew such liberties would be inappropriate.

As yet, Ulfr cared nothing for his dignity. He bleated and capered around the stall then butted his stubby horn into Ellie’s leg and looked up at her with liquid-dark eyes. She petted him for as long as he would endure, and when he scampered off again, she turned to his mother. “The Gamekeeper will arrive early tomorrow. Do you wish to travel over the mountain pass to see the reserve?”

Ulrica answered in her wordless language that she was willing to go if Ellie came with them.

Ellie nodded. “I will come.” Being far away on the day of the Summer Ball sounded ideal.

Her next stop was the director’s office. The door was ajar, so she knocked then peered in. Madame looked up from her desk, and her already hard expression turned to slate. “What is it? I am busy.”

“I need to inform you that tomorrow morning I will travel with the unicorns to the Gamekeeper’s reserve. Ulrica has agreed to go as long as I go with them, and the Gamekeeper has given me permission.”

Madame’s green eyes seethed with scorn. “If you are foolish enough to go there, I will not stop you.”

“Thank you” hardly seemed appropriate, but it was the only response Ellie could produce.

As she withdrew, the director added, “You are wise, no doubt, to be far away when the Khenifran prince’s betrothal is announced.”



The Gamekeeper arrived before dawn. Ellie heard the wagon arrive on the service road and hurried to open her door. For some reason, today when the Gamekeeper’s indistinct figure appeared from the darkness, a shiver ran down her spine. To conceal her reaction, she spoke with forced cheerfulness. “The sprite cages are here by the door. I’ll help you load them before I bring out my things.”