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  “Oh Romy,” Frieda sighed. “Can you still not see? You are so much more to me, to everyone, than you could ever imagine.”

  “So that means we have a deal?” Romy pressed.

  Frieda closed her eyes, her hand absently protecting her unborn baby. Finally, she opened them. Determination and resignation shone back at Romy as Frieda said, “We have a deal. But once things are resolved with the baby, you have to promise to finish this. Oh! And admit your feelings for Einar.”

  Romy nearly fell off the chaise. “What feelings?”

  Frieda laughed and laughed at Romy’s horrified expression. “You are going to have to get used to being around him. I have invited Papa to come to the palace to stay until the baby comes. Papa wrote that Einar has generously offered to join him on the trip.”

  Romy’s cheeks were hot. “That’s just Einar being kind.”

  “That is just Einar wanting to see the girl he loves,” Frieda teased.

  “Loves?” Romy gasped, the color draining from her face. Could Einar have feelings for her? Love her?

  “Romy? Are you alright?” Frieda asked.

  Romy looked at Frieda, a bubble of warmth erupting in her belly as Romy realized that she would soon be seeing Einar again. Dear merciful heavens, perhaps she did have feelings for him.

  Chapter 20

  “I DON’T SEE WHY YOU need to be here,” said the midwife with a huff.

  “Ursa, that is enough. Romy is here because I command it,” Frieda bit out between clenched teeth.

  “Sorry, your highness,” Ursa replied sullenly.

  Ursa, someone who would never see forty again, glared at Romy. It was clear she felt that Romy was encroaching on her territory.

  If only Ursa knew how much Romy didn’t want to be there. The weeks and months had slipped away no matter how hard Romy had searched for a way to break the curse.

  “Ahhh!” Frieda screamed. Her hands were wrapped around her swollen belly.

  Romy had tried to comfort Frieda with a spell, but nothing seemed to be helping.

  “Go and get some water,” Ursa demanded. “If you are to be here you might as well be useful.”

  Romy, grateful to get away, moved quickly to the door. When she opened it into the antechamber, she saw Einar and Papa keeping Thomas company.

  “Is she supposed to be screaming like that?” Thomas paced in the hallway as Einar and Papa exchanged knowing looks.

  “The midwife said that everything was progressing normally,” Romy offered.

  Thomas ran a hand through his hair and resumed pacing.

  “These things take time,” Papa said kindly as if speaking to a small child. “She is in labor.”

  “It doesn’t seem very dignified to me,” Thomas began to say when another ear-piercing scream filled the air.

  His breathing hitched and it was clear that the prince was on the verge of hyperventilation. It had taken Thomas fifteen minutes before he was kicked out of the birthing room for his highhanded antics.

  “This isn’t like her,” Thomas continued. “Why, I have never heard her speak so coarsely! Where could she have picked up such colorful language?”

  Romy knew better than to answer such a question. It seemed that labor brought out some dominant traits in Frieda. Romy had been proud of her friend. Thomas had been nitpicking every last detail. If Frieda hadn’t have kicked him out the midwife would have. Thankfully, Thomas had also absolved Frieda from any wrongdoing. After all, she was bearing his heir.

  From Papa’s expression, Romy could see he felt it was high time the popinjay prince got a comeuppance. But it was neither here nor there, because Thomas had chalked it up to the intense pain and not his highhanded behavior.

  “Was there something you needed?” Thomas demanded of Romy.

  “Oh,” she stumbled a little over the word. “I was just going out for more hot water.”

  “Well,” he said, looking at her blankly, “are you going to get it?”

  Einar stood. “Maybe I should get a drink for you, Your Highness?”

  Papa nodded as he added, “Sounds like a sound idea.”

  Romy and Einar, thankful to get away, rushed as fast as their legs could carry them away from the royal bedchamber.

  “How are you holding up?” Einar asked quietly.

  Romy shrugged. “I don’t feel like I am helping at all. I hate seeing her in so much pain.”

  In a rare show of affection, Einar reached out and squeezed Romy’s hand. “I am sure you are more helpful than you imagine.”

