“Is anyone selling copies of The Princess's Diary?” Bunny asked. “I hate for Hermalaya to miss out on the best-motivated crowd she's ever going to get.”
“Special order from the printer,” Aahz said. “The Paper Wasps promised they'd churn out a thousand copies by dawn tomorrow, or they'd have to eat them. What about security? I don't want any trigger-happy yahoo thinking he can pick up a bounty from Matfany on the princess, or vice versa.”
Guido lifted a finger. “We're set. I lined up some of our friends to act as on-the-ground security inside and outside the castle. Pookie's in charge of the force in the building and overhead. Gus has a day off from the Golden Crescent, so I put him in as group captain in the courtyard.”'
“Great,” I said. “I was hoping to throw some work his way.” “How's our star doing?” Aahz asked, checking off one more item from his list.
“Letter-perfect,” Nunzio said. “She knows the script better than I do. She's started correcting me when I read something wrong. What a lady! She's no more nervous than a statue. She is ready to go.”
So was I. We had spent the last few days working on this plan. Aahz had pretty much taken over, as I figured he would, leaving me with nothing much to do. I didn't know if he was doing it on purpose, or if the group was just used to working without me as it had been for months. I was los-ing hope that I could find a way to be relevant to the com-pany as it had grown up. Everybody was being nice to me, but it wasn't the same as involving me.
Still, I played an important role in the event itself. My job was to maintain all the magik we needed for our sub-terfuge, including disguises. I was eager to prove once and for all to my friends that I was the person they wanted to work for again.
We sneaked into Foxe-Swampburg early the next morn-ing. I couldn't have asked for better weather. According to
Hermalaya. it was the beginning of spring. If there was birdsong, I couldn't hear it over the buzz of excited visi-tors. The courtyard was packed with people, mostly Swamp Foxes, but lots and lots of tourists of all races. I couldn't have been more delighted.
“Are you ready'.'” I asked the princess, as we watched the milling throng from behind a curtain in the balcony that overlooked the castle's front door.
“I had better be,” Hermalaya said. She looked magnifi-cent. She wore a plain white-silk gown under a royal pur-ple cloak edged with silver fur and jewels. On her head was a small crown with one fist-sized golden gem in the center that had made Aahz moan with greed when he saw it. “As they say, first impressions are the most important.”
Massha came over to us with one of her bracelets buzz-ing.
“Everybody else is ready,” she said.
“Then I'd better get set,” I said. I closed my eyes and gathered up plenty of magik from the strong red force line that arched over the castle. Whoever had built this place knew what he or she was doing. My internal storage filled up in one breath.
I pictured Matfany's face and body, wearing an elegant black suit embroidered in silver, with a vent in the back for his bushy tail. I drew the image over me, until it took the place of my own face. I heard a gasp from Hermalaya.
“Why, you look just like him? It's amazing.”
“All part of the service, your highness,” I said. “All right, Massha.”
She enveloped us both in a smothering, perfumed hug. “Good luck, honey! Knock 'em dead, Big Shot.”
“Thanks. Go on, your highness. When you hear the fanfare, step through the curtain.”
Matfany had given his personal orders to the royal trumpeters. At exactly midmorning, they appeared on the castle steps, pointed their instruments to the sky, and blew.
Ta-ran-tara! Taran-tara! Ta-ra-ra-ra-rantara! Hermalaya took a deep breath and pushed through the hanging swathes of silk.
The cheer that went up from the crowd was deafening. It was a long ten minutes before she could start her speech.
“My good and gentle people, I am so happy to be back with you again today. It's been a lonely exile, but what has kept me going was thinking about all of you? It was through the graces of true friends that I have managed to return.” She had to halt for cheers about every other line.
I crouched and waited for my cue. “And nothing will ever part me from you again, my be-loved people!” I sprang. The crowd gasped.
“There you are!” I boomed. I had also laid on an aural illusion that gave me Matfany's basso-profundo tones. Many in the crowd booed at me. I did my best to assume the prime minister's gimlet stare. Most of them subsided. I turned back to the princess, who cowered against the side of the arched window. “I warned you what would happen if you returned, princess! Guards! Seize her!”
The curtain parted, and in marched a full contingent of the castle guard, led by the royal wizard. One of them winked as he passed me. I had lined up the loyal opposi-tion, who were delighted to have a part in helping their
