Chapter Forty Two

A rooster's crow pierced the pre-dawn darkness, dragging Suzy from the warm embrace of her slumber.  She groaned, burying her head deeper into the soft pillows. "Ugh, it's still practically the middle of the night!" she grumbled, burrowing deeper into the warmth.

But the relentless crowing wouldn't relent, acting like a particularly annoying alarm clock with feathers.  Suzy finally threw the covers back with a huff, her hair a wild mess that resembled a bird's nest after a particularly aggressive squirrel attack.

Today was the day of their departure for the palace, and Ryan, with his usual lack of consideration for sleep-loving souls, had declared an early start. Suzy felt like a grumpy badger roused from its winter burrow.

"Traveling with Ryan is like an adventure," she muttered sarcastically as she shuffled towards the bathroom. "An adventure for masochists, that is."