It has been too long since Palomides actually rode a horse. Five seconds, in fact--because somehow his saddle has slipped around and spilled him in the grass, and his horse has trotted off to nosh dandelion greens by the edge of the woods.

This will never do.

The plothole's disappearance confuses Palomides--on the one hand, it means the house is less magical, and therefore more likely to be un-cursed. On the other hand, it means that he cannot eat like a Roman at a feast whenever he likes, and he certainly does not have his nasty black coffee any longer ( Read more... )