you,’ said Ephemia.
Leo’s eyes bulged. ‘It talks.’
The spunky mouse puffed up her chest. ‘ It has a name and the name is Ephemia. I can do more than talk, too, in case you’ve forgotten.’
Leo raised a boot. ‘Another word and I’ll squish you.’
Milo picked up a pebble the size of a rock. ‘Stay where you are.’
‘Who are you to tell me what to do?’
‘The best aim in the county. Take another step and I’ll bop you.’
‘So you’re Olivia’s knight in not-so-shiny armour, are you?’ Leo sneered. ‘Little Sir Corn Cob?’
‘He’s a friend,’ Olivia said. ‘Treat him with respect.’
‘Oh, of course,’ Leo mocked. ‘How else to treat a peasant who broke into your chamber to steal you for the Dream Witch?’ He looked back at Milo. ‘How much is the witch paying you to betray the princess? What’s your reward?’
‘We might ask the same of you,’ Ephemia declared.
‘I’m a prince,’ Leo said. ‘I get what I want and always will. I don’t need rewards.’
‘How many others came with you?’ Milo demanded. ‘Where are they?’
‘It’s none of your business, but I came alone.’
‘You? Alone?’ Olivia frowned. ‘That’s hard to believe.’
‘How dare you question my valour? I’m Crown Prince of Pretonia!’
‘Yes, and you run from castle ghosts,’ Ephemia laughed. She put on her phantom voice, ‘’Tis I, Weaselkins, the Headless Hunchback of Horning!’
‘That was you?’ Leo flashed his sword.
Milo gripped his rock.
‘Enough,’ Olivia exclaimed. ‘This is no time to fight. The witch’s world can turn upside down in a second. So – both of you – put down your weapons. Now.’
The boys looked from Olivia to each other and back again. Then, wary as foxes, they disarmed.
‘Now, Leo, the truth,’ Olivia said. ‘Where are your troops?’
‘Back at the castle probably,’ Leo said. ‘I led some cavalry into the forest. But when we reached the witch’s cottage, we were attacked by demons. My men abandoned me. I hid behind the door of teeth.’
‘And got swallowed into this underworld,’ Olivia said.
‘Yes,’ Leo nodded. ‘I’ve no idea where I’ve been or how I got here. Things came at me out of nowhere. Then I heard your voices. And here I am.’
‘So, you are a liar. You didn’t show up to save the princess,’ Milo scoffed.
Leo hung his head. He hoped it passed for shame, for he realised that if he was going to destroy Olivia’s pysanka he had to gain their trust. And there’s nothing like truth with a dash of guile to grease the wheels of treachery.
‘It’s true,’ Leo choked. ‘I’m no hero. I’m a coward. A bully. A miserable failure.’ With great effort, he squeezed out a tear.
Olivia’s heart melted on cue. ‘Please don’t cry.’
‘Why not?’ Leo helped himself to a sniffle and sank onto a giant mushroom cap. ‘I was raised to be King of Pretonia: A warrior, hard and cruel. Well, now I have my reward. I’m alone, without a friend in the world. I don’t deserve any. In fact, I don’t deserve to live. Ask anyone. Even my father.’ He broke into sobs. To his surprise, some of them were real.
Milo turned away in embarrassment.
Ephemia wiped her eyes with her tail. ‘You poor, poor boy.’
Olivia ran and knelt by the prince; his stink was overwhelming, but it wasn’t the time to be unkind. ‘We didn’t get off to a good start,’ she said. ‘But I know what it’s like to feel trapped in a life that isn’t your own.’
‘You understand?’
Olivia struggled to find the right words. ‘Deep inside, I know you can’t be nearly as horrible as you seem.’
‘Thank you,’ Leo wept. ‘So, you forgive me?’
‘What else can I do?’
Leo kissed her hand.
Olivia wiped it on the back of her coat and turned to Ephemia and Milo. ‘What do you say? Prince Leo needs our help and can help us in return. Can we let bygones be bygones?’
