Cloaked by Alex Flinn Read Free Book Online

to do it, not only for the money—though ten grand would solve a lot of problems. With ten grand, I’d be sitting in air-conditioned comfort right now. We could get a lot of creditors off our back and maybe even agree on a payment plan with the others. But more, there’s the adventure, the getting out of the bowels of the hotel for once and doing something fun. I want to be one of those crazy people who believes in ghosts or the Loch Ness Monster. They have more fun than sane people. Once, I repaired some hiking shoes for a guy who claimed he was looking for a Sasquatch loose in Florida. Sounds more fun than my summer. And Victoriana said I could keep the money even if I don’t find the prince.
    But what if I get in trouble for it? I don’t know much about Aloria, other than that they have a really hot princess. What if they still believe in torture there? I remember reading once about some kid who visited a foreign country and got publicly beaten with a stick for some minor crime. Maybe they’d behead you for stealing from the princess.
    My neck aches a little, just thinking about it.
    “I’ll think about it,” I say, standing up. I know I won’t, though. I got to talk to the princess. That will have to be enough.
    “Where are you going?” Mom says.
    “Back. To repair shoes, like always.”

Chapter 10
    “So Ryan says you came back with a face full of lipstick.”
    Meg throws the word “lipstick” like it’s a stink bomb, one I know Ryan enjoyed hurling at her. She’s disgusted with me. She thinks I’m another sap under Victoriana’s spell. Maybe I am.
    “So is she going to make you her boy toy or something?” Meg’s voice is like when I sliced my finger with a big sewing needle.
    “I was just messing with Ryan about the lipstick,” I say, trying to sound cooler than I feel. “It was Marisol’s. I borrowed some.”
    A lie can travel halfway ’round the world while the truth is still putting on its shoes. That’s been attributed to Mark Twain, but no one’s sure if he actually said it.
    Meg looks pleased with my lie, in any case. We have a joint interest in keeping Ryan’s manatee-size ego in check. “So is she going to wear the shoes?”
    I cradle my hand in my chin like I’m thinking, but really, I’m checking for residual lipstick. Part of me wants to tell Meg everything that happened with Victoriana. I know she’d laugh at the idea of a frog prince. She’d say Victoriana’s obviously taken too many drugs. But I promised the princess I’d keep her secret. Besides, another part of me knows Meg wouldn’t approve of the kiss.
    So I say, “What do you think? I didn’t even get to talk to her. She was still passed out.”
    “Typical.” I can tell Meg’s sort of happy about being right. Still, she says, “Don’t worry. You’ll find some other way to make it. You’ve got talent.”
    “Yeah, talent for fixing shoes.”
    “I’d wear your designs in a heartbeat.” She reaches over and begins massaging my neck. Her fingers feel strong, and it’s nice to have someone rub my neck, even if it’s just Meg.
    “That feels good. My neck gets really sore, leaning over the counter all day.”
    “Yeah, mine gets the same way.” She starts using both hands, rubbing my shoulders too. She smells like coffee and a little like the ocean. For a second, I close my eyes. “Ever think things happen for a reason?” she asks.
    “Like what?”
    “Oh, I don’t know. You don’t know it at the time, but there’s some bigger purpose. Like maybe it didn’t work out with Victoriana because something else is going to happen.” She leans closer.
    “I guess.”
    “It’s not so awful being here, is it?”
    Yes. Yes, it’s awful. But I say, “No, it’s just, she’s so beautiful.”
    Meg stops rubbing my shoulders.
    “Hey, why’d you stop?”
    She walks away, not looking at me. “I have work to do. So do you.”
    She goes back to her shop and starts rearranging the sandwiches—which already