The Mermaids Madness

Lirea shed. Her mother collected them, and I sewed them into this doll. Baby scales are softer and much easier to work with.”
    “It looks like it’s missing a head,” Snow said.
    “My sewing was no match for Lirea’s teething phase. I never got around to fixing this.” Morveren smiled as she shut the chest. “She was such a sweet child. So loving, with such potential. Her voice held incredible power. I’m afraid she took advantage of that gift. Her parents spoiled her shamelessly. Even I had a hard time resisting her.”
    “Did you ever teach her magic?” Snow asked.
    “I tried.” Morveren brought the doll to her mouth, using her teeth to tighten a loose thread. “Lirea had talent, even more than her sisters, but she lacked the desire. Magic requires more than mere skill. It requires love. I hoped she would change her mind as she grew older. There was so much I wanted to pass along.”
    “I wish my mother had felt the same way. She would have killed me if she knew I was sneaking in to read her spellbooks.” There were times Snow wondered if that discovery was what had first led to her mother’s attempts on Snow’s life. The stories claimed she was jealous of Snow’s beauty, and that was certainly true. But had jealousy of her daughter’s power played an even greater role?
    “She didn’t want you to learn?” Morveren sounded surprised.
    “My mother didn’t like to share.” Pushing those memories aside, Snow reached out to touch the doll. “If these are Lirea’s scales, we should be able to use them to find her.”
    “That’s right.” Morveren released the doll. The carved fin sent it spiraling through the water to the floor. “But the scales are old, and the connection is weak.”
    “Blood creates false life,” Snow said. “That should strengthen the bond long enough for us to cast our spell.”
    “Very good.” Morveren gestured for her to proceed.
    Snow hesitated. “Normally I would use my mirrors to—”
    “No mirrors.” Morveren yanked Snow’s hand away from her choker. “You’re too strong for such shortcuts.”
    Snow’s face grew warm. “Thank you.”
    Morveren squeezed her hand. “Thank you , child.”

CHAPTER 8

    D ANIELLE HAD REMOVED HER BRACELET and now cradled the small mirror in both hands. She sat with her back to the oil lamp, her body blocking the flames from the mirror. “Does Nicolette know you’re still awake?”
    Jakob’s response was clear, confident, and completely unhelpful. “Mama!”
    “That’s right.” Danielle smiled. Snow’s magic allowed her to see Jakob clearly, even in the darkness.
    “Tala?” Jakob asked, leaning forward until his face pressed against his crib. He had started looking for Talia as soon as he realized Danielle was there. Snow still hadn’t figured out how he was able to see through the mirror. Danielle longed to let her study the bracelet again, to determine whether this was a trick of the mirror or something to do with Jakob himself. But Snow continued to spend all of her time with Morveren.
    After following the small mermaid doll for the past day, Snow and Morveren now believed Lirea was hiding on the northern coast of Hilad. Not the safest place for the Phillipa to go, but northern Hilad was mostly uninhabited, and Hephyra was confident she could get the ship in and out without being seen.
    They had crossed into Hiladi waters earlier this evening. How Captain Hephyra could tell one patch of ocean from the next was beyond Danielle.
    “Tala,” said Jakob, standing up in his crib. “Tala!”
    “Go to sleep, little prince.” The sweaty spikes of his hair meant he must have slept for a time before awakening. Danielle hoped it hadn’t been her peeking through the mirror that had awakened him.
    “No. Tala now, now, now!”
    The cabin door opened, and Talia peeked in side. “Captain Hephyra said you were looking for me?”
    “Tala!” Excitement lit Jakob’s eyes.
    “Yes, thank you.” Danielle passed the mirror to Talia.
    “He’s been asking for you.”
    Talia’s dark skin almost hid her blush. She squinted into the mirror. “It’s late, Jakobena. You should sleep.”
    “Jakobena?” Danielle asked.
    “It means ‘Tiny Jakob.’ ” Talia started to return the mirror to Danielle, but Jakob yelled again.
    “What does he want?”
    “I think he wants me . . . to sing to him.” Her glare all but dared Danielle to smile.
    A year’s worth of training in court manners helped Danielle keep her expression