Heir Apparent by Vivian Vande Velde Read Free Book Online Page A

accident," Andreanna said wistfully.
    "Maybe," Kenric agreed.
    "Listen," I said, "obviously you're upset by the king's decision to name me—"
    "Go away," the queen ordered me. "You may speak to us at supper." She gave a dismissive wave, fluttering her fingers.
    Maybe,
I thought,
I was playing too cautiously.
This time I caught her hand. "My, what a lovely ring."
    Kenric grabbed my wrist even as the queen demanded, "Unhand me immediately."
    "Sorry," I said. I let go; Kenric did not, and his grip was beginning to hurt. "I was just wondering if that ring was meant for me."
    "It's my wedding ring, you stupid twit of a sheep girl."
    "Sorry," I repeated. How could it not be the right ring? Mr. Rasmussem needed a good shaking. "Sorry."
    "Just leave."
    Kenric finally let go of my wrist.
    "Could one of you—" I started.
    The queen gave a snort of impatience.
    All right, all right. I'd make my own way out of the maze.
    Except I
really
should have paid more attention to the turns when I'd been with the guard.
    I was sure three right turns, then a left, would bring me to a Y-shaped intersection I remembered, but it didn't Maybe three left turns, then a right? I tried backing up but realized I'd bypassed one turn, yet when I went back, I lost track of which way I'd been feeing: I thought I should be at a T intersection, but found myself in the middle of an X—and by then I had no idea where I was.
    OK,
I thought.
There is a strategy to mazes.
In most mazes, if you consistently choose one direction, you eventually find your way—maybe not the quickest way, but
a
way. So, I told myself, I would choose left.
    The sun was hot on my velvet gown, and the smell of boxwood was making me cranky and itchy.
    Come on,
I told myself. Surely I should be out of the maze by now, or back in the center.
    And then I heard a sound behind me, a single footfall. Andreanna? Kenric?...Except I had the momentary impression of an animal. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was the growl.
    I didn't have a chance to turn around. Something struck me hard on the back, knocking me face first to the ground. I cried out at the pain in my palms and knees—and at the back of my neck. I felt fizzy bubbles all over my skin. "No!" I screamed. Then I heard my foster mother call, "Janine! Janine, come back to the house."
    I pounded my fists on the ground. "I hate this! Hate this! Hate this!" I screamed.
    Dusty licked my face to show me that she loved me.

CHAPTER EIGHT
Hey, Loser, Start Over Again (Again)
    I was going to die. I was
never
going to get past the first step of the game, and I was going to die. And this was going to be the rest of my life—this hill, and the trip with Sir Deming, and fatally ticking somebody off moments after arriving at the castle, and experiencing a death that, while not painful, was fizzy and disorienting—I would relive that whole boring, frustrating routine for whatever was left of my life.
    I'll be READY to die by then,
I told myself.
    But I knew that wasn't true. I didn't want to die now, and I wouldn't want to die in the few hours I had left, either. Boring was one thing. Feeling like a dissolving Alka Seltzer was another thing. But the prospect of really dying was something else entirely.
    Well, then,
I told myself,
DO something.
I got out from under Dusty, who was still trying to lick my face to let me know how glad she was to see me. If I had any time to spare, I might have tried just staying here, refusing to go to the castle, where I would be surrounded by surly retainers, murderous family, and treacherous guards.
No,
I could tell Deming,
I'm not interested. Go away. Let somebody else be king. I'll just stay here with the dog and the sheep.
    But I doubted the Rasmussem program would allow this. It would probably have the sheep get rabies and attack me. Or have Dusty lick me to death.
    I forgot to tell Dusty to tend the sheep, but apparently she didn't need me to tell her her job. She was obviously a smart dog. She could probably make