  He released her hand as quickly as he had taken it. But Romy couldn’t help but commit the moment to memory. Maybe it was silly. She didn’t know and certainly wasn’t going to analyze it.

  When they reached the kitchens, Romy requested the hot water while Einar saw that a servant prepare a tray of drinks. They decided that whiskey would be the best choice to help the prince relax.

  Another scream rent the air.

  Romy’s gaze flashed to Einar. The fear was written plainly across her face.

  “You go,” he said. “I will bring the hot water.”

  When Romy reached the antechamber, Thomas was pulling at his hair.

  “The pains are nearly four minutes apart. That means the baby is coming, right? I am going to be father.” He grinned madly and then wobbled a bit on his feet.

  Papa smothered a smile. “You go on back, Romy, and let us know what’s going on. Your Highness, why don’t you have a seat?”

  Romy nodded. “I will be right back.” She entered the room to find that things were indeed progressing. Frieda motioned for her to come sit by her side.

  Romy took her hand and was shocked to feel high tightly Frieda clung to her.

  “This hurts really bad,” Frieda said, half laughing, half crying.

  “I have to admit that it doesn’t seem very appealing,” Romy quipped.

  Frieda laughed in earnest, but it quickly turned into another wail.

  “Towels!” Ursa commanded. “I need you to fetch me as many as you can carry.”

  Romy hopped up, thankful for another task that she could do. As she entered the hallway, she saw Einar standing over the prince’s prone body.

  “What did you do?” Romy asked in a harsh whisper.

  Papa had the audacity to laugh.

  Einar looked affronted. “I didn’t do anything. He went and hyperventilated.”

  “Oh,” Romy said stupidly, covering her mouth. “I am sorry.”

  Einar’s expression softened. “Don’t worry about it. I have been accused of worse. Can you believe that somebody once had the audacity to accuse me of being a cold-blooded killer?”

  Papa took one of the glasses of whiskey from the tray. “You don’t say? Funny that, I wouldn’t see you as a killer. A thief possibly?”

  Einar pretended to consider it.

  “Stop it, the both of you!” Romy interrupted, tempted to stomp her foot in indignation.

  Einar’s expression sobered. Gesturing to Thomas’ body, he asked seriously, “Should we call someone?”

  “No, he will come out of it soon enough.” Papa finished his glass with a resounding smack of the lips. “Smooth and tasty, the whiskey here is top shelf.”

  Einar smirked and offered Papa the second glass.

  Romy wanted to wash her hands of the both of them. Didn’t they realize the gravity of what was happening in the next room?

  It occurred to her that Einar didn’t have any idea about the curse or the danger the babe presented. She was fairly certain that he hadn’t discovered her secret of magic. Sighing, Romy raced off to gather the towels Ursa had requested. When she returned, she saw Einar nudging Thomas with the toe of his boot.

  “No response,” he said thoughtfully. “But look. He’s breathing.”

  Papa leaned in to check for himself. “So he is.”

  When Einar saw Romy he immediately stood. “Let me get the door for you.”

  Romy slipped inside, but before the door closed, she
heard Einar ask Papa, “Does Romy have midwifery experience?”

  Romy heard Papa clear his voice and respond, “Are you asking why an unmarried lady is assisting a childbirth?”

  Romy held her breath, anxious to hear Einar’s response.

  “I don’t mean any disrespect.”

  Papa laughed. “I don’t suppose that you do. Only, this isn't my secret to tell, nor is it my place to share things that are private to my daughter.”

  Romy could hear the stiffness in Einar’s tone. “Of course. I completely understand.”

  Her cheeks heated as she heard Papa’s laughter. Then he replied, “No, you don’t. You couldn’t. Trust me, son. I have wanted Romy to tell you everything since we arrived at the palace. But if you haven’t noticed, my daughter seems to have a mind of her own. I don’t want you to think that means she doesn’t trust you. You wouldn’t be here otherwise.”

  Romy did trust Einar. She wasn’t sure how or when it had happened, but somehow it had.

