“He knew instantly.”
“How? Do I look like her?” I’m sure the question was borne deep in my inner conscious. The girl who had waited for the sun to set against the tide pools, offering just enough reflection to almost see herself in the water. Now I looked at Selena from a new perspective.Twins. “Did she look likeyou?”
Selena returned the lock of hair to my shoulder. “I see pieces of her in you,” she said softly. “But you’re your own being, Maren. And we weren’t identical. But yes. She and I caused plenty of mischief in our younger years, aided by the fact that we resembled each other so closely.”
I placed the book on her table. “My uncle Naheso tore out all the scenes where the characters made love.” A quick flash lit atthe words. I’d never realized how hurt I’d been that he’d done it. Destroyed the only piece of my mother I owned.
Selena offered a quietmmm. “You can take it, if you want it.”
I glanced up, a tiny thrill running through me. “But it’s yours. She gave it to you.”
Blue eyes twinkled. “I have plenty of things she gave me.”
The note in her voice etched another raw slice in my throat. I gazed down at the book. “Thank you. I always wished I had more of her things.”
“You have a few.” Selena propped her chin into her hand. “The hairbrush and jewelry box I gave you were hers. And the mirror. And the juniper tree.”
“I wish you’d told me,” I said, still gazing at the book. I’d been angry at her for giving them to me at the time. Determined not to be bought by gifts.
“Me, too,” she murmured. “When you came here inTaurennos, I considered it. But I knew you held no trust in me. And when I began to feel small flickers of trust building…” She gave the smallest shrug. “I was too afraid to lose it. I’m sorry, Maren. For choosing myself over you.”
I shook my head, her apology unnecessary. We sat in silence for a moment, listening to the roll of the ocean outside her window. “Why did she choose Leihani? Was it because of the stone?”
“How do you…” Selena’s mouth opened; her dark brows gently furrowed as her eyes shot to me, clarity suddenly ringing in their depths. “Youtook my notebook.”
I offered a tight smile.
She sat up straight. “I’ve been searching everywhere for it. I thought I’d lost it. Where is it now?”
“Still at Cynthus Castle, probably,” I said apologetically.
Selena deflated with a short huff. Then, eyes trained forward, she frowned. “It’s written in code. How do you know about the stone?”
I chewed on my lip long enough to earn an impatient glance from her. “Prince Hadrian translated it.”
“Prince Ha—” She cut herself off to fix me with another incredulous glare. “Doesheknow you’re a Naiad?
“No.”
“Does he knowI’mone?”
“No. He only worked out the alphabet enough to translate a single sentence. About your sister.”
Her gaze softened by a fraction. “Ceba and I made that alphabet up to keep things from Thaan. How did he translate it?”
“Honestly,” I sighed, wrapping my arms around my knees, “I have no idea.”
Sheharumphed. “That prince is too clever for his own good.” Her eyes shifted to me. “And where isyourprince?”
“Pissed off that I abandoned him and on his way here, I’m sure.” She raised her brows as I dropped into an uncomfortable silence.
The moon will be full in three days.Cordaewith one and kill the other.
“I should go,” I said, slowly rising from Selena’s couch. “I have things to plan.”
She watched me straighten, then pushed to her own feet. “Anything I can help you with?”
“No.” I met her eyes with a small smile. “Thank you for the book.”
