“Yes,” Tatiana said, head tilted as she watched her daughter’s eyes brighten.
“But how?”
“My best guess is it has been spelled to survive underwater.”
Her hands shot out, grabbing the tome with eager hands. She ran her fingers over the cover, amazed at the smooth feel of it.
The cover shimmered faintly beneath her touch, humming with subtle enchantment. It was a leather-like material, not fish leather, nor kelp-pressed pulp. It was something foreign. Something from the land.
Her fingers trembled as she flipped it open. The pages were bone-pale and unmarred, each line of text as crisp and perfect as the day it had been printed.
It smelled different than sea books too. Faintly metallic,with just a subtle hint of candle smoke, from whomever had spelled it to survive the deep.
Iris swallowed hard.
Maybe it was a PR stunt. Maybe it wasn’t. But the book was here, it was real, it was new, and it was personal.
Iris couldn’t remember the last time someone had given her something that wasn’t about education or duties.
“I didn’t know that was possible,” she said, looking up at her mother.
“Nor did I. But you know who did?”
“Who?”
“Your fiancé.”
Fiancé?
“Finn? Finn sent this?”
Why would he do that after what she’d done? Was it some sort of apology?
“He did. Even after you dumped a drink on his head.”
“Mother, I—”
“I don’t want to hear your excuses, Iris. You had one job to do: to represent not only this family but also all of your people by being a kind and gracious brunch date. You failed even the most basic task set forth at your feet. You have embarrassed me, your sisters, this kingdom, and all of our kind. I am ashamed to have not only a daughter but also a princess to this great kingdom behaving so atrociously. Your behavior today was selfish. You may not havemeantharm, but intent does not outweigh perception. Perception is everything in politics, and today, you projected pure chaos.”
Each word was a piercing sensation to Iris’s chest.
Her mother was right. She’d been selfish in her actions, thinking only of her own unhappiness, not the image she’dbeen projecting of all merfolk. She hadn’t even taken a sip of that lovely drink the server had prepared for her.
“I wouldn’t have blamed Mr. Westrock if he’d held a press conference explaining your reckless and rude behavior. But no, instead, he visited a bookstore, found a witch to enchant a book, then had it sent here for you. His graciousness seems boundless.”
Graciousness, Iris wanted to scoff. It was probably some carefully curated public relations move.
“I’m afraid your behavior is forcing my hand.”
“What do you mean?”
“Tomorrow, you will take your belongings, pack them in a suitcase, and go back to the surface.”
“My belongings? Why?”
“Because you are moving in with your fiancé.”
“What? Mother, I—”
