“But of course.” Amenity’s diamond spun over her wrist. “I never would, of course. Of course not. He gives only the most thoughtful gifts.”
After the strenuous meal, Enzo escort me back to my room. I wrote another letter, this one about The Lark and how beautiful the performance was. I didn’t write about the special dinner or about Lady Poppy and how she knew Grandma or about the fact I met my tailor, who was kind of hot and had mysteriously known my dimensions. I didn’t mention the ordinary man who made me feel better, but then he disappeared and was gone. I didn’t write about how it was the only thing that made me feel like me again. Nope. I covered up my head and went to sleep.
Chapter 11
As Happy as a Lark
When I awoke in the morning, two letters from home lay on my nightstand.
I ripped open the envelopes, careful not to tear the letters in the process.
Dear Waverly,
A week and a half isn’t an appropriate time to wait to write. That being said, we were over the moon to finally hear from you. We’re ready to kill your uncle. Romania! What was he thinking? We expected him to take you to a city here in America, not some foreign country. And we can’t send you letters in the mail. No, your courier informed us he will wait at the house until we respond.
Things are okay at home, but Dad is bummed. Hincho, Wilbur, and Naugle went to Florida for the summer to hit the greens. Grandma misses you and sends her love. She’s doing all right. Something new. Since you’ve left, she keeps asking about you and whether you’ve found the necklace and the words. I tell her you’re searching and will be home as soon as you do. Be prepared to have a good story about how you found it, won’t you?
Write soon.
Love, Mom and Dad
PS We know how busy you are getting to know your uncle and finding help for your grandma but don’t forget to have a little Waverly time. Go out and experience some amazing things. It’s not every day you find yourself in a foreign country.
My chest felt heavy as guilt filled me. At no point had I actively searched for the necklace or the words.
The second letter wasn’t much better.
Wavy,
Your leaving was very unexpected. No, that’s a lie. I felt it coming somehow. I am hurt. I am glad you are trying to help your grandma, but I think you’re chasing shadows. We had so much planned. I can’t even imagine what your uncle said to you or your parents to make you go along. No clue. I hope you are finding everything you need for your grandma. I know you aren’t leaving a stone unturned. I’m sure you have all the doctors in Romania searching day and night for a new diagnosis.
I’m glad I got the second hug in the kitchen. I already miss you like crazy. Write often.
Love,
Sasha
I folded up the letters and put them in the drawer. Mom and Sasha thought I was searching for help for Grandma, but all I had been doing was sulking. Sulking! And while Enzo was attempting to follow Grandma’s agenda, and I wanted to connect with people who knew her, I was falling short on discovering what was ailing her. I was so consumed with confusion on coming here and then being sad and lonely, I had missed a vital point. If this world existed, and it did, then the fortune teller existed too, and if she existed, then so did the cure. I was here to help Grandma, and yet I hadn’t even bothered to talk to Doc, a Merric specialist, about Grandma’s symptoms.
I had to be in this world at least a month, and if I didn’t stop moping around, I’d accomplish nothing. When I finally returned home, my only story would be, yeah, I was overwhelmed and didn’t leave my room, and missed every opportunity to figure out what had happened with Grandma. Or my story could be, I learned what happened to Grandma all those years ago; I spoke with a bunch of people who met her and consulted with doctors and found this necklace and the words and possibly a cure.
So I climbed out of bed.
My stylists dressed me in a 1950s style pink dress. In the mirror, I looked way too fancy to sit around my room all day. I needed to explore this place.
The marble cutter had finished the wallaby and from the looks of it, had also added an eel and a polar bear. If only I could talk to the marble artist again, but she wasn’t in the hall. Maybe it was for the best, as I remembered, she didn’t much care for Merrics and might be less than thrilled to see me.
I continued straight down the corridor until I reached a wide-open staircase descending to a massive lobby with windows at least fifty feet high. From the top of the steps, I noticed the sky was dark gray like we were in for a nasty summer storm. I wanted to be outdoors, downpour or not, and decided to take my chances before the rain started.
The green grass and trees of the garden, the clear shooting water of the fountains and the frogs jumping into the round pond couldn’t distract from the fact that the sky had been replaced with stone. This incredible palace and garden were all underground.
Manon appeared on the stairs behind me. “Good morning, Waverly.”
“We’re underground.”
“Oui. Yes. Would you like a tour of the garden?” Manon laced her arm with mine, and the smell of vanilla and raspberries rolled off her. Her blue V-neck wrap dress billowed behind her.
A few feet away, a sunless sundial pointed to seven. “Is that clock correct?”
“Early, isn’t it? Sometimes, I stay here. Much better than a hotel. You will adore L’Autre Bête. The Merrics
