More on this book
Community
Kindle Notes & Highlights
Read between
August 31 - September 2, 2025
Sophie and I had been so excited when the second child of our brother Max and his wife Alyssa had been a girl.
Another older girl also stood apart. But her beautiful face held such a heartbroken expression I wanted to give her a hug rather than a lesson.
“I have an older brother, but only by nine minutes, so I hardly think it counts,” said Millie.
We could never stay angry at each other for long.
Max and Alyssa! she projected, naming our brother and sister-in-law. My stomach churned. Little Harry and Rose.
She disappeared onto the dance floor, and I looked around for the promised food table. I had barely taken two steps toward it, however, when a tall figure blocked my path. I looked up into a face I recognized.
Reminds me of hester XD
“If you’re truly sorry, you don’t go for the easy apology.” He leaned in close and whispered in my ear. “I wanted the twin with fire in her eyes.”
In my anger, I felt six feet tall.
She was young and beautiful, and she saved my life. She even sang while she did it, and I’ve never heard such a lovely voice.”
The little mermaid??
“I’d love to hear about your childhood sometime,” I said. “Even if it was disaster-free.” I laughed up at him with my eyes, inviting him to join my lighter mood. He looked down at me, and I could see his face softening. “And I would love to hear about yours.”
“I was not born, and I cannot die. Yet I bring all things low and death inevitably follows in my wake.”
“Up and down, round and round. I travel freely where I will, and not even the largest army can restrain me. And yet, neither can even the smallest baby feel me.”
“Many dream of me, but none can have me.”
The southern half of Marin bordered Talinos, a kingdom that raised my curiosity. Millie made it sound as if the entire kingdom were as scared of their own shadows as Pearl and Opal, while their prince, Gabe, was daring and impulsive. Was it just because he had been raised in Trione with Millie and Teddy? But the northern half of Marin bordered the cursed Palinar, a kingdom I had no desire to
For map notes
I bit my lip, embarrassed by my worries. Did he think me an overcautious fool?
“And that’s probably why you don’t notice it—you’re too much alike. Except he keeps forgetting he’s not the duke yet, and you keep forgetting I’m not sick anymore. He’s not solely responsible for his people, and you’re not responsible for me.” She sighed. “I keep hoping one day you’ll realize that.”
In consequence, we spent a significant portion of the next three days in the palace library. The large, airy room was beautiful, lined with floor to ceiling bookshelves, interspersed with equally tall windows, many of them opening out into the garden.
“I was all ready to challenge someone to a duel, until I heard it was just a bunch of books that had you so enthralled.”
“According to the stories, it originated with a woodcutter’s third son, who decided to leave his family to seek his fortune. He found it as a doctor and introduced many new life-saving treatments. I suppose godmothers can give practical assistance as well as magical.”
“Not all answers can be found in a library. Some you must search out for yourself.”
“Things weren’t going so well for a while,” I said. “But then my mother’s godmother gave her a pea. Things began to turn around after that, kingdom by kingdom.” “A pea?” Jon looked as if he thought he must have misheard.
