For an instant nothing happened, and Cimorene was afraid she had not remembered the charm correctly. Then the iron gate swung silently open. The prince, whose back was to the gate, did not notice. Cimorene touched his shoulder to get his attention, and her eyes widened.

“Oh!” she said as he turned. “You’re—you’re stone.”

“I know,” the prince said. “It’s part of that long story I mentioned earlier. I haven’t gotten used to it yet.” He stepped through the gate, and it closed noiselessly behind him.

“I’m afraid I don’t have time to listen to stories just now,” Cimorene said politely. “I have a rather urgent errand to run, so if you’ll excuse me—”

“Can’t I come with you?”

Cimorene stared at him. “Why do you want to do that?”

The stone prince looked down at his feet with an embarrassed expression. “Um, well, actually, I’m lost. And you seem to know your way around down here.” He glanced hopefully at Cimorene’s face, then sighed. “I suppose I can just wander around some more. I’ll have to find a way out eventually.”

“You’ll run into a dragon and get eaten.”

“I don’t think it will hurt stone,” the prince said. He sounded almost cheerful, as if he had only just realized that being made of stone might have some advantages.

“Maybe not, but you’re sure to give the dragon indigestion,” Cimorene said. “Bother! I don’t have time for this!”

“I could wait here if you’re coming back this way,” the stone prince suggested.

Cimorene brightened, then frowned and shook her head. “No, one of the dragons might need to get into the Caves of Fire and Night, or it might be the turn of those dratted wizards. You can’t stay here.”

“Then—”

“I know! You can wait in the serving room, just off the banquet hall,” Cimorene said. “It’s close, there’s plenty of room, and I know no one’s using it today because I checked the schedule for Alianora yesterday. I can take a shortcut out the back to get to Roxim’s without losing any more time. Come on.”

“I really appreciate this,” the stone prince said as they started off. “You don’t know what it’s like, being lost in the dark in these caves.”

“How did it happen?” Cimorene asked.

The stone prince’s expression became gloomy once more. “It’s all that soothsayer’s fault,” he said.

“Soothsayer?”

“My father didn’t think it was appropriate to invite fairies to a prince’s christening, so he invited a soothsayer instead,” the prince replied. “The soothsayer took one look at me and said that I would grow up to do a great service for a king. I’ve been stuck with his blasted prophecy ever since.”

“It doesn’t sound so terrible to me,” Cimorene said.