“Aye, best gitye inside before Henry comes up,” Finn suggested. “Idn’t bad luck or somethin’?”
“I suppose. Ifyou’re superstitious,” I replied and craned my neck to where Lottiestood with Gus, nodding toward my quarters.
Finn leanedinto me. “After everythin’ I’ve seen, I wouldn’t be testin’ it.Best play nice with the universe today, Lass.”
He patted meon the shoulder and then ushered us toward my quarters. I bid myfriend farewell as Lottie and I entered the room and shut the doorbehind us. I inhaled deeply the comforting smell of my room,realizing how I missed it so. The distinct tinge of mine andHenry’s natural scent mixed with red wine, and musty books. I madea b-line for my bed, my fortress nestled in the crook of a woodensurround.
“No time forsleep,” Lottie said. “We’ve got to get you ready.”
I sat up. “Iknow, I just missed my bed.”
She set ourboxes and bags down on the small table. “I know, I miss mine aswell.”
It was asimple statement but carried in it a sense of something else.Worry? No. Impatience, maybe. I wanted us to get back home toNewfoundland just as much as my crew, surely. But we had a mission.I had to wait for my wish to lead me to her. But I realized then,the way Lottie refused to meet my eyes, she feared that day wouldnever happen.
I frowned.“Does the rest of the crew think that?”
“Think what?”she asked innocently and lifted my dress from its box to unfoldit.
I tilted myhead to the side. “Come on, don’t lie to me.” She stopped andfinally looked in my eyes. “You guys are worried we’ll never findMaria, right?”
“Let’s nottalk of it today.”
“Please,” Ibegged.
Lottie suckedin a deep breath and stuck a hand on one hip. “Well, you have toadmit, Dianna. It doesn’t look promising.”
“But I madethe wish.”
“And what goodof it?” she argued quietly. “We’re no closer now than we werebefore.”
“But we are,”I replied and stood to walk closer to her. “Something pushed me tothat merchant. Something made me look in the right direction at theright time to see Henry’s ring. We learned that Maria has beenhanging around. Somewhere close by.”
She didn’tlook convinced.
“Look, like Itold the boys, my exact wish was to find Maria Cobham before shekills my mother. That could mean the exact moment before she drawsa sword or fires a pistol.”
Her deep blueeyes flitted to mine. “What if Maria never finds your mother? Whatof it then? Will we wait here, far from home, for years? Justwaiting for a moment that will never happen?”
I had noproper response, because I never considered that option.
“You shouldhave been more specific with your wish.”
“And saywhat?” I asked her helplessly. “To end her life? None of us needthat blood on our hands. And how would we know, truly knowthat it worked?” A strange sense of rage began to fill my body andI felt my face warm. “No. I will find my sister. I will take herbody in my own hands and ensure she gets the life sentence fit forthe devil herself. If that’s death by hanging, then so be it. Butit will be by the hands of the law. It will be right. I willwitness it with my own eyes and live the rest of my life free ofthat burden.”
Lottie chewedat her lip and tapped fingers against the fabric on her hip.
“Just trustme,” I said. “It’s working.”
She threw herhands up and shook her head. “I trust you, Dianna. I do. If you sayit’s working, then who am I to argue otherwise?”
I slid myfingers over her arm, pulling her attention back to me. “Itis.”
My friend’sshoulders relaxed, and her eyes slowly shut as she nodded.“Alright.”
Before long, acomfortable silence filled the room as we began to get ready. Theonly sounds were that of heavy fabrics rustling and drawstringspulling taut. Hard bottom shoes clicking against the floorboards. Lottie wore the sapphire gown,looking like a queen of the sea. Her long blonde waves cascadingdown around her arms as her hands worked to pin the locks back.
“No, don’t,” Isaid suddenly. She stopped and turned to me, curious. “Leave itdown. You’re not a proper lady, you’re a pirate and this is apirate wedding. You don’t have to pretend to be someone you’re not.Not today. Not for me.”
She hesitatedbut then smiled and pulled the few pins from her hair, letting itfall back to where it was. I watched as she took steps toward whereher trunk lay on the floor near the door and opened it, fetchingsomething from inside. She pulled out a small flat box, about thesize of a shoebox, and handed it to me.
“I picked thisup in the Square today,” she said. I opened the lid. “I justthought… something fit for a queen. For the friend you’ve been tome. For giving me back the life I missed so much.”
My breathcaught in my throat at the item inside, a collection of twigs andwhite flowers, some sort of vine and crawling plant like an ivy.All formed into a large ring, the shape of a crown. It wasbeautiful, and the gesture tickled my heart. I looked to my friendwith glossy eyes.
“Thank you.” Ilifted it from its box, held it up and placed it atop my head. “Idon’t know what to say, Lottie. It’s… it’s so perfect. Everythingis.” I had a quick wave of panic rush over me. “Almost tooperfect.”
Lottie’s eyeswidened, and she held me by the upper arms. “No, Dianna, look atme.” I did as told. “Nothing is too perfect. This is a wonderfulday, a day you deserve. You’re just surrounded by people who loveyou. That’s all. That feeling, it’s not perfection. It’s love. It’shappiness in the face of all the darkness we chase.”
She gentlypushed me toward the floor-length mirror, forcing me to look at thereflection as she stood behind and peeked over my shoulder. Oureyes met in the glass.
“You’remarrying Henry today.”
I took in ahuge breath, allowing my lungs to inflate as much as possiblebefore letting it out. My deep brown eyes raked over the form thatstared back at me in the mirror. A
