Chapter 119

Veronica sat on her bed, stuffed like a spring hen but still buzzing with birthday energy. She had only played with one of her gifts throughout the night, a dinged up wooden dagger that she'd managed to hold away from her mother until the gazes of the guests forced her to allow the gift to remain in her hands. She had looked for Mr. Bunny afterwards to show him her new prize, but Horus had informed her of his early departure.

She knew that they had planned for today to be their last, but the disappointment lingered nonetheless. She still had one last gift she had hoped to give him.

Veronica sighed, grabbing for a fairytale on her shelf instead of the books that had piled from Jackling's tutoring. She had gotten a few new stories to read Cinder before bed, but the phoenix had taken a particular liking to the golden lettering of one title.

"The Adventures of Locke Lanbrellhande..."

She stopped at the small tap that met her ears, glancing at the side of her bed where Cinder was still per