Chapter 118 Back In Time
1058words
Not that anyone besides the queen cared that he was present. Everyone was too focused on how Hector was gushing over Martha, who, by the way, remembered everything.
Remarkably, she wasn't angry or resentful. In fact, she was smiling like she always did and helped herself to the pizza her grandson made everyone. She even asked Adriane if she could make her a cup of her favorite hibiscus tea.
The queen, however, kept glaring at Rake as if he was a dirty spot she couldn't get out of her favorite dress. He seemed unbothered, constantly grinning in her direction like he got some big secret he knew could crush her if she dared to make a move.
Ember appeared to be the happiest person besides Rake at the table, peering around at everyone with a glimmer in her eyes that I've never seen there before. She was genuinely happy. Now, if we could only figure out where her sister was, then no doubt, her world would be complete.
That's to say if Hector doesn't make Martha forget and leaves her again. I couldn't imagine why he would if I looked at them now. He was madly in love with her, doting on her like she's the world, and it was beyond the cutest thing I've ever seen.
"Aren't you going to eat that?" Kayn had leaned in and his breath brushed the side of my face when he whispered.
I turned to look at him, smiling, then reached for my pizza slice on my plate. "I was just thinking."
"About?" he asked.
I nodded my head to the side. "This is amazing, that's all."
His eyes scanned the faces by the table, everyone deep in their own conversations. He inclined his head. "Yeah, we just missing a few people."
"I know." I took a bite out of the pizza and sighed through my nose as I indulged in the cheesy, chewy goodness. When I swallowed, I realized Kayn was staring expectantly at me.
My brows shot up. "What you looking at me like that for? You already know you're an amazing cook."
"True," he shrugged with a smile. "But I like to hear it from you."
I snorted a laugh. "You're an amazing cook. This pizza is ah-maze-zing!"
He rolled his eyes, reaching for my free hand under the table and laced his fingers with mine. "Couldn't exaggerate more."
I huffed. "You just said you liked to—"
A knock sounded from the front door. "Hello?" my mom called out and my body went cold. "Adriane? Are you here? Carly?"
Adriane's eyes shot in my direction, a question evident in her eyes. I shook my head and she nodded in acknowledgement, pushing back her seat and getting up. She barely made it to the kitchen door when my mom appeared, and her eyes immediately found the queen.
"Oh, no." I dropped my face onto Kayn's shoulder.
"I've been looking everywhere for you," my mom exclaimed. I turned, assuming she was talking to me, only to find her standing beside the queen with her hands planted of her hips. She lifted her gaze onto me, and I could immediately tell she was putting two-to-two together. "You know," her voice echoed. It wasn't a question, but an admission. She could tell right there I knew. Well, obviously, as I was sitting by a table with my biological mother.
Her eyes scanned the faces sitting there. "If it helps, I already figured out your secret." She glared at Hector. "And you owe me a crap load of money."
Hector stiffened in his seat. "I don't owe you squat."
"Oh?" Mom's brows rose. "Dumping all my expensive equipment into the ocean, for starters?"
My eyes bulged. "You knew?"
"I'm not stupid," she sighed. "I was trying to pretend I didn't know, thinking you had no clue."
"I had a clue," I stated.
"I just figured that," she answered, a sad look on her face. She swallowed, asking in an unsteady tone. "How much do you know?"
"I'm the mermaid queen's daughter," I said and she flinched. "And that my life is a mess."
"I was planning to tell you…" she pushed out her breath. "I just needed to find her first."
"Is this why you went on a mad hunt for mermaids? To find my real mother?"
"Yes," she admitted. "I was running out of time and I needed to get to her."
"Running out of time?" I asked. "For what?"
"You would find out you're different," she said, nodding toward the queen. "Did she tell you about the spell?"
My eyes bounced toward the queen in question. "No, she told me nothing about a spell."
"I was planning to get to that," the queen finally spoke. "At some point."
I rolled my eyes, peering at my human mom. "What spell?"
"The queen had a spell placed on you so you can contact water without turning," she answered. "You will transform into a mermaid once you come in contact with water when you turn eighteen."
"Uhm," I said. "I kind of already did."
Her eyes widened. "What do you mean?"
The queen also straightened. "Impossible."
"No, I did, thanks to that machine at the AOUB."
"The AOUB?" Human mom frowned. "The machine? When you passed out? That one?"
"Yes," I nodded. "After Janice had me on it I couldn't come in contact with water without growing scales."
She reached for a chair and sat down beside the queen.
"Well, never a dull moment over here, hey?" Rake finally spoke up and Ember planted an elbow in his side.
"Shut up," she snapped at him.
He peered at her with a questioning look but didn't say anything else.
This time, Hector spoke, "So, looks like this is going to be one long dinner." He turned his attention on to Kayn. "Boy, why don't you grab Sarah some pizza and a plate? We all need to have a discussion that's going to require more food."
Kayn muttered under his breath and got up. A sinking feeling formed in the pit of my stomach and I sighed. "Great. Just freaking great."
