sorcery and science 04.5 - masquerade Read Online Free PDF Page B

between her knees and ankles, showing off a pair of beaded silver slippers that were so clean they must have been introduced to her feet mere seconds before they all appeared beside the orchard.
    Davin strode along beside his father, looking both very smug and very bored. Jason looked from Davin’s suit, crisp and creaseless as a fresh sheet of paper, to his own, already slightly wrinkled even though he’d just put it on, and he wondered if Davin were breathing at all in there. From Davin’s condescending expression, he appeared to be making a similarly unfavorable comparison.
    But Jason chose to ignore him. Terra was beaming at him as her family stood there before them, and her expression was so infectious that Jason couldn’t help but smile back.
    “Hey, Jason, look at me. I look like a girl,” she whispered across at him.
    “You sure do,” he breathed back, trying to hold himself together enough not to burst out laughing.
    Lana jammed him hard in the side with her bony elbow. It actually kind of hurt. King River was standing before him, waiting patiently. It was then that Jason recalled what he was supposed to do.
    “Your visit honors us, Your Majesty,” he recited, bowing.
    “And your hospitality us,” replied King River, stately. “May I introduce my wife, Queen Lyrica.”
    Jason bowed as low as he could, which felt rather silly, and kissed her hand, which felt kind of wet. “Your Majesty, please allow me to show you my home.”
    “Yes, of course,” she replied, her dancing eyes sparkling with warmth. “These are our children, Davin.” She waved her hand toward Davin. “And Terra.” She set her hand on Terra’s shoulder.
    Jason felt like he was in a play. A silly play.
    “An honor to meet you, Your Highness,” he said to Davin with as little sarcasm as he could muster.
    But when he came to Terra, he froze. His father had forgotten to tell him how to greet her. He glanced sidelong at Lana, who tilted her head forward. She wasn’t helping.
    Terra stepped up to him quickly, breaking the awkward moment by kissing Jason once on each cheek, then returned to her mother’s side.
    “King River, Prince Davin, please allow me to escort you to our parents, who are waiting in the winter garden, while my brother shows Queen Lyrica and Princess Terra the grounds,” Lana said with effortless grace. That just proved Jason’s point again —they really should have betrothed her and Davin instead.
    Lana led them toward the terrace entrance as Jason set off in the direction of the pond with Terra and her mother close behind. He didn’t know what he was supposed to say—or show, for that matter.
    “This is our pond. It’s very brown and dreary right now, but it’s pleasant here in the summer,” he said awkwardly. “And those trees.” He pointed to the line of rose trees that bordered the backside of the pond. “Are everlasting roses, the symbol of Pegasus. They bloom even in the winter. And, um…” He looked around for something else of interest. His eyes settled on the Rose Queen. “That is the Rose Queen. Once when I was two, I got stuck up there trying to climb it.”
    Terra swallowed a giggle, which came out as a very unladylike snort, and she covered her mouth in embarrassment. She’d gotten stuck up there a few times herself.
    Queen Lyrica smiled at Jason. She said softly, “You’re doing very well, dear.”
    “Thank you, Your Majesty,” he replied. “Would you care to see the mint gardens now? The Winter’s Mint is growing like a weed at the moment.”
    “Lead on,” she agreed and took Terra’s hand as they continued through the grounds.
    The tour of the grounds seemed to drag on forever. Jason simply wasn’t good at making small talk over every leaf and rock, as seemed to be expected of him. He’d rather have run off into the woods with Terra, and from the conspiring looks she kept throwing his way, she was thinking exactly the same thing. But finally it was over, and the three of