She woke suddenly, snapped out of a dream. Heavy night still soaked through her chamber. A sound had awakened her—or was that part of the dream? Coralina squirmed, groping for the slippery thoughts before they melted away.

It had centered on Joc, their former cook. He stood in the kitchen, preparing supper at his worktable as he had every night in Coralina's memory. She sat on a stool, watching him, and her feet dangled well above the floor. She had been much younger in the dream.

Coralina rolled to her side, twisting the blankets around her. Though it hadn't been unpleasant, the dream distressed her. She missed Joc. Possibly more than she missed her own father. The king's attention had always been divided by his kingdom, his queen, and his eight other daughters. But Joc always had time for her. And usually a candy bird.

Nine months now since the servants had abandoned them. They fled just after the king's death and Joc had gone with them. No one in Runa had seen them since. Even Kerrick, Joc's only son, did not know what became of his father. And Maelyn, too wounded to hire new servants, had worked out a system in which the princesses cared for themselves. Coralina became Festivity Princess, responsible for banquets, balls, and theater.

The sound returned to startle her: a heavy, scraping groan from somewhere over her head. Coralina looked at the ceiling. Maelyn? Though each princess had her own chamber, they couldn't fit them all on one level. Seven princesses slept on the third floor, minus the eldest and youngest. Maelyn slept on the fourth floor, in a vast chamber near their parents' former rooms. And Arialain had chosen a tiny tower far above the rest.

Another groan. Coralina kicked off the covers. She'd have no further sleep until she knew why Maelyn was moving furniture around. In the middle of the night. She lit a candle and carried it upstairs. Maelyn answered the knock, her face scrunched with apology. She knew she'd woken Coralina.

"I can't find Father's journal." Maelyn said in a strained voice. Coralina followed her into the chamber, wincing at the blazing light. Every torch and candle was burning strong. The chamber itself looked as if a dragon had crashed through it. Cabinets hung open, trunks were ransacked, garments and shoes littered the floor. Large pieces of furniture had been shifted and the carpets curled back. The mattresses on Maelyn's bed lay stripped and askew.

"Holy Shoulders," Coralina said. "Did you look in the library?"

"That's where I started." Maelyn stared at the mess with one hand pressed to her forehead. "It's not on the shelf. I'll check the other bedchambers in the morning. Maybe one of our sisters borrowed it and forgot to tell me."

Coralina doubted this. They all knew the journal's contents. Father had used it sparingly, usually to record a special event. He wrote his entries like stories and later read them to his children. The story of when he met Runa, their mother. The story of the terrible plague that massacred most of the world. The story of finding his nine daughters as he traveled in search of a cure. Coralina knew her own story by heart.

The king came to Bella Reino, an island realm of blazing skies and dazzling plants. On the sizzling beach, a haggard old woman watched a cluster of children play in the seawater and the king learned these were her grandchildren, all of whose parents had perished in the plague. Eleven boys, and one small girl merely two years of age, nearly hidden beneath a tangle of curls. When the king proposed raising the girl as his own, the weary woman said, 'Take her! Though I warn you, she's much to manage. Terrorizes the boys until they do her bidding and I expect she'll do the same to you.' The king beckoned to the girl, who pointed at his gold crown and refused to come forward until he offered it to her. She planted the crown in her dark hair and laughed, allowing the king to lift her in his arms. Her eyes were of the deepest violet, like sunset over the sea, and the king knew he had found a jewel.

Coralina loved her story. And the old woman was wrong. She had never been much to manage.

"When did you read it last?" Coralina asked. Maelyn's brow furrowed. "A few days ago. I put it back in its chest in the library, I'm sure of it." She sat very still, as though struck by a thought. "It couldn't be... a thief. Could it?"

"For a ratty old journal? It has no value. There were no secrets in it."

"Well... none that were obvious," Maelyn said. "That's three things missing now: Heidel's lumen bread; Arialain's doll; and Father's journal. Do you think it was Uncle Jarrod?"

