Неспящая красавица

“I’d be nicer to Princess Annabelle if I were you,” Liam said in a soft voice. Annie glanced back and was surprised to see him examining a knife as if to check its sharpness. “She means a lot to me, if you know what I mean.”

“I’m an enchanted prince, you dunderhead!” roared Beldegard. “Didn’t you notice that I can talk?”
“Now that you mention it...”

“I don’t trust her if we can’t see her,” he whispered to Annie.
“I don’t trust her even if I can see her,” Annie replied.

“Liam!” said the young man. “Where have you been? I was hoping we’d seen the last of you, but Father has been talking about sending out a search party. He’s been waiting for you to return ever since—”

“So who told you where to find me—Mortimer or Ludlow?”
“Neither,” he said, sounding confused. “Actually, I found the men who kidnapped you. They were happy enough to tell me where you were once I’d tied them up and offered to shorten their miserable lives.”

“How refreshing,” murmured the skull. “She’s using the direct approach. That hasn’t worked on Voracia in years.”

“She was too happy. When she gets tired of being happy, she’ll run back to her father for a good dose of miserableness.”

“I think you should hold my hand,” Annie said, extending hers toward him.
“That won’t be necessary—,” Liam began, but Annie grabbed hold anyway. The vine shuddered and let go. “Oh,” he said. “I guess it will.”

“A good offense is the best defense!” shouted Liam.

“Did you notice that the brook isn’t talking to us anymore?” said Annie as they followed it back toward the forest path. “Do you think it’s because I’ve been around it so long, or that it’s angry?”
Liam laughed. “I don’t care why it’s quiet. I’m just happy that it is!”