Wrecked (28 page)

“Want any?” he asked, pouring the liquid into a tumbler.

“No,” Miranda shook her head. Seeing Teddy sitting at the counter, drinking a large glass of milk, reminded her of when they were little and Miranda used to take it upon herself to tell Teddy a bedtime story before putting him to bed. Now, Miranda wished someone would do the same for her.

“I saw you at the beach,” Teddy said after a moment. “I drove out last night, because I was worried about you. Who was that guy?”

“You were spying on me? Did Eleanor put you up to it?” Miranda asked angrily.

“I was
worried
about you. Who is he?” Teddy persisted. “No one,” Miranda said.

“Okay,” Teddy said after a moment, then slid off his stool and
opened the freezer, finally pulling out a box of soy nuggets, the cardboard half-encrusted with ice. Teddy examined the box.

“Don’t you love these?” Teddy asked dubiously, wrinkling his nose.

Miranda gave Teddy a watery smile. She didn’t love them. Genevieve did, and so Louisa always got them. She wished, more than anything, that Genevieve was here. Genevieve would know how to handle a guy who said he was a betwixtman, whatever the hell that was. More than likely, Genevieve would
believe
him.

The microwave beeped, startling Miranda from her reverie.

“Here you go,” Teddy said, offering Miranda a plate of gelatinous brown lumps.

“These are gross,” Miranda wrinkled her nose. Still, she put one in her mouth and chewed. Her stomach growled.

“I don’t disagree with you there,” Teddy said. Still, he grabbed one. “Now, talk. Eleanor’s freaking out,” he added. “She’s really worried, too.”

“Eleanor has a funny way of showing that.” Miranda raised an eyebrow.

Teddy shrugged. “Please tell me who that guy was?”

“If I tell you something, you can’t tell anyone else. Promise?” she asked, cringing when she realized how much like Christian she sounded.

“Of course,” Teddy said, automatically raising his pinky. Miranda deliberately ignored the gesture. She’d had enough of magic and superstition for one day.

“He’s the guy who saved me on the night of the accident,” Miranda said. “And I’ve been hanging out with him these past few days,” she admitted. If
only
that was the extent of the story.

“Really? But how was he out there in the storm?” Teddy asked.

“Yes. I thought I imagined it but I don’t know how to explain it. I just remember. And I don’t know how he did, but it’s the
only
thing that makes sense. Anyway, he . . . today he told me he’s a merman,” she said, laughing angrily. It sounded so ridiculous, no matter who said it.

“A
merman?
” Teddy repeated.

“Not really. A betwixtman? It’s different. And I know it doesn’t make sense, but at the same time . . . he was out there. In that storm. There was no way he could have been if he was human.”

“So you believe him?” Teddy asked, crossing his arms across his chest.

“I don’t know!” Miranda exploded. “What am I supposed to believe? I mean, I was saved by this guy who’s either crazy or became crazy or is just this exceptionally good swimmer who lives on the beach performing good deeds or . . . I don’t know. He did save me,” Miranda repeated. She decided not to tell Teddy about the fact that Christian had said she was in danger. What had that meant? Even thinking back to it caused the hairs on the back of her neck to stand on end.

“A betwixtman?” Teddy asked, fear evident in his eyes. “But that’s not . . . real.”

“Of course it’s not real,” Miranda snapped. “But I don’t know . . . he saved me. I guess I owe him that. It’s not like we
did
anything. He was just . . .”

“What was he?” Teddy asked.

“Nice,” Miranda sighed. “I don’t know, it was like . . . I couldn’t talk to Eleanor . . . or to you, because you were always so worried about me. And then everyone hated me, and then Fletch’s parents . . . I just needed someone to talk to.”

A cloud of emotion crossed Teddy’s face, and Miranda realized that she’d hurt him by saying that.

“I didn’t want to burden you,” she said softly. “I mean, you already had to deal with being related to me, and then everything . . . I just needed someone to talk to, who didn’t feel sorry for me. I mean, whatever. It doesn’t matter. I got out of it, I’m fine, I won’t see him again, end of story. Really,” she added when she saw Teddy’s expression.

