
Shock and horror churned in his stomach and made ice of his veins. His thoughts whirled in dizzying circles. Struggling to keep up with the prince as they walked, he no longer saw the beauty of the palace, and hardly realized how close he was to the handsome prince. The only thought he could hold on to was the hope that he wasn’t going to be sick right there. He was embarrassed enough—he could not be sick in front of the prince. Concentrating on the sound of their footsteps, curiously in step, he forced himself to breathe.