I raced down the stairs and along the corridor.

When I rounded the corner into the Banqueting Hall, I breathed a sigh of relief. The "Royal Table" hadn't arrived yet. I squeezed into my seat and no sooner had I sat down than I had to stand up again. Ivan, Beatrix and Skarp were walking down the central aisle. But Kriston wasn't with them.

"Where's Kris?"  I asked Lady Bellina in a choked voice, panic rising inside me. She hesitated. Her lips were pursed, her face contorted as if in pain. My heart fell into my stomach.

"He's very ill, Princess." My tutor held me by the wrist. There were tears in her eyes. "You need to prepare yourself, dear." She swallowed and squeezed my wrist. Doctor Hosta says he won't be with us for much longer. I'm so sorry, Annifer." Sniffing, she covered her face with her other hand and stifled a sob.

Oh God! My stomach turned a somersault. My head spun. I gripped the table to stop myself falling down.

Lady Beatrix processed past me, nose in the air, towards the Royal Table. I gasped in shock. The dress she wore was midnight blue velvet. The bodice was embroidered with little mirrors, sewn on with silver thread. The collar was raised at the back and stitched with pearls. My mother had worn that dress. It was one of the queen's official garments. On her head she wore a silver and diamond tiara, my mother's also. She giggled and hung on to Ivan's arm. The tiara had slipped down over one raven black eyebrow and they staggered as they walked. I could smell the wine fumes coming off them. Skarp was the only sober one in the group and as he passed he threw me a menacing glance — eyes narrowed, lips curled in a sneer.

Nausea rose in my throat. My flesh crawled. They were poisoning Kris and now they couldn't even wait till he was dead to take his place. My aunt and uncle flopped in their seats at the Royal Table.

"More wine!" Ivan thrust his goblet in the air. Beatrix threw her arms around his neck and declared in her high-pitched voice, loud and thick with alcohol,

"My dearest, darlingest husbandy wusbandy." She pinched his bristled cheeks. "Your coronation will be the most spectacular event Frailing has ever witnessed. I just hope the castle kitchens can cope with the magnificent feast I have planned. If not I can always get cooks sent specially from Skaliff. Our cooks are far superior to Frailing's. The dancers must come from Moonrun; Moonrun has the most wonderful dancers in the whole of Tarth . . ."

Around the room a few faces cast me sympathetic glances but most avoided my eye. "My dress will be made by the master tailors of Quain and I'll need the finest, most precious jewellery brought all the way from Erith beyond the sea, diamonds, rubies, eremalds . . . elemralds . . .emeralds . . ."

I couldn't listen to this anymore. Under my breath, I started repeating the prayers Gerda had taught me earlier and soon I'd blocked out Beatrix's voice so that it was no more disturbing than the annoying whine of a mosquito. When the servants served the meal, the smell of roasted venison made me giddy. I pushed it away. Bellina pushed it back towards me and handed me a fork.

"Eat, Princess," she whispered, her face etched with concern. "You need your strength now more than ever." I knew she was right. I cut a piece of potato and put it in my mouth. Once I'd started eating, I realised how hungry I was. Healing the rabbit had drained me more than I'd thought and then there was all that running. I sipped from my goblet of water and turned my mind to the next problem: How to get out of the castle and back to Gerda's house at night. I still had Poppy's cloak but maids weren't allowed out of the castle after dinner unless they had special dispensation. Castle Merlax was well protected by high walls, too high to climb. Kris and I had tried many times. There was no time to dig a tunnel. No, I had to admit to myself that I really didn't know how to do this.

After the meal, Ivan and Beatrix reeled drunkenly down the central aisle, preening and cackling.

"Of course, you'll make a far better king than your idiot brother . . ." Beatrix slurred. Skarp followed behind, steady and watchful. Thinking hard, I walked back to my tower, past the guard, and up the steps. I pushed open my bedroom door to find Abigail sat on my bed, her eyebrows knitted in concern.

"Help, Abigail!" I blurted out. "I've got to get back to the Wise Woman's house tonight and I don't know how to do it." My nurse's eyebrows knitted even further. Then she took a deep breath.

"There is a way, Annie but . . ."

"Tell me!" I demanded kneeling on the bed to face her.

"Only the waste cart is allowed out at night. It carries the rubbish from the kitchens to the dump outside the city. You'd have to bury yourself in the waste and jump out once the cart's safely on the other side of the gates. You'll have to go now. The cart's left in the kitchen yard and the porter drives it out at midnight. It's a quarter to now."

"How will I get back in again?"

"Ask the Wise Woman to take you to Daffodil Farm. Petros takes the hay cart there at dawn every day to get hay for the horses. You'll have to meet him there and hide in the cart under the hay. You must go now, Annie."

"But there's a guard at the bottom of the stairs, how will I get past him?"

"Don't worry about that. I'll distract him," she gathered up two goblets and a bottle of wine she'd brought with her.

