Aunt Hallie was right.

I barely had time to eat. I was busy shoveling fruit and cereal into my mouth when Dex’s precise, three knocks were heard on our front door.

It had to be Dex, the son of a rich botanist, we were the only ‘young people’ on Royal Shadow and the only two that, incidentally, need a ride to school every morning for the school year. Uncle Thom appeared in the doorway from the den, moving robotically to open the door, his head buried in a book, his mussed hair sticking up over the top. He opened the door, mumbling a greeting before returning to the depths of his study.

I didn’t say anything-but Dex beat me to any sort of greeting. “You’re STILL eating?”I could feel my face already beginning to heat, eyes narrowing into points that made me have to squint to see him clearly.

“Just starting actually.” Dex didn’t seem to hear as he offered a polite greeting to Aunt Hallie and took her advice, helping himself to some fruit while standing near the window to catch the first glimpse of our ride. “I don’t suppose you could hurry up-here he comes.”I gave him a look and tried to chew faster.

My breakfast ended there and I grabbed a couple of breakfast bars as I hurried out the door and down the path. The old wagon rolled down the dirt ‘road’ faster than a regular walk, but slow enough for us to follow and climb safely aboard behind. The ride to school was quiet and relaxing enough, considering that school itself is usually the exact opposite. I offered him a breakfast bar, more out of politeness than anything else to keep him quiet.

************

“And that’s about it for now. English class dismissed!” Mrs. Melvin handed out our homework assignments as we passed her desk.

“We’re out two minutes earlier than yesterday.” Dex announced, brushing past me.

Suppressing the urge to whack him with my homework folder, I pasted on a happy smile and continued walking, the last time I’d bothered to argue with him on that point, we’d both been late for class. I was cited and he wasn’t.

Math was next, and I tried to pay attention as Mr. Collins explained the algebric formula for some set of numbers and letters, but in the circumstances following, I’m sure that you’ll understand why it doesn’t matter at all compared to what I’m facing right now.