twelve years, I think.” Duncan unscrewed his bottle and took a long drink. “Wow. It’s weird it’s been that long.”
“Are you really the best they had?” I asked, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice.
His shoes still weren’t tied, and he seemed a little too amazed by Matt’s ability to make pancakes. He didn’t exude any of the confidence or formality that Finn had, but then again, I’d probably like it better that way.
“No,” Duncan admitted, and if my question shamed him, he didn’t show it. He just played with his bottle cap. “But I’m pretty close. My appearance is deceiving, but that’s part of why I’m good. People underestimate me.”
Something about the way he said that made me flash onto Scream . Maybe Duncan had a bit of that clumsy, unassuming boyish charm.
“Did anybody ever tell you that you remind them of Deputy Dewey from the Scream movies?” I asked.
“You mean David Arquette ?” Duncan asked. “But I’m better looking, right?”
“Oh yeah, definitely,” I nodded. I could never see myself being attracted to him, but he was kinda foxy. In his own way.
Rhys swore as a flapjack landed on the floor with a splat. Matt patiently tried to explain what he’d done wrong and how to correct it, using the same tone of voice he’d used to teach me how to tie my shoes, ride a bike, and drive a car. It was so strange seeing him be the older brother to somebody else.
“Wendy!” Willa shouted from behind me, and I’d barely turned around when she came running over to me. She threw her arms around me, shocking me with a fierce hug. “I’m so glad you’re alright!”
“Um, thanks,” I said, detangling myself from her hug.
Willa Strom was a few years older than me, and the only Trylle other than Finn that actually called me “Wendy” instead of “Princess,” so I guess that made us friends. Her father, Garrett, was Elora’s only friend, and Willa had been insanely helpful and kind after Finn left the first time. Without her, the christening ceremony would’ve been a disaster even before the Vittra broke in.
“My dad was telling me that the Vittra had kidnapped you, and nobody knew for sure what was going on.” Willa could be snobby, but the concern on her face was sincere. “I rushed over here as soon as I heard you were back. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said, but I wasn’t sure if that was true or not.
“Duncan?” Willa looked at him, as if noticing he were here for the first time. “You’ve got to be kidding me. There is no way Elora would let you be her tracker.”
“See? Underrated,” Duncan smiled. He seemed to take some pride in it, so I let him have it.
“Oh my god. I’m gonna talk to my dad.” Willa shook her head, tucking her perfectly tamed light-brown waves of hair behind her ears. “There’s no way he can do this.”
“It’s fine. I’m fine,” I shrugged. “I’m in the palace. What can happen here?”
Willa gave me a knowing look, but thankfully, before she could say something, Matt announced breakfast was done. When I had been regaling him with the tales of being Trylle, I had conveniently left out the part about the Vittra busting in here or Oren being my father. I thought it would freak him out too much.
“Are you gonna eat some too?” Matt asked Willa. He dished up the flapjacks, and polite as ever, he’d included her. “We’ve got plenty to go around.”
“Are those blueberry ?” Willa wrinkled her nose, looking totally disgusted by the prospect of eating them. “ Eww . No way.”
“They’re really good.” Matt slid a plate towards her.
For reasons I didn’t completely understand, we didn’t enjoy many foods. We mostly ate fresh fruits and vegetables. I didn’t like juice of any kind, although I did like some wine. Pancakes were made with processed flour and sugar, so they were never that appealing, although I had been eating them for years to appease Matt.
“You’re not
“Are you really the best they had?” I asked, trying to keep the skepticism out of my voice.
His shoes still weren’t tied, and he seemed a little too amazed by Matt’s ability to make pancakes. He didn’t exude any of the confidence or formality that Finn had, but then again, I’d probably like it better that way.
“No,” Duncan admitted, and if my question shamed him, he didn’t show it. He just played with his bottle cap. “But I’m pretty close. My appearance is deceiving, but that’s part of why I’m good. People underestimate me.”
Something about the way he said that made me flash onto Scream . Maybe Duncan had a bit of that clumsy, unassuming boyish charm.
“Did anybody ever tell you that you remind them of Deputy Dewey from the Scream movies?” I asked.
“You mean David Arquette ?” Duncan asked. “But I’m better looking, right?”
“Oh yeah, definitely,” I nodded. I could never see myself being attracted to him, but he was kinda foxy. In his own way.
Rhys swore as a flapjack landed on the floor with a splat. Matt patiently tried to explain what he’d done wrong and how to correct it, using the same tone of voice he’d used to teach me how to tie my shoes, ride a bike, and drive a car. It was so strange seeing him be the older brother to somebody else.
“Wendy!” Willa shouted from behind me, and I’d barely turned around when she came running over to me. She threw her arms around me, shocking me with a fierce hug. “I’m so glad you’re alright!”
“Um, thanks,” I said, detangling myself from her hug.
Willa Strom was a few years older than me, and the only Trylle other than Finn that actually called me “Wendy” instead of “Princess,” so I guess that made us friends. Her father, Garrett, was Elora’s only friend, and Willa had been insanely helpful and kind after Finn left the first time. Without her, the christening ceremony would’ve been a disaster even before the Vittra broke in.
“My dad was telling me that the Vittra had kidnapped you, and nobody knew for sure what was going on.” Willa could be snobby, but the concern on her face was sincere. “I rushed over here as soon as I heard you were back. I’m so glad you’re here.”
“Yeah, me too,” I said, but I wasn’t sure if that was true or not.
“Duncan?” Willa looked at him, as if noticing he were here for the first time. “You’ve got to be kidding me. There is no way Elora would let you be her tracker.”
“See? Underrated,” Duncan smiled. He seemed to take some pride in it, so I let him have it.
“Oh my god. I’m gonna talk to my dad.” Willa shook her head, tucking her perfectly tamed light-brown waves of hair behind her ears. “There’s no way he can do this.”
“It’s fine. I’m fine,” I shrugged. “I’m in the palace. What can happen here?”
Willa gave me a knowing look, but thankfully, before she could say something, Matt announced breakfast was done. When I had been regaling him with the tales of being Trylle, I had conveniently left out the part about the Vittra busting in here or Oren being my father. I thought it would freak him out too much.
“Are you gonna eat some too?” Matt asked Willa. He dished up the flapjacks, and polite as ever, he’d included her. “We’ve got plenty to go around.”
“Are those blueberry ?” Willa wrinkled her nose, looking totally disgusted by the prospect of eating them. “ Eww . No way.”
“They’re really good.” Matt slid a plate towards her.
For reasons I didn’t completely understand, we didn’t enjoy many foods. We mostly ate fresh fruits and vegetables. I didn’t like juice of any kind, although I did like some wine. Pancakes were made with processed flour and sugar, so they were never that appealing, although I had been eating them for years to appease Matt.
“You’re not
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