  Einar’s tone seemed to relax a little when he grumbled, “I hardly ever know what she is thinking, as much as I wished I did. Does she ever—I mean...Has she ever—ugh...Never mind.”

  Romy’s cheeks flamed. Just what was Einar asking?

  Chapter 21

  “GIRL!” URSA SNAPPED at Romy, nearly causing her to drop the towels. “Are you going to sit there all day?”

  Romy rushed forward, praying that Einar and Papa hadn’t heard Ursa’s admonition.

  When Romy came fully into the bedchamber, she saw that Frieda was much further along. Fear gripped her when Ursa moved between Frieda’s legs to check the baby’s position.

  “No,” Frieda cried out. “Let Romy do it.”

  It was a toss-up as to who had the most surprised expression, Romy or Ursa.

  “She isn’t a midwife or a doctor,” Ursa complained. “You don’t know what you are asking, Your Highness.”

  Just then, a number of things happened. Frieda let out a scream that shook Romy to the core. A baby’s cry pierced the air, and then Ursa dropped to the floor.

  “Romy!” Frieda screamed.

  Romy stepped forward, seeing that one more push and the baby would be delivered. With shaking hands, she reached out and helped the babe come into this world.

  “You have a daughter,” Romy whispered in awe as she wrapped the baby into a clean warm towel. With a grin, she turned to face Frieda. Her smile immediately fell when she saw the tears and utter heartbreak on Frieda’s face.

  The door slammed open. Romy glanced up to see Einar standing there.

  “We heard a loud thump,” Einar explained.

  His eyes were flitting around wildly. Romy could just imagine what he was seeing. From Frieda sobbing hysterically to a pale Romy covered in afterbirth and holding the baby. But the most shocking was Ursa’s unseeing dead eyes staring back at everyone.

  That’s when Romy burst into tears. She cried for Frieda who would never hold her daughter. She cried for Ursa who had never known this birth would be her last. But mostly she cried for the babe in her arms who had been cursed before she ever took a breath.

  Einar took a step forward, looking as if he meant to comfort her. At this point, Papa had managed to slip inside the room. But he was still blocking Thomas, who had finally come out of his faint.

  When Papa saw the midwife, his eyes widened and he asked hoarsely, “The curse?”

  Romy nodded, and Frieda’s wails became deafening, each sob more heart-wrenching than the last.

  “What is going on?” Thomas exclaimed, forcing his way further inside. “Where is my son?”

  Romy held the baby awkwardly with her good arm, the other keeping the baby’s neck supported. As the prince took a step forward, Romy moved back. A look of fear and determination crossing her face.

  “How dare you!” Thomas raged.

  In a split second, Einar had moved in front of Romy and the baby.

  Frieda sat up on the bed. Reaching her hand out, she screamed, “No! Don’t hurt her!”

  Romy looked at Papa and nodded. It was time to start the plan.

  Papa took out a small pinch of white power that was odorless and tasteless. With a resigned sigh, Papa blew the substance into the prince’s face.

  “I will take it from here,” Frieda said thickly. “But first, may I see my daughter?”

  “I don’t understand,” Einar said uncertain of what was going on.

  “Einar, there is no time to explain. Let me through.” Romy pushed past him with the bundle in her arms. She passed Papa, who was tucking away the small pouch. Romy was thankful to see that Thomas was now in a calm, dream-like state.

  Romy carefully sat at the edge of Frieda’s bed and began to unveil the baby. A newborn’s eyes were most often blue, and yet when Romy pulled the blanket back for Frieda to see, they both saw the bright green eyes staring back at them.

  “She’s so beautiful,” Frieda said through choked tears. “I am going to miss her so much.”

  Romy couldn’t hold back the emotion as she replied, “She looks just like you. Listen to me, I promised you, Frieda. I promised that you would hold her in your arms one day.”

  “What’s going on?” Einar’s voice was a mix of frustration and confusion.

  “You have to leave,” Frieda pleaded with Romy. “Take her somewhere safe. Somewhere that we can never find her. Thomas’ reach is far and wide; you will have to be clever.”

  “Take her?” Einar echoed incredulously.

