“No, Your Highness. Thank you, Your Highness.” The guard backed away, stammering.
The prince tied the purse onto his own belt and nodded to his two flanking guardsmen. “Now, that’s settled,” he said, satisfied. “I suppose we should go see this feast.”
He swept into the hall, trailed by his guards. Kinner scurried across the yard and into the hall a few moments later.
“I think we’d better go in too,” Darna said at last. “Keep your head down. That’s what servants are supposed to do. Besides, you’ll hear more that way.”
Eppie was not at all sure that she wanted to hear anything, but she certainly didn’t want to be noticed again. Darna leaned on her arm, steering her around the periphery toward a table thronged with guildsmen and merchants. A gong sounded, and the mingling citizens and nob
