The Runaway Princess by Kate Coombs Page B

you!” Dagle told her. The cow mooed with gusto and broke into a trot, apparently deciding the barn
might lie just ahead, after all. She passed Dagle, then dragged him after her like a large dog on a lead.
    â€œWait!” Dorn said. The brothers ran down the hill. Dorn swerved sideways when he heard voices to the right of the trail, but Dagle had to slow the cow down and circle back.
    â€œWho’s that?” Dorn asked.
    â€œPrince Vantor!” a hoarse voice replied.
    â€œHelp!” someone else cried, but the first voice muttered and all was silent.
    Dagle led the cow up beside Dorn. “What are you doing down there?” he called, baffled.
    â€œWe tied ourselves up like this!” Vantor said furiously. “Now untie us!”
    Dorn and his brother exchanged twin looks in the dim light of the moon. “You needn’t be rude,” Dorn said. “We’re happy to help.”

9
    â€œNO!” JANNA PUT HER HANDS ON HER HIPS. “Nonono, and no!”
    â€œWhat if your princess begs you to?” Meg ventured.
    â€œMy princess is supposed to be at the top of a tower, swooning over the thought of all those princes.”
    Meg scowled. “Would you?”
    â€œWould I what?”
    â€œSwoon?”
    â€œSit down, you two’” Janna said, laughing.
    The kitchen was warm and friendly. Drying herbs scented the room. A modest fire lit the curves of copper pots and a handful of green-and-yellow teacups. The dragon explored this new place with interest. He discovered the cats. The cats discovered the rafters.
    â€œYou see?” Janna gestured. “He’s a troublemaker.”
    â€œYou didn’t answer,” Cam said.
    â€œSwoon? No. I’m well past swooning. I might swoon
over the thought of a supper someone else cooked and a bed someone else made, mind you.”
    â€œYou wouldn’t like how they did it,” Cam told her.
    â€œThere is that.” Janna brought them a basket of biscuits. “Hungry?”
    â€œStarving!” Meg cried. Her stomach did flip-flops at the sight of the food.
    â€œYou could have said,” Janna scolded. She hurried to heat up a dish of chicken and noodles. The next few minutes were spent happily as Cam and Meg filled their empty bellies.
    â€œI would tuck you both into bed,” Janna said, “but I imagine your night’s adventure isn’t over.”
    â€œNo,” Cam said, yawning.
    â€œGoing to tell me about it?”
    Cam looked at Meg. “I’m not sure.”
    â€œYou’d better,” Janna said. “After bringing a dragon into my kitchen!” She shook her head, still amazed.
    â€œWe’re trying to stop those princes from bothering … certain citizens’” Meg said.
    â€œAs in, the good people of Crown?” Janna asked. “Or perhaps you’re referring to yourself.”
    â€œYou are a citizen, Meg,” Cam said, grinning.
    â€œCouldn’t you just keep him here for a few days?” Meg pleaded. “If you think at him very sternly, he’ll do as he’s told.”
    The dragon had curled up in a rumpled heap on the hearth. Janna regarded him warily as she began clearing the table. “Some kind of magic, is it?”

    â€œOh no’” Meg said. “It’s just that dragons are very clever, and I suppose that’s how they talk. Naturally.”
    â€œHmmph,” Janna said. “What’s his name?”
    â€œHis name?” Meg asked, stalling. “His name is, um—”
    â€œLadybug,” Cam suggested. “After all that red.”
    Meg grimaced. “No.”
    â€œIt’ll have to be Laddy bugseeing as how you call him a he’” Janna said.
    â€œI’m not sure,” Meg said, surprised. “It’s just a feeling I have.”
    â€œLaddy, then,” Janna said. She reached out a tentative hand to scratch the dragon between the ears.
    â€œIt’s not