"You think of everything, Abigail. What would I do without you?" I followed her down the staircase.

"Wait here," she instructed. "Judge when it's safe and then go. Goddess protect you." She fixed her face into a hospitable smile and swept round the corner. I cupped my ear and listened.

"Will you join me in a glass of wine? Is this your first time in Frailing? Are you married? Any children?" When the guard started rhapsodizing about how smart and strong his two sons were, I made my move. Out of the tower and round through the east door into the rose garden. It was dark now but the moon was nearly full so I had to creep behind the rose bushes to avoid being seen by the last remaining servants making their way back to their quarters. The kitchen yard was at the back of the castle. It was deserted here.

I smelt the cart before I saw it. It was piled high with vegetable peelings, rotting fruit, animal bones, stale bread and discarded food. I clasped my hand to my mouth and tried to keep my dinner down. Then I heard footsteps behind me, a man and a horse. The porter was coming. I had no time to waste. I took a deep breath and climbed into the cart. I lay down on my back and started scraping rubbish on top of myself, wriggling my backside to bury myself deeper into the pile. Soon my body was completely submerged. I found a big dark green cabbage leaf and draped it over my face. There was something wet and slimy against my neck. It stank like rotting fish. I screwed my face up in disgust and tried to stay motionless.

I felt the cart shift as the porter yoked the horse to it and climbed aboard. He flicked the reins,

"Get along, old girl," and the cart jerked into motion. The stench was unbearable. I tried to hold my breath but it was all I could do not to throw up. I hadn't had time to change. My yellow lacy dress would be ruined for sure. Something moved against my legs. Maggots! Oh God! Please, let's get through the gates quickly so I can jump out of here, I thought desperately. The cart pulled up at the gate.

"Waste cart," the porter announced. "Taking it to the dump."

"No one enters or leaves the castle without special dispensation from Lord Skarp," said the guard in a thick Skaliff accent.

"What am I supposed to do with this lot then?"

"You'll have to get a letter of dispensation signed by Lord Skarp tomorrow and then you can go out."

"It'll stink to high heaven by then!" protested the porter. It already does, I thought, suppressing a wretch.

"Orders from Lord Skarp. There's nothing I can do. Take it back to the kitchen yard," ordered the guard. There was some muttering and cursing, then the cart turned around and started back the way we'd come.

In the kitchen yard he unyoked the horse.

"Come on, girl. Let's get you back to the stable." I listened till I couldn't hear his footsteps anymore, then I yanked myself out of the rubbish and jumped off the cart.

Potato peelings and bits of bone stuck to my dress. There was squashed banana in my hair and an over ripe strawberry stuck to my shoe. I shook my arms and legs and tried to brush the filth off but the sob I had been fighting down, swelled in my chest and burst out of me. Overcome with despair, I collapsed face down on the ground and wept hopelessly. I didn't care if I was caught anymore. I was trapped in the castle, my training was incomplete and I didn't have the crystal which was essential for the healing ceremony. My friends were in danger. I was covered in rubbish. There was banana in my hair. My only comfy shoes were ruined. I'd found my long-lost aunt but in two days' time I'd be shipped off to Crosstain to marry that oaf, Larnick and I'd never see her again.

But worst of all, I was going to lose my brother. He was dying and I was powerless to save him. I sobbed until my whole body shook.

And then . . .

A wet nose nudged my forehead and I felt a rough tongue licking the banana out of my hair. I looked up.

"Milo!" I screamed in surprise and clasped him in a big hug. "But how did you get out of the basement?" Then I remembered. The basement dogs were let out at night to patrol the grounds. They discouraged intruders and kept the rat population down. I looked into his big soulful eyes. How sad he would be if Kris died! Suddenly I knew I had to pull myself together. I couldn't give up now. I had to do everything I could to save my brother. I'd get in to see Kris tomorrow and perform the healing ceremony, even without the crystal. I had to try.

I hugged Milo again, stroked his head and got to my feet. He followed me as I strode purposefully back to the east door and sat down, wagging his tail.

"I won't let you down, Milo," I whispered. "When Kris is better, we'll come and get you out of the basement and it'll be like old times again." I kissed him on the head and turned to the door. As quietly as I could, I cracked it open and poked my head through to see what the guard was up to. He was slumped on the floor, back against the wall, legs splayed out in front of him, head hanging down — fast asleep. An empty bottle of wine lay on the floor next to him.

Good work, Abigail! Thank you. I thought as I tiptoed past him up the stairs. In my room I kicked off the strawberry-stained shoes and tore off the stinky dress. I filled the basin with water and scrubbed my hair and body till all the dirt was gone.

I pulled on a nightgown and fell into bed. With so much anticipation inside me, I didn't expect to be able to sleep but as soon as my head hit the pillow, I realised I was dog-tired.

Goddess, help me save my brother! I thought as I closed my eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

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