Ellie and the Prince

Chapter One

It was late morning on a beautiful July weekday. Sunlight angled through the bank of windows facing the lake, and the formal dining hall was empty of guests though crawling with brownies setting tables for the noon meal. Ellie, seated cross-legged on the parquet floor, was vaguely aware of the quiet bustle around her but kept her full focus on one scowling hobgoblin.

"You know very well that guests are likely to drop plenty of cake crumbs on the floor after dinner this evening," she said. "The children never fail you."

He hunched, his skinny arms crossed over his chest. "Crumbs, pah!"

"You are ten inches tall. You have no need of an entire cake."

"I want it anyway," he mumbled. Although wizened, toothless, and unimaginably old, Geraldo had thought and behaved like a child all the years Ellie had known him. The hobgoblins insisted on wearing colorless rags no matter how many new garments they were offered, all for the sake of claiming ill-treatment.

She focused on producing a calm, soothing tone. "I don't want to call for the Gamekeeper, but I will if you start stealing entire cakes. The director will insist upon it, and what a shame that would be!" She didn't have to fake sincerity, for she was sincerely fond of the grouchy hobgoblin despite his sulks and threats. "Please try to be content with the crumbs that fall tonight. We have some very active and messy children with us this month, you know."

He nodded grudgingly. "Very well. I'll wait for my cake. But if no crumbs fall tonight, I make no promises about tomorrow." He glared up at her over his long, hooked nose. "So you can stop bewitching me with that voice of yours, missy."

"Speaking of children," a shrill voice interrupted, "I need to tell you something important, Miss Ellie."

She turned to see a slim brownie looking up at her with huge, mournful eyes. Even when seated on the floor Ellie loomed over the brownies and hobgoblins. "What is it, Sira?"

Sira twisted her apron between long-fingered hands and bobbed a curtsy before speaking. "Some of us saw those beautiful Zeidan children catch baby cinder sprites and sneak them into the royal suite. Their nanny was nowhere in sight, and the royal parents are at a lecture today. I would have tried to stop them, but you know how angry Madame Director is if we brownies show ourselves to guests, even children!"

"How many sprites?" Ellie asked, already rising and prepared to run.

Sira shrugged her tiny shoulders. "Four or five? It was a whole litter, and the mother too. Oh, and Miss Ellie, you know Geraldo will try to steal another cake tomorrow . . ."

Geraldo gave a "Hmph" and slouched off to disappear under a table.

Ellie flashed Sira a quick grin. "I do know, and thank you for the alert, Sira! I'll run and get my equipment. With any luck the sprites will remain calm, but if there is a fire alarm, please let Madame know that I am on my way."

Ellie sprinted from the castle to her small staff cottage, collected her emergency gear, checked to make sure the sack contained enough cages, then ran back to the castle. The weather was perfect—sunny, clear skies, a light breeze. She heard laughter and splashing from the lakeshore, the thunk-thwack of balls from the tennis courts, the distant whinny of a horse at the riding stables, and, laced through it all, the light hum of magic. Faraway Castle was a wonderful place to work, she often reminded herself, surrounded by so much beauty and wonder.

She entered the castle through a side door, charged up a set of service stairs, then hurried along a hall adorned with fine art pieces and crystal chandeliers, her footsteps muffled by thick carpeting. The royal suite, located here in the east wing of the castle and offering views of both the lake and the mountains, was currently occupied by the sovereigns of Khenifra, a kingdom located on a continent far to the south and reputed to be vastly wealthy. This exceedingly handsome royal couple had produced numerous offspring, who were, in Ellie's opinion, the most beautiful on earth.