A Frog In Her Pocket (TrainReads) by Phoebe Walsh Read Free Book Online Page B

pocket.
    "Ribbit," he said in a strangled sort of way.
    A stab of sympathy went through her. She inserted her hand in her pocket and took him back out. He sat there very forlorn and sad, looking at the window. Her finger traced the smooth slope of his back. "Poor George. I'm sorry for throwing you. I know you can't help it. And I'm sorry I can't take you to the pond. I have to turn you back into yourself."
     
    *   *   *
     
    The moment Miranda took George from her pocket, she knew she had made a mistake. Adelie backed away, her face twisted in a mask of horror. "Oh, it's horrid, it's disgusting. Take it away."
    Miranda clutched George to her chest. She felt like thrusting the contents of the water pitcher in the stupid girl's face, but then she would be certain her plan wouldn't work. Taking a deep breath, she managed to say, "He isn't disgusting at all. He's a frog prince. If he's kissed by a beautiful princess—"
    Her beautiful nose up in the air, Adelie snorted . "Oh surely, Miranda, you don't still believe in fairytales."
    " Won't you kiss him? It'd be fun if he did turn into a prince."
    Adelie batted painted eyelids at her. "Yeah, of course it wouldn't work if you kissed him."
    Mira nda wasn't sure how long Adelie would stay beautiful if she remained in this room. Trembling with anger, she clutched George in her hands until he squeaked, and added in a strangled tone, "Please?"
    Ad elie gave her a scornful look. "You have to be out of your mind." And she stomped out of the room.
    Miranda threw herself on the bed and cried. All her ideas had come to nothing. How was she meant to turn George back into a prince? How long before the King and Queen would find out that their son was not in bed in his room? And when they found out, what would happen?
    "Ribbit."
    She looked up. George had escaped from her pocket and had hopped over to the bookshelf.
    Through her tears, Miranda smiled at the way he sat there as if he was reading the titles. He looked rather smart and, in his own froggy way, was quite beautiful.
    "Ribbit," he said again.
    " Sorry George, that's getting a bit repetitive. I have no idea what you mean."
    But he was jumping up and down on a book, so she wiped her eyes, crossed the room and pointed to the book. "This one?"
    "Ribbit, ribbit."
    Suppose that meant yes.
    She pulled the book off the shelf. Magic lore and other myths .
    Raising her eyebrows, she opened the book. Magic? That was something only practiced by… certain royal families…?
    Coloured pictures of the most hideous creatures came past, and the descriptions of spells. How to turn your enemy into a pig . Miranda had visions of Adelie running around squealing with a pig tail. And Seven ways to curse your mother-in-law (and be sure no one notices!) . If only she could do spells like that, wouldn't it be wonderful to pay back the Queen for her taunts?
    There were nice spells, too, like The only spell you need for everlasting love . Miranda skipped that one; it was too late for her.
    A large section of the book was dedicated to The art of kissing frogs (and other animals) . It described how one could kiss a frog, or a lizard or a snake and make a wish come true.
    A wish, a w ish . . . Staring dreamily at the ceiling, Miranda wondered what she would wish for. For George to become normal again? So she could miserably go on being married to a man who wasn't interested in her and whose family hated her?
    Oh, she was being ridiculous. Of course she had to do this. Geor ge's family deserved him to be the man they knew. The combined kingdom would never accept her as Queen; they might even blame her for George's disappearance.
    She read the page, memorised the spell, but when she went to pick up George, he jumped away, again and again. Over the bed, the bookshelves, the desk, the chair, under the bed . . . When he stopped on the desk, Miranda glared at him, and approached him, chest heaving. "You darned frog, why do you keep running away? Don't you understand