“You know, Your Highness, sometimes there isn’t a reason.” Virgil leaned on the stone wall of the tunnel and took off one of his sandals. “You need to accept that some things just are. The gods are. That waterfall is. The world doesn’t manifest itself merely for your entertainment.”

“And yet, that hasn’t been my experience.”

Virgil rubbed the heel of his bare foot. “Growing up in a palace could have something to do with that.”

“Don’t confuse me with my brother. He’s the one who wears silk pajamas and has a gold crown waiting. I’m . . . well . . .” She gestured at her skirt and leather tunic. Except for the dragon pendant in the center of her chest, she looked like a youthful legion scout on his first deployment. “Let’s just say the sun doesn’t shine on my ass because I want it to.”

She caught Kolby and Cedric smiling and wondered why. They might see her as the quintessential spoiled brat who got whatever she wished, but the pair of grins could have been an expression of solidarity. She hoped for the latter but cautioned herself against seeing only what she wanted. Farilane spent more time in their company than her brother’s, and while a princess, she felt more at home with the knights than the imperial family.

No one spoke after that, which returned her attention to the sound of falling water. “Why is that waterfall here?” Farilane looked at each of them. She didn’t expect an answer. It wasn’t a real question, at least not for them. This was merely her process, the way she solved puzzles. She addressed the riddle and waited for it to answer. In this case, the waterfall was being pigheaded, refusing to give any clues. “No, I’m certain that waterfall doesn’t just happen to be here.”

Kolby reached out his free hand, wetted his fingers, and tasted. “Fresh.”

“Fabulous,” Virgil said. “Good to know we won’t die of thirst. One less item on the lengthy list of potential causes of our demise.”

“Hmm,” Cedric uttered. Unlike the others, he wasn’t looking into the shaft, but rather at the floor beneath their feet. This caused each of them to do likewise.

“Hmm, indeed,” Farilane agreed. “Kolby, if I promise not to jump into the abyss, can I borrow the lantern?”

He held it out to her. The princess backed away from the edge, bent over, and examined the floor.

“Writing?” Virgil asked.

“Looks like it.” Farilane set the lantern down and brushed aside dust and dirt until the engraved markings were clearly visible.

“Can you read it?”

Farilane exhaled a disapproving puff of air. “So, you found your sense of humor after all. Was it lost at the bottom of your pack or something?” Farilane held up the lantern to get a better view and then read, “But by the name of god will you enter here.”