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Cal and the thesps have finished when I return but the party is going strong. People drop out and join in over the course of the night, bringing or taking drink, food, musical instruments and other odds and ends. At one point a gropmeister marks out a rough pitch and a match is staged. It’s a chaotic mess, but we have lots of fun, even though I soon tire of being lobbed into the air to shoot — according to the rumours, I’m a skilled bird who scored several points in the real match.
Cal retires to tend to his wounds. He’s going to be treated by a proper healer in the days to come, but in the meantime Baba Jen is looking after him. As well as being an actress and spy, the foul-mouthed little girl is also a skilled medic.
Things calm down towards dawn, which is when a shadowy figure in a hooded shawl taps me on the shoulder and beckons me aside. I follow the person into the shade behind the stage, figuring it’s someone who wants to hear my story again.
I find Inez waiting for us. The interloper pulls down her hood and I’m surprised to see that it’s actually Princess Ghita. “Sorry for the subterfuge,” she says, “but I didn’t want to cause a commotion.”
“You should have announced yourself,” I tell her. “The thesps would have been star-struck.”
She grimaces. “That’s why I didn’t. I’ve been bouncing about from one party to another. It’s been fun, but I’m exhausted.”
“It must have been nice to stretch your legs after all that time cramped up inside Inez,” I note.
“No, there was loads of space,” the princess says. “Plenty of mushrooms too. The boredom got to me – you might want to provide some books for your next guest, Inez – but I never went hungry or lacked exercise.”
“Books,” Inez snorts. “You’ll be asking for your own troupe of thesps next.”
“Not a bad idea,” Ghita winks, then says, “I popped back to the palace for a quick conflab with Pitina and Farkas. I wanted to chat with Hugo too, but he’d already left for the Born. I was going to head to bed once we’d got done talking, but Pitina said you were looking for me.”
“Yes,” Inez says. “Can you wait here? I’d like to introduce you to someone.”
“As if I’m going to say no after all you’ve done for me,” the princess replies. She casts a curious look at me while Inez is gone. “Any idea what this is about?”
“No,” I say, though in truth I have a hunch.
She looks at me more closely. “What’s your story? Nobody in the palace knows anything about you, your history, how you got involved with Inez.”
“There’s not much to tell,” I mutter. “I’m nothing special.”
“I don’t believe that,” she says. “You couldn’t have picked the lock if you weren’t a first-class locksmith, but it’s odd that nobody has heard about you, since you must have spent decades studying to reach such an advanced level.”
“You’d be surprised,” I whisper, my face reddening.
“What realm are you from?” she presses.
I shrug, not wanting to lie, but not sure if I should tell her the truth.
“That’s alright,” Ghita says, noting my discomfort. “After all that you risked on my behalf, you’re entitled to your privacy. But if you ever need a favour, Master Lox, you only have to ask.”
She reaches across and strokes my hand, and my blush deepens.
“Are you getting romantic with Princess Ghita, Archibald?” Cal says, shuffling out of the gloom.
“Don’t be stupid,” I huff, my face turning into a radioactive zone. “She was just saying thanks.”
“Yes,” Ghita says. “Although if I was looking for a boyfriend...” Her eyes sparkle and I don’t know if she’s serious or joking.
“This is Cal Riser,” Inez says.
“A pleasure to meet you,” Ghita says, making the greet. “I’ve heard you played a vital role in smuggling me into the throne room.”
“Hardly vital,” Cal mumbles bashfully.
“Cal used to work for King Lloyd,” Inez says.
“I met Lloyd a few times,” the princess says. “A lovely man.”
“I promised to find him somebody new to pledge himself to when Lloyd moved back to the Born,” Inez goes on. “I’d like to appoint him as your protector, to be by your side wherever you go.”
“I’ve never had a personal guard,” the princess scowls. “It would be restrictive.”
“I know,” Inez says, “but the situation has changed. You had a lucky escape this time, but the SubMerged will target you again. They have the scent of this realm in their nostrils. It’s only a matter of time before they make another play for it.”
“Perhaps,” Ghita concedes, “but I’ve looked after myself this long.”
“You have responsibilities to your people,” Inez says.
“I know all about my responsibilities,” Ghita says hotly.
“Then prove it,” Inez challenges her. “Surrender certain freedoms. Travel less widely. Play more of a role in running Sapphire. Let Cal be your right arm.”
“Even if I was minded to accept a bodyguard,” the princess says, “why should I choose your friend? He doesn’t look very spry.”
“I’m a mess at the moment,” Cal chuckles. “I took a pounding, it’s true, but I took it willingly, and I’d take it again and fight to my last breath for you if you accept me.”
“He’s good at grop too,” I say when the princess hesitates.
Ghita laughs at my irrelevant contribution, then smiles at the wounded Cal. “Very well. I’ll have my healers patch you up, then set you some trials. If you pass, the job’s yours.” Her smile fades. “It’s true that these are troubling times. I’m going to have to grow up. I’ll spend the next few years in the Born. I’ve had a whale of a time being a princess, but this realm would be better served by a Merged queen.”
“Princess or queen,” Cal says nobly, “my service is yours from this day on.” Then he takes her hand and leads her away without a farewell glance.
“I love a happy ending,” Inez says, drawing up next to me to watch the big man and the princess disappear into the night.
“Me too,” I smile. Then I punch her upper arm.
“Ow!” she says, shocked.
“I was just doing it to you before you did it to me,” I giggle.
“Fair enough,” she grins, then takes my hand. “This is the end, Archie.”
“I know,” I say softly.
“We’ll start back tomorrow,” she says. “It’s time to return you to your foster parents and the life you left behind.”
I nod mutely, accepting her decision, welcoming it, but also wishing I could stay in this wondrous sphere forever. But since that’s not possible – I don’t want to put George and Rachel through too much pain – I let Inez lead me back to where the party is winding down, to enjoy the last few rumbles of the celebrations before we turn in for the night and start for the Born in the morning.