But if things are so froggin’ awesome, then why do I feel like bawling?
“Are you okay, Lil?” Brody asks.
“Is it so bad?” Doe asks, her voice ful of tears. “Seeing me happy with the boy you used to love?”
“No,” I sob.
“Used to love?” he asks, teasing me like the same old Brody as always. “Lil never real y loved me.”
“She thought she did,” Doe says. And, as mortifying as that should be, I don’t think she said it to be mean.
“But you’re happy with Fletcher, right?” Brody asks.
“You’re not stil —”
“I’m not,” I interrupt. “I’m way over you. It’s just that—” Sniff, sob. “I’m so happy for you.”
Since I finished that on a wail, I’m not sure they exactly believe me. In an instant I’m wrapped in a group hug.
“What happened?” Doe asks. “Is this about Tel in’s toast?”
I nod, incapable of speech. She’s more insightful than I gave her credit for.
A long silence passes around me.
“Tel her,” Brody says. “She needs to know.” The hug breaks up, and Doe turns me to face her. There’s more of that newfound seriousness in her eyes.
“Lily, there’s something you should know about Tel in.” She swal ows, as if sucking up her courage. “Over the past few years, he and I became friends.”
Okay. Not completely out of the realm of possibility.
“When you made the decision to give up your crown, I went to him. I thought you were making a huge mistake, and that Thalassinia would pay the price for your selfish choice.” She rol s her eyes as if she can’t believe what she’s about to say. “I thought we needed you as our queen.”
“Real y? You think so?” I ask, shocked by her confidence in me. Since she’s never shown me anything other than contempt and disregard, I’m a little stunned by her confession. When she throws me a look, I quickly get back on track. “What does that have to do with Tel in?”
“He feels the same way,” Doe continues. “That without you as heir to the throne, Thalassinia and al her sister kingdoms wil suffer.”
“I’m thril ed by your faith in me,” I say, annoyed that she seems to be swimming around the point, “but what does that have to do with anything?”
“We formed a plan,” she says. “One that would force you to go home before your birthday. Where you could run into Tel in and he could make his proposal.”
You know that sinking feeling I’ve been getting in my stomach a lot lately? I’m getting it again. Triple time.
“What kind of plan?”
“The tsunami and the bond with Brody.” She closes her eyes, like she’s afraid of my reaction. “They were a plot to put you back in Tel in’s path.”
“A what?” This doesn’t make any sense. “Why? I don’t understand.”
“Lily,” Doe says, sounding exasperated, “I got exiled on purpose.”
“On purpose?” I shake my head. “Why would you do that?”
“Partly because it gave me a taste of revenge on humans.
But also so I could bond with some unsuspecting boy.” She jerks her head at Brody. “So you would have to take him home for the separation.”
“Al of that,” I ask, “just to force a chance run-in with Tel in?”
“I didn’t say it was a bril iant plan,” she says, blinking.
“Besides, it worked, didn’t it?”
Of al the stupid, idiotic, imprudent—see, I have learned my SAT vocabulary—il -conceived plans in the history of the mer world, this has got to be in the top ten.
Stil confused, I ask, “Why are you tel ing me this now?”
“Because I fel in love,” she explains, floating up against Brody’s side. “And because you’re in love, too. Now I know what you’d be giving up to bond with Tel in.” She seems to draw in on herself. “I would never wish that on you. I’m sorry.”
I stil don’t think I ful y understand. But this is a whole new Dosinia before me. One with the kind of maturity I’d always hoped to see in her.
If I weren’t so angry about her irresponsible plotting and what it might have cost me—what it might still cost me—I would actual y hug her for growing up. The waters might have been a little rough along the way, but what matters most is that she got there in the end. She apologized—can you say shock?—she accepted responsibility, and she’s in love with a human. That’s one part of my current dilemma solved.
Now if only Quince would come home so we could talk things out. Then life would be back to pretty darn near perfect.
Chapter 14
sual y I love Sunday mornings—I sleep late and spend Usome lazy time in bed, Aunt Rachel makes a doughnut run, and Quince comes over to wipe the sprinkles off my cheek. But the moment I wake up, I feel like something is wrong. Quince stil hasn’t come home.
When I pad downstairs in my rainbow pajamas and find Aunt Rachel returning from grabbing the newspaper from the front yard—something Quince usual y does for her—
and an untouched white paper bag on the table, I know my feeling is confirmed. He isn’t here.
“Janet says he cal ed her last night,” Aunt Rachel says, practical y reading my thoughts. “He told her to tel you happy birthday for him.”