  “I will find a way, Frieda,” Romy said again. She wanted Frieda to know, to believe that she wouldn’t rest until she found a way to bring the baby home. “We will come back when the curse is broken.”

  “What curse?” Einar demanded hotly.

  Papa shook his head sadly. “Not now, boy. If you care about my daughter at all, you will keep your mouth shut about what you have just seen and heard.”

  “Papa,” Romy said from the doorway, “I can hear them coming!”

  Papa nodded, pulling out the small bag once again.

  Einar took a step back. “Whatever that is, you are not giving it to me.”

  Papa looked at Romy, who said, “We have to take the baby right now, Einar. If we don’t, there will be may people who will die. You can stay with the true memories of what really happened—”

  “Or you will spell me with...magic?” Einar asked incredulously.

  “I will do anything to protect Frieda and this baby,” Romy responded fiercely.

  Einar ran a hand through his hair. Romy could tell that he was horrified by what was happening. She could only be thankful that he wasn’t stopping Papa from blowing the powder on the servants in the antechamber.

  Einar stalked to the doorway. It was there his pallor turned gray. “Romy, what is going on? Your Papa just spelled the king. We are going to hang for this!”

  “Go!” Frieda screamed from the bed. “Don’t let anyone touch my baby!”

  Romy shook her head. “I have to go. I will miss you.”

  It was in that moment that Romy saw that Einar had made a decision. She wasn’t going to spell him with devil’s breath. Einar could cause them a lot of trouble if he wanted to. Romy prayed in her heart that he would see her intentions were pure.

  It was at this moment that she knew she loved him. Papa had often said that love makes one foolish. But perhaps, Romy reasoned, it may be the key to making everything clear. With one final look at Einar, she turned and fled with the baby in her arms.

  Einar went to follow her when Frieda called him back. Frustration laced his features as he obeyed her command.

  “Yes, Your Highness?”

  Frieda’s lovely face was drawn and tearstained. She hardly resembled the perfect princess that everyone knew and loved. “Einar, please don’t stand in their way. I know you don’t understand.”

  “I know Romy’s heart. She wouldn’t do anything to betray you.”

  Frieda blew out a breath of relief. “I know Romy will find a way. She al
ways does.”

  Einar turned and looked at the door. Anxiety swept through him. “I must go, but I swear that I will keep your daughter safe. I will keep them all safe.”

  “Rapunzel,” Frieda called out as he was attempting to leave.

  “I beg your pardon?” Einar replied, trying to keep the frustration from his voice.

  “Her name,” Frieda answered, suddenly looking very small and terribly tired. “Tell Romy her name is Rapunzel.”

  With a nod, Einar swept from the royal bedchamber in a dead run.

  As Romy raced through the corridors and finally made it to the servants’ exit, she saw that Papa was there waiting for her.

  “Hurry Romy! The carriage is waiting.”

  Romy had a stitch in her side and her hip was aching something fierce. But that didn’t stop her. She followed Papa out the door and awkwardly boarded the carriage with the baby in her arms.

  Romy was just about to shut the carriage door when she saw Einar race out of the palace.

  “Stop!”

  Not understanding, Romy feared he was trying to halt them. She reached for the door, trying to yank it closed.

  However, Einar was stronger and caught the door before it could latch.

  “No,” Einar panted. “Wait.”

  “What are you doing?” Romy gasped as Einar shoved the carriage door open wide and climbed inside.

  Papa looked stunned for a moment, but then a broad smile spread across his face.

  “Where you go, I go,” Einar said gruffly.

  Romy blinked and opened her mouth to argue, but Einar’s glare indicated that he meant business.

  Papa snapped to action. “Close the door, boy.”

  With a sharp rap of his cane to the roof of the nondescript coach, the horses were sprung, and they rode out of sight.

  Part TWO

  Prologue

  RAPUNZEL

  Once, as a little girl, Rapunzel had broken an oil lamp. When Papa Otto came upon the mess, he had asked her what happened. Rapunzel, being scared of getting into trouble, automatically replied, “I don’t know, Papa Otto. It wasn’t me.”