Should? I pull myself up to standing. The carriage bounces and my right leg slides off the window ledge. I quickly pull it up. Deep breath, Devin. I hold the lasso in my right hand and try to shake it off. It holds firm. That’s good! Then I fling the other end at the driver.

It winds itself tightly on the back of the driver’s seat without a sound. So far, so good. Slowly, I start to shimmy along the side of the carriage. The carriage bounces again, and I’m now hanging on to the carriage by the lasso.

“Devin!” Heath shouts as we fly through a dark cloud.

The driver turns and sees me hanging off the carriage. “Princess! What are you doing? Get back inside!”

I’ve only got one shot at this. I push off the carriage with my feet and feel the lasso swing me forward. I land behind the driver and hold on for dear life.

“Help!” he shouts, losing his grip on the reins. The carriage tilts precariously to the right. From inside, I can hear Rose scream. The driver pulls on the reins again, and the carriage rights itself again. I step over his seat before he knows what’s happening and climb onto the Pegasus.

“Oh my word, we’re alive!” Kira shouts, then bursts into tears in my ear.

Nice job, Princess! the Pegasus says.

“Thanks!” I turn around, unwinding the lasso from my grip and flinging it back for Heath to grab. He starts moving right away.

“We need to make an emergency landing!” the driver tells the footman seated next to him.

“Princess Rose said keep going at all costs!” the footman says. “Olivina’s orders.”

As the clouds break, I see the peaks of Royal Academy in the distance.

Heath shimmies toward me and the footman tries to grab him from behind.

“Watch out!” I shout, and Heath kicks him away.

This isn’t going to work a second time. “I’m going to unhook us from the carriage,” I tell the Pegasus. “We need to pick up two more passengers. Heath!” I shout. “Wait there!”

“Where would I go?” Heath is hanging off the side of the carriage, bouncing around like a magic bean. I can’t risk him falling off.

Yes, Princess! Go for it! my Pegasus tells me as I unwind the knots holding them to the carriage. Rose and the drivers will be fine. The other two Pegasi will stay attached, but the front two are soon free. One flaps its large wings and turns around to grab Heath, who climbs on his back.

“Do something!” I hear the footman shout. I fly off behind Heath’s Pegasus, who is now hovering near the window of the carriage where Rose and Sasha are arguing. Sasha sees me and does a double take.

Rose sticks her head out in alarm. “What are you doing?” she screams. “You’re going to fall!”

“Jump!” I say.

Sasha looks back at her sister for a moment, then climbs through the window, pulling herself on behind me before Rose even realizes what’s happening.