Coralina almost laughed. "Why would he send a thief all this way just to steal a few worthless objects? That journal was filled—mainly—with our adoption stories, and why would Uncle Jarrod want that? He cares nothing for our adoption stories."

"Oh, he cares," Maelyn said. "He hates our adoption stories. Thinks we don't deserve to be princesses because we weren't born royal. And he hates me the most. I think he's looking for some kind of excuse to replace me."

Coralina rolled her eyes. "Please, Maelyn. Replace you with who?"

Doom! Doom! Doom!

Maelyn and Coralina stared at each other.

"It's after midnight!" Coralina said.

Maelyn walked to the fireplace and grabbed a long poker. "Come with me. I won't make Ari answer the door at this hour."

They carried candles as they slipped down through the castle, hearing nothing but their footsteps and the occasional stirring cat. The knocker repeated his thumps as they reached the bottom floor.

"What if it's the bandits?" Coralina whispered.

"I don't think they'd knock."

"That doesn't mean this is safe." Coralina positioned herself against the door and spoke loudly. "Who goes there? Name yourself!"

A male voice came faintly through the dense wood. "It's Willow! Willow the messenger!"

Maelyn and Coralina exchanged looks of alarm. Together, they slid the latch and pulled the door open.

"My lady!" Willow stared at Maelyn with shocked eyes.

"What's the matter? What happened?" Maelyn cried.

"I was told you had Red Fever!" Willow said. "I'm sorry, I—I was afraid."

Maelyn seemed too stunned to find words. Coralina felt her heart warming and a strong urge to laugh. She looked from Maelyn to Willow.

"No, no. She was ill for a few days." Coralina couldn't help smiling. "It wasn't Red Fever. But did you really just ride up here at midnight to check on her, Willow? Did you?"

Willow blushed hard. "I'm so sorry. I acted hastily. Should have waited for morning. Forgive me for troubling you—I'm so terribly sorry."

"No... I don't mind. It was kind of you." Maelyn blushed equally hard and Coralina understood what it meant. This was hysterical! She couldn't wait to tell Jaedis what was obviously brewing between their uppity sister and the royal messenger.

"Well... glad you're whole and healthy. I'll go now." Willow pulled the door closed, looking like he wished himself a continent away. Coralina bent over and laughed into her hands.

"I don't see what's so funny." Maelyn slid the latch back in place.

"It's midnight, Mae! You have definitely bagged a bird!"

Maelyn walked away from her. "I haven't bagged anything."

Coralina followed, keeping her candle raised so Maelyn couldn't hide her face. "Sooo? When did it start?"

"Nothing has started! He's just the messenger." Maelyn reached the end of the hall and climbed the staircase, holding her chin high. "You shouldn't say such things."

"Then explain to me why he came here tonight."

"He has a kind heart. Now leave me." Maelyn reached the first landing and turned up the righthand flight of stairs. Coralina remained on the landing. "Well, if that's all it is, are you saying... he's available?"

Maelyn stopped on the step. She turned around. "What?"

Coralina cocked her head and smiled. "He's a rare gem, Maelyn. Tall and blond. Heart-stopping smile. If I had such a man, I'd wear him like a brooch. I'd parade him through the kingdom. Let everyone see what a prize I've caught."

Maelyn came back down to the landing. "I don't want you doing that."

"Why not?"

"He's not yours."

"Well, you just told me he's not yours, so...." Coralina flounced her shoulders. "I've already asked him to be in the play. I need three knights. His story ends sadly, I'm afraid, but he was happy enough to join us and very agreeable with me. He can do what he wants, you know."

Maelyn looked as if she had lost all the blood from her face. "Please...."

"Please what?" Coralina said scornfully. She turned and headed up the lefthand staircase. "I'm exhausted, Mae. We'll look for that journal more tomorrow, all right?"

"Oh, the journal." Maelyn sounded as if she'd forgotten. Coralina reached the top of the staircase.

"Coco?" Maelyn said.

"Hmm?" Coralina twisted around and looked down at her sister.

Maelyn hesitated, then turned her back, making a disgusted sound. "I just wish you would stick to one man."