on again through the paddocks. “Apparently the girl they’ve got playing Princess Galatea is really famous. There’s been loads of rumours. They’re trying to keep everything hush-hush. Even the crew haven’t been told who it is…”
But Issie wasn’t really listening to him. She was too busy looking out the front window of the truck.
“Ohmygod!” she breathed. “Aidan! This is incredible!”
As they came over the hill, there in front of them was a grand golden gate that led to a vast white cobbled courtyard and in the centre was a gold fountain, with life-size statues of rearing horses spouting brilliant turquoise water from their golden mouths. Surrounding the white courtyard were rows of white loose boxes with golden doors.
“The stables of Princess Galatea,” Aidan grinned. He turned the horse truck past the golden gates. “And over there is the black castle of Eleria.”
Issie looked to her left and saw the familiar sight of Chevalier Castle. Only the castle didn’t look like it usually did. The ruins, which sat on top of a hill that looked out over farmland and forest, had been sprayed with black paint. The broad, cobblestone terraces that wound round and round like a corkscrew to the summit had also been painted black. The castle, with spikes on its turrets and a huge iron portcullis, would have been a terrifying vision if it weren’t for the crew members and builders running about the place. Everywhere you looked there were set dressers lugging enormous black-varnished styrofoam boulders towards the castle or painting fake green slime on the drawbridge.
“Production has been under way for weeks now. These are just the finishing touches. They’re nearly ready to start filming,” Aidan said.
He turned the truck around and parked it near the golden gates of the stables, giving a cheery wave to one of the set dressers who was busily pouring more turquoise dye into the golden fountain.
“We brought all the horses here a month ago–Hester has done loads of desensitising work with them. They’ve filmed some of the vampire riders’ scenes already–but the main stunts need palomino riders too and that’s where you come in.” He jumped out of the truck cab, followed by Issie.
“I’ll give you a proper tour later, but first let’s get you all settled in. Your rooms are over there behind the stable block. We’ll grab your bags. It’s easier if we walk through from here.”
As Aidan said this, the door swung open on the side of the truck and Stella, Kate and Natasha emerged.
“Whoa!” Stella said, looking at the golden stables. “Is this where we’ll be staying?” The others laughed.
“The golden stables!” Kate squealed. “They’re just like I always imagined they’d look!”
“I know,” Issie beamed. “Isn’t it cool?”
Natasha was the last to climb out of the truck. She cast a disdainful glance at Aidan.
“Well? Where are our rooms?” she demanded, gesturing at the luggage lying on the ground. “Come on! Bring my bags, will you?”
Stella rounded on Natasha immediately. “Aidan’s not your servant, you know. We all carry our own bags around here.”
“Oh, really?” Natasha glared at her. “Mummy always told me that ladies never carry luggage. I’m not sure what your mother taught you…”
Before Stella could snap back, they were interrupted by the sight of the most enormous car they’d ever seen cruising towards them down the driveway.
“What is that?” Kate said as the chrome-yellow Hummer with black tinted windows pulled up next to them.
“You mean who is that, don’t you?” Aidan said. “I have a feeling we’re finally going to discover who’s got the starring role in The Palomino Princess.”
As the rest of the crew ran over to the Hummer and gathered round, the front doors of the vehicle swung open and two men in black suits wearing earpiece microphones jumped out.
“Who are they? I don’t recognise them. Are they famous?” Issie whispered to Aidan.
“I think they’re just the bodyguards,” Aidan whispered back.
The bodyguards spoke into their earpieces and nodded to each other. Then one of the men stood guard while the other opened the back door of the Hummer. From behind the tinted glass a girl emerged, helped down by a third bodyguard.
“Ohmygod! I don’t believe it! It’s the Teen Drama Queen!” Stella squealed.
“Stella!” Issie hissed at her. “Don’t! You’ll embarrass her!”
The girl, who had clearly heard Stella’s comment, pushed her dark glasses back to reveal her violet eyes. “Don’t worry,” she said in a soft mid-west American accent. “People always call me that. I get it, like, all the time.” She smiled, revealing her perfect white teeth. “Are y’all working on the movie?” she asked.
“Ummm, yes. We’re stunt riders,” Issie said. “My name is Isadora and this is Stella and Kate, Natasha and Aidan.”
“Nice to meet y’all.” The girl smiled again. “I’m Angelique Adams.”
Issie couldn’t believe it. Angelique Adams! The girl that Sixteen Magazine called “the most famous teenager in the world” was standing right in front of her.
Angelique looked just like she did on all those magazine covers. Her long honey-blonde hair was ironed straight and she had a deep golden tan. Dressed in designer jeans, a leather vest and enormous sunglasses, she looked much smaller than she did in her movies. Issie was actually ever so slightly taller than the pint-sized celebrity.
Angelique clicked her fingers and two more people leapt out of the back of the Hummer–a dark-haired woman and a blond man.
“Her entourage,” whispered Aidan under his breath to Issie. Angelique gestured to the woman who scurried forward and handed her a coffee. Angelique took a quick sip and then thrust the cup back at her assistant as the blond man darted in and began to fuss around, fixing her hair, pulling make-up brushes out of his belt to add some blusher and a fresh coat of lip gloss.
“That’s enough, Tony!” Angelique snapped, pushing the make-up man out of the way just in time as the gang of paparazzi photographers, who had been tailing the Hummer, all leapt out of their cars. They jostled each other to get close to Angelique and began to take her picture, their motor drives whirring, cameras flashing.
“Angelique!” the paparazzi shouted to her. “Over here! Look this way. Give us a smile, Angelique!”
Suddenly there was a noise at the back of the paparazzi pack. “Lemme through!” A little man in a khaki army jacket was leaping up and down like Rumpelstiltskin, elbowing his way past the photographers. “One side, comin’ through!” he snapped as he barged his way forward. When the little man reached the front and found himself blocked by Angelique’s bodyguards he began to shout even louder. “Hey! You big apes! Yes, you! Lemme through I tell
