Golden by Cameron Dokey Page B

only your heart can decide.”
    At this, Rue looked back up, her eyes wide. “You love him, but you would be willing to share,” she said, as if she didn’t quite trust that she’d heard me right the first time. “You wouldn’t try to keep him all to yourself”
    â€œYes, I would share,” I said. “Or at least I would try. That’s the best thing to do with love, so I’ve always been told. If you can make room in your heart for the cat, I can make room in mine for the fact that you love him.”
    Her face changed then, her features slowly transforming themselves into an expression that I recognized: hope. Unexpected hope, at that, which is often the strongest kind.
    â€œHow would it work?” she asked, turning to her mother. “If I ask her to stay. How long?”
    â€œHer name is Rapunzel,” Melisande said. “You’ll probably want to learn to say it. Together, the two of you must find the way to free you in the time it took to imprison you in the first place: two nights, the day that falls between, and the blink of an eye.”
    â€œOh, for crying out loud!” I exclaimed. “Make it challenging, why don’t you?”
    â€œIt isn’t me ..., ” Melisande began.
    â€œIt’s the wizard,” I interrupted, “I know. You don’t have to tell me. I’m beginning to think this world would have been a much better place if he’d simply learned to keep his mouth shut.”
    At this, Rue turned her head to look at me and did the very last thing I expected: She smiled. Before I quite knew what I was doing, I smiled back. Mr. Jones opened his mouth and gave a great, teeth-gnashing yawn. Rue’s smile got a little bigger, and I felt my own hope suddenly kindle.
    We can do this,
I thought.
    â€œGo ahead,” I said. “It’s not so difficult, once you put your mind to it. Just ask.”
    Rue gave a sigh, almost as if she’d hoped the fact that she already loved my cat meant I was going to let her off the hook.
    â€œWill you stay with me, Rapunzel? Even though the outcome is uncertain?”
    â€œThough the outcome is uncertain, I will stay with you, Rue,” I said. “I will do my best to free us both.”
    And so the promise was made, and a bargain struck.

Twelve
    I cannot tell you what was said at the second parting between the sorceress and her daughter. It hardly seemed right for me to overhear it, so I went back out of that great golden room the same way I’d come, then walked around the tower’s top until I could see the river and Mr. Jones, both far below me. I stood for a moment with my hands on the railing, as he looked up, and I looked down.
    â€œYou are going to stay, then,” he said, his voice reaching me easily.
    â€œI am,” I said. “Though not for long, assuming all goes well. I’m to free the sorceress’s daughter in the same time it took to make her a prisoner: two nights, the day that falls between, and the blink of an eye. How did you know? That I would stay, I mean.”
    â€œI didn’t,” the tinker answered. “I only thought you might.”
    â€œIt’s that heart thing again, isn’t it?” I said, and, to my relief, we both smiled.
    â€œSomething like that,” the tinker agreed. “Have you thought about what you’ll tell Harry? He’s going to want some sort of explanation, you know.”
    I felt the tower sway beneath my feet then, though my head knew it hadn’t moved at all. Harry. I’d forgotten all about Harry. Again.
    â€œNo, I can see that you haven’t,” said Mr. Jones.
    â€œI didn’t mean ... I never thought...,” I said.
    â€œTake a deep breath,” Mr. Jones said. “Stay calm. I’m sure you’ll think of something when the time comes. You seem to have done all right so far.”
    â€œWhere will you go? What will you do?” I asked. For, now