‘Of course,’ Ephemia said. ‘As long as we keep our eyes
Leo’s eyes bulged. ‘It talks.’
The spunky mouse puffed up her chest. ‘ It has a name and the name is Ephemia. I can do more than talk, too, in case you’ve forgotten.’
Leo raised a boot. ‘Another word and I’ll squish you.’
Milo picked up a pebble the size of a rock. ‘Stay where you are.’
‘Who are you to tell me what to do?’
‘The best aim in the county. Take another step and I’ll bop you.’
‘So you’re Olivia’s knight in not-so-shiny armour, are you?’ Leo sneered. ‘Little Sir Corn Cob?’
‘He’s a friend,’ Olivia said. ‘Treat him with respect.’
‘Oh, of course,’ Leo mocked. ‘How else to treat a peasant who broke into your chamber to steal you for the Dream Witch?’ He looked back at Milo. ‘How much is the witch paying you to betray the princess? What’s your reward?’
‘We might ask the same of you,’ Ephemia declared.
‘I’m a prince,’ Leo said. ‘I get what I want and always will. I don’t need rewards.’
‘How many others came with you?’ Milo demanded. ‘Where are they?’
‘It’s none of your business, but I came alone.’
‘You? Alone?’ Olivia frowned. ‘That’s hard to believe.’
‘How dare you question my valour? I’m Crown Prince of Pretonia!’
‘Yes, and you run from castle ghosts,’ Ephemia laughed. She put on her phantom voice, ‘’Tis I, Weaselkins, the Headless Hunchback of Horning!’
‘That was you?’ Leo flashed his sword.
Milo gripped his rock.
‘Enough,’ Olivia exclaimed. ‘This is no time to fight. The witch’s world can turn upside down in a second. So – both of you – put down your weapons. Now.’
The boys looked from Olivia to each other and back again. Then, wary as foxes, they disarmed.
‘Now, Leo, the truth,’ Olivia said. ‘Where are your troops?’
‘Back at the castle probably,’ Leo said. ‘I led some cavalry into the forest. But when we reached the witch’s cottage, we were attacked by demons. My men abandoned me. I hid behind the door of teeth.’
‘And got swallowed into this underworld,’ Olivia said.
‘Yes,’ Leo nodded. ‘I’ve no idea where I’ve been or how I got here. Things came at me out of nowhere. Then I heard your voices. And here I am.’
‘So, you are a liar. You didn’t show up to save the princess,’ Milo scoffed.
Leo hung his head. He hoped it passed for shame, for he realised that if he was going to destroy Olivia’s pysanka he had to gain their trust. And there’s nothing like truth with a dash of guile to grease the wheels of treachery.
‘It’s true,’ Leo choked. ‘I’m no hero. I’m a coward. A bully. A miserable failure.’ With great effort, he squeezed out a tear.
Olivia’s heart melted on cue. ‘Please don’t cry.’
‘Why not?’ Leo helped himself to a sniffle and sank onto a giant mushroom cap. ‘I was raised to be King of Pretonia: A warrior, hard and cruel. Well, now I have my reward. I’m alone, without a friend in the world. I don’t deserve any. In fact, I don’t deserve to live. Ask anyone. Even my father.’ He broke into sobs. To his surprise, some of them were real.
Milo turned away in embarrassment.
Ephemia wiped her eyes with her tail. ‘You poor, poor boy.’
Olivia ran and knelt by the prince; his stink was overwhelming, but it wasn’t the time to be unkind. ‘We didn’t get off to a good start,’ she said. ‘But I know what it’s like to feel trapped in a life that isn’t your own.’
‘You understand?’
Olivia struggled to find the right words. ‘Deep inside, I know you can’t be nearly as horrible as you seem.’
‘Thank you,’ Leo wept. ‘So, you forgive me?’
‘What else can I do?’
Leo kissed her hand.
Olivia wiped it on the back of her coat and turned to Ephemia and Milo. ‘What do you say? Prince Leo needs our help and can help us in return. Can we let bygones be bygones?’
‘Of course,’ Ephemia said. ‘As long as we keep our eyes
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