rather decent while serving Princess Serenia. Robert was the honorable and—
She yelped at a sudden, hard grip on her upper arm.
A hand covered her mouth with more force than necessary, hurting her lips. “Silly twit, shut up.”
She swallowed a scream. Prince John. What did he want from her?
When she nodded, he uncovered her mouth. She managed a sort of curtsy despite his iron grip. “Your Royal Highness, how may I serve you?”
“You reported to Serenia that you killed the frog yesterday.”
“That I did.”
“What did you do with the body?”
“I threw it away, as Her Royal Highness would not wish to view it. She despises frogs.”
His hazel eyes narrowed. How could she ever think them beautiful? So much cruelty and anger seethed in their depths. “I do believe you’re lying to me.”
“Your R-Royal Highness?” she stammered, her bruised lips suddenly numb. He could hurt her, and she wouldn’t be able to do anything. Who would come to her aid against a prince? And even if he beat her enough to visibly injure her, who would believe her word against his?
Princess Serenia would never do anything to annoy a guest, especially one who brought her jewels and other exquisite gifts. She’d always made it clear where Molly ranked in her world.
“Let her go, you coward!” Robert jumped out from between a couple of giant oaks. “For once, pick on somebody your size and rank. What manner of scoundrel tries to intimidate a maid half his weight?”
“I knew it!” John shoved Molly away.
She fell to her hands and knees. Her heart still hammered against her rib cage, but at least she was out of Prince John’s clutches. If he came for her again, she could always run.
“It’s not her fault I’m a quick frog.” Robert hopped onto the bench where Princess Serenia liked to sit. “If you really wanted me dead, you should’ve done the deed yourself yesterday, instead of foisting it off on the staff. Or is it that you’re too scared to do it yourself?”
Prince John’s face reddened. “I’ll kill you for that, you bastard.”
“You have it backwards, cousin. You’re the illegitimate one in the family, not I.”
Prince John shouted and charged toward Robert. The latter sprang away, moving quickly. His dappled green skin blended well into the lush garden full of grass, flowers and trees.
Molly put her shaking hands over her mouth. If Robert had been in his human form, he could’ve beaten Prince John easily, but he was just a frog now. How could he fight back?
If anything happened to him, it would all be her fault.
Prince John chased Robert through the undergrowth, thrashing and cursing. Finally Robert was driven out into a spot that had little cover. Robert seemed to be tired; Molly could see his sides moving in and out as he breathed. Prince John closed the distance quickly.
Jump, jump!
“Bastard,” Robert wheezed. “Illegitimate get. Baseborn.”
“Let’s see if you can continue to insult me after I’m through with you!”
Prince John raised his boot over Robert. Robert leapt away an instant before his cousin’s foot made a crashing impact against the spot. Prince John lost his balance as something crunched and gave way beneath him, and his leg disappeared into a knee-deep hole.
He screeched and pulled his leg out. Brown goo dripped from his shiny boot. There was a sudden smell of manure. Swearing, Prince John fell to his knees. “My ankle!”
Robert chuckled, no longer seeming to be out of breath. “Painful, is it?”
Spittle shot out from the enraged prince’s mouth as he made incoherent sounds of rage.
Molly ran toward Robert and checked him carefully for injury. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” He beamed. “And you? Are you all right?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He shook his head. “No, please. I apologize for my cousin’s brutish behavior. I never realized he could be this ungentlemanly.”
“How did you know about this hole?” Molly herself had not known about it until
She yelped at a sudden, hard grip on her upper arm.
A hand covered her mouth with more force than necessary, hurting her lips. “Silly twit, shut up.”
She swallowed a scream. Prince John. What did he want from her?
When she nodded, he uncovered her mouth. She managed a sort of curtsy despite his iron grip. “Your Royal Highness, how may I serve you?”
“You reported to Serenia that you killed the frog yesterday.”
“That I did.”
“What did you do with the body?”
“I threw it away, as Her Royal Highness would not wish to view it. She despises frogs.”
His hazel eyes narrowed. How could she ever think them beautiful? So much cruelty and anger seethed in their depths. “I do believe you’re lying to me.”
“Your R-Royal Highness?” she stammered, her bruised lips suddenly numb. He could hurt her, and she wouldn’t be able to do anything. Who would come to her aid against a prince? And even if he beat her enough to visibly injure her, who would believe her word against his?
Princess Serenia would never do anything to annoy a guest, especially one who brought her jewels and other exquisite gifts. She’d always made it clear where Molly ranked in her world.
“Let her go, you coward!” Robert jumped out from between a couple of giant oaks. “For once, pick on somebody your size and rank. What manner of scoundrel tries to intimidate a maid half his weight?”
“I knew it!” John shoved Molly away.
She fell to her hands and knees. Her heart still hammered against her rib cage, but at least she was out of Prince John’s clutches. If he came for her again, she could always run.
“It’s not her fault I’m a quick frog.” Robert hopped onto the bench where Princess Serenia liked to sit. “If you really wanted me dead, you should’ve done the deed yourself yesterday, instead of foisting it off on the staff. Or is it that you’re too scared to do it yourself?”
Prince John’s face reddened. “I’ll kill you for that, you bastard.”
“You have it backwards, cousin. You’re the illegitimate one in the family, not I.”
Prince John shouted and charged toward Robert. The latter sprang away, moving quickly. His dappled green skin blended well into the lush garden full of grass, flowers and trees.
Molly put her shaking hands over her mouth. If Robert had been in his human form, he could’ve beaten Prince John easily, but he was just a frog now. How could he fight back?
If anything happened to him, it would all be her fault.
Prince John chased Robert through the undergrowth, thrashing and cursing. Finally Robert was driven out into a spot that had little cover. Robert seemed to be tired; Molly could see his sides moving in and out as he breathed. Prince John closed the distance quickly.
Jump, jump!
“Bastard,” Robert wheezed. “Illegitimate get. Baseborn.”
“Let’s see if you can continue to insult me after I’m through with you!”
Prince John raised his boot over Robert. Robert leapt away an instant before his cousin’s foot made a crashing impact against the spot. Prince John lost his balance as something crunched and gave way beneath him, and his leg disappeared into a knee-deep hole.
He screeched and pulled his leg out. Brown goo dripped from his shiny boot. There was a sudden smell of manure. Swearing, Prince John fell to his knees. “My ankle!”
Robert chuckled, no longer seeming to be out of breath. “Painful, is it?”
Spittle shot out from the enraged prince’s mouth as he made incoherent sounds of rage.
Molly ran toward Robert and checked him carefully for injury. “Are you hurt?”
“No.” He beamed. “And you? Are you all right?”
“Yes. Thank you.”
He shook his head. “No, please. I apologize for my cousin’s brutish behavior. I never realized he could be this ungentlemanly.”
“How did you know about this hole?” Molly herself had not known about it until
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