Chapter 8

Chapter 8 "Get up, you fool!" The first sound Princess Pulverizer heard when she opened her eyes was Elle's bellowing, angry voice. Neigh. Neigh. The second sound was the whimpering of her injured horse. "She can't get up. Don't you see she's injured?" The third sound was Dribble's voice. He seemed rather concerned. The princess struggled to look up through the eyehole in her visor. She could just about make out Elle, Anna, Lucas, and Dribble all standing above her.

"We have to get her out of that armor," Lucas said. "No way," Elle said. "She's getting up and going back on a different horse even if I have to—" "Oh no you don't," Anna said, grabbing her sister's hands. "We're not going to use any magic this time. It's a joust between knights, not sisters." "Magic!" Lucas shouted excitedly. "That's it! We can use the mace's magic to make Princess Pulverizer well again."

"No you can't." Princess Pulverizer felt tired and weak. "I haven't exactly been fighting on the side of good recently. The mace won't work on me. And its magic would be gone forever if you tried." "Is this a trick?" Lucas asked. "No trick," the princess promised. "But you're so nice all of a sudden," Lucas said. "Why the switch?" Princess Pulverizer thought for a minute. "I don't actually know," she admitted. "It's the opal brooch," Dribble told Lucas. "She can't see it under her armor. Without that blue-and-pink stone hypnotizing her, Elle has no power over Princess Pulverizer." "That's ridiculous. I don't have to hypnotize anyone to make them work for me," Elle insisted. Princess Pulverizer could feel the truth- telling sword wiggle and jiggle at her side. Elle was definitely lying.

"But Princess Pulverizer was so determined to win that joust at any cost," Lucas pointed out. "I don't think that had anything to do with her being hypnotized by Elle," Dribble said. "Princess Pulverizer just likes to win." The princess didn't—couldn't—argue with that one. Winning was important to her. "Use the mace to cure my stallion," Princess Pulverizer insisted. "He's a good horse. It's my fault he's injured. I took too many risks." Lucas looked over at the whimpering animal. "We have to try," he agreed. "Okay." Dribble lifted the magical mace and waved it over the creature's injured leg. The horse's eyes brightened. He shook his leg a bit, scrambled to his feet, and galloped off across the field. "I told you he was a good horse," Princess Pulverizer said. She reached down and grabbed her leg. "My ankle's starting to throb."

"Don't worry, Princess. I'm getting you out of that metal suit," Dribble said. "Oh no!" Elle insisted. "She's getting back in the tournament. I'm not losing again." "You'd better leave," Princess Pulverizer warned her friends. "You don't want to make Elle your enemy. I'll be okay." "Not inside that armor you won't," Dribble said. "You shouldn't be carrying all that extra weight." He turned to Lucas. "Help me get this thing off her." Lucas just stood there. "Come on," Dribble urged again. "Remember, you left that whole Lucas the Lily-Livered reputation behind you. You're brave now. She's our friend. She needs our help. Besides, Anna won't let Elle hurt us." "Of course not," Anna agreed. Lucas took a deep breath, then bent down to unfasten the armor from the princess's legs. At the same time, Dribble removed the armor from her arms and upper body. As he

did, the golden brooch fell onto the ground. "Your brooch!" Elle looked at Princess Pulverizer and forced a fake smile to her lips. "Here, I'll just pin it back on and then..." Before Elle could pick up the brooch, Dribble stepped on it. He turned his heavy dragon foot back and forth, grinding it into the ground. The opal stone cracked into pieces under his weight. Dribble lifted his foot and smiled triumphantly. "Looks like your brooch—and its evil spell—are both broken." Elle glared at Dribble. "I can't believe you did that!" she bellowed. "Believe it," Anna told her. "And if I were you, I'd think twice about getting back at Dribble. Remember, I have powers as strong as yours." Elle frowned. "So now I have an injured knight to deal with." "No you don't," Princess Pulverizer told her.