Tristan shrugged. “You hear it once and you never forget it.”

“Gross,” I said.

“Yeah, but you’ll never forget it now,” Tristan said.

I held up one hand. “For the record, I refuse to be in charge of the saltpeter.”

Which is how I was put in charge of buying a pig.

Tristan figured we could tie bags of black powder to a pig and put it near the dragon’s lair.

We talked long into the night about who was going to do what, and what supplies we’d have to buy, and the fact that we needed to buy more horses for Hunter and Jane. It grew very late and even the villagers downstairs went home. Then Hunter went to Tristan’s room and 307/431

Jane stayed in mine. I scooted over so she had room on the bed to sleep.

I thought it would be awkward being in the room alone with her. We hadn’t really talked, not normally anyway, since Hunter broke up with me, but I fell asleep before she even climbed into bed.

• • •

I slept in past sunrise and Jane slept even longer. She didn’t even blink her eyes open as I walked around the room dressing. I put on the first dress I’d brought since my Snow White one had gotten dirty while I’d been dragged around the forest by the cyclops. I gave it to the innkeeper’s wife to wash. Hopefully I’d be able to find something for Jane before she got up.

I had wanted to see Tristan before he left, but the innkeeper told me he’d gone at first light. I wondered if he’d gotten any sleep at all last night. I hadn’t been able to tell him good-bye, which bothered me more than it should have.

He’d be gone all morning long, telling his story at the castle and being knighted by the king. At least I knew he wouldn’t be spending much time with Princess Margaret. He wanted to get back to the inn and get things ready as soon as possible so he could go to the dragon’s lair.

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Celebrating aside, everyone figured it would be best to try and kill the dragon today instead of giving Sir William a chance to exhibit his archery prowess and shoot it first. Or as Jane had put it last night, “Anyone ever heard of William Tell?”

Sir William had said he was going up to the castle to pay his respects to the king and Princess Margaret today, but after that, it only made sense that he’d go after the dragon. Both he and Tristan needed the reward money that would enable them to challenge the Black Knight.

I hadn’t said much about the Black Knight to the others last night, but that didn’t mean I hadn’t thought about him. I’d been so frightened when I’d gone to fight the cyclops and the enchantment hadn’t worked. Had the Black Knight already figured out that his enchantment was gone? Did he realize I was the one who had taken it?

The thought made my insides tighten. What if my dream was right and he and I were meant for each other? Could we be?

Then I felt horrible for thinking things like that while Tristan was going off risking his life in order to undo the wish I’d made. And he’d nearly kissed me last night, and what’s more, I’d wanted him to.

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So which one of them did I have feelings for—the tall, powerful, mysterious one who was also a fantastic kisser, or the one who’d held me so tenderly last night told me that everything would be okay, and then stood up to Jane for me?

I bought horses for Jane and Hunter, then went to the tailor to see if he had a dress ready for me. He didn’t, but I was able to buy one of the tailor’s wife’s dresses. It was worn and plain, but at least Jane wouldn’t stand out in her jeans. Getting clothes for Hunter proved harder.

He was taller than most of the men in the Middle Ages, which limited the people I could barter with for clothes.

I didn’t want to trade with a peasant, or Hunter would spend his entire time in the Middle Ages being treated like a servant.

Before he left for the castle, I was able to convince Sir William to trade me a pair of leggings and a tunic for my last two necklaces. I knew it was a bad trade, but I was desperate, and besides, it made him less ticked off about Tristan killing the cyclops before he’d had a chance.

I looked at my dwindling supplies and wondered how much longer we’d be in the Middle Ages. If it was much longer, I’d have to find some more thieves to rob.

Hunter spent the morning procuring saltpeter. This basically meant he went to all of the dung heaps in the village and scraped off a white, salty-looking layer that 310/431

had formed on top. The stables proved to be a gold mine for this.

Jane and I went to the butcher to buy a pig. I ended up feeling sorry for all of them and made Jane choose one. She told me it wouldn’t matter to the pig whether it was eaten by a person or a dragon—and besides, it was hypocritical to feel sorry for the pig when bacon was one of my favorite foods. But I still made her do it.

She chose the biggest one. It looked like it weighed as much as I did, had a torn ear, beady eyes, and a nasty disposition. I called him Mr. Ogden, after my geometry teacher.

Tristan came home at lunchtime, and then he and Hunter went out behind the inn and tried different ratios of saltpeter to charcoal to sulfur to see what ex-ploded the best. They came inside not much later—their faces black with soot and their eyebrows singed—and told us that a ratio of 6 to 1 to 1worked out very well.

It was midafternoon when Tristan and Hunter loaded Mr. Ogden onto a cart. It was odd to watch Tristan and Hunter getting the horses ready, working together. One was the guy I’d kissed about a month ago, and the other was the guy who I’d nearly kissed last night. I couldn’t help but compare them. True, Hunter was taller and had broader shoulders, but watching him no longer made my heart flutter around in my rib cage. Instead I found 311/431

my gaze being drawn to Tristan. There was just something endearing about Tristan’s shaggy blond hair and light blue eyes. Maybe it was because he’d never cheated on me. Everything with him was a sky full of possibilities. Besides, I liked his dry sense of humor and the way he was so protective of me. He kept telling me over and over that I was to stay at the inn—as though he was sure I would insist on coming with him to the dragon’s lair.

I did insist, but only once.

“You might need help along the way,” I told him.

He looked at me, his eyes firm. “That’s why I’m taking Hunter with me. You’re staying at the inn until we come back.” He mounted his horse and took hold of the reins.

“It’s only a ten-mile ride to the lair. If all goes well, we’ll be back by nightfall. Then we’ll be able to rest for an entire day before we go up to the castle for King Roderick’s celebration tomorrow night.”

Everyone of importance in the kingdom was going to be there. Everyone in town who could walk or ride would go up for it. Tristan was convinced the Black Knight would show up there and he wanted to be ready to face him.

Now I watched Tristan put a bag of black powder in his own saddlebag and another in Hunter’s. His tanned 312/431

hands moved so confidently. His perfect profile showed his determination.

I looked at the saddlebags and then at the pig. “But what if things don’t go as planned with the dragon?” Tristan smiled at me as he mounted his horse. “Then you can find another date to prom. I’ll understand.” I should have smiled back at him, but I couldn’t bring myself to. A knot of worry wound around my insides, pulling tight.

Hunter stood by his horse, but before mounting it he gave Jane a hug. She buried her face in his shoulder and he kissed the top of her head.

Momentarily I was stung with their betrayal all over again. They were so easy about hugging each other. How often had they done it while Hunter was dating me?

I pulled my gaze away from them and noticed Tristan watching me, his eyes serious, evaluating.