“So where is he now?” Teddy asked.

“I don’t know,” Miranda shrugged. “Under water? No, he calls it Down Below. He doesn’t know where I live, if that’s what you mean.”

“Good,” Teddy said slowly. “You definitely shouldn’t see him again.”

“I know!” Miranda said. “And I won’t. Really,” she added.

She turned away, glancing out the picture window, where the moon was reflecting on the quiet pool. The pool looked so small compared to the ocean. Safe. And instead of feeling happy that she’d escaped a potentially dangerous and unstable guy, all she wanted to do was head out to Bloody Point.

T
WO MORE DAYS
. B
UT NOW
,
THE INITIAL PACT WAS ALL
but forgotten. He realized that Sephie had never intended to spare Christian. She’d wanted him to kill Miranda, and then no doubt she would have killed him as well.

He felt betrayed. The ocean had been the only home he’d ever known. And in what type of home would saving someone be wrong? He knew that there was no life for him Down Below, even if, by some miracle, Sephie spared him.

Which was why he needed to kill Sephie. But he also needed to be careful, to formulate a plan. Tempting as it was, he couldn’t just climb up on her boat, strike a match, and start a fire. He needed to be smart. Impulsivity had gotten him into his current situation, and only careful planning would get him out.

He imagined it as he stroked to the surface: He and Miranda, living a free and normal life. Miranda, running out into the ocean and splashing him, and the only thing to fear would be catching cold. Him, learning to drive one of those hulking pieces of machinery that humans called cars, with Miranda by his side. Both of them, setting up a home, together.

It was a nice fantasy. Of course, he’d have to give up everything Down Below. Not like there really was anything tying him there. Of course, there was Valentine. But he’d leave it all in a heartbeat if it meant he could have everything that Up Above offered. The only thing he needed to do was figure out how to destroy Sephie. It should be easy. Just one fire, on the boat, and Sephie would disappear.

Suddenly, Christian saw a figure on the crest of a far-off wave. He squinted as the figure came closer and closer toward the shore.

Christian shielded his eyes from the sun with his hand and squinted as the broad-shouldered, tall guy walked out of the surf, stumbling slightly on the uneven sand. It was Valentine.

Fear jolted through Christian’s veins. What was he doing here?

Valentine gazed around wildly.

“Here!” Christian called. He remembered how confusing and disorienting Surfacing was, at least at first. The relentless heat of the sun, the shifting sand, the way the wind sometimes blew so hard it hurt your face. Until you got to know it, Up Above felt wild and exposed.

“There you are!” Valentine said angrily, as he half-ran, half-walked up to the pile of driftwood Christian was sitting on. He was wearing a pair of cargo shorts that were similar to the ones Christian was wearing, and his skin sparkled in the late-afternoon sun. His sandy blond hair was already drying against his forehead, and there were dark circles under his eyes. “You haven’t been Down Below in days. You’re almost out of time!”

Christian shook his head. “The spell doesn’t matter. Sephie has another plan.”

“What?” Valentine asked, furrowing his brow.

Christian glanced toward the horizon. The yatch was still rocking in the same spot on the dock, as ominous as a thunder-cloud. Miranda was oblivious to the danger she was in. How could his brother possibly understand? At worst, Valentine would think he was a traitor. At best, Valentine would join him in being a traitor to Sephie, as well. Neither was a great choice, especially if his plan didn’t work.

Christian reached into the pocket on his sweatshirt and pulled out the small booklet of the firestarting sticks from the other night. Curiously, he swiped the stick against the rough stripe on the back of the package, as he’d watched Miranda do. Instantly, a brilliant burst of orange erupted from one end.

Valentine shrank back.

“It’s fire,” Christian said, entranced as he watched the flicker move back and forth like a tiny ocean wave. He held it against
a piece of wood, watching in awe as the orange streak began to dance slowly, tentatively, up the wood.

“I didn’t come here for a science lesson,” Valentine said angrily. “I came because you seem to have forgotten your mission.”

Christian shook his head. “My mission’s changed.” He glanced around, but there was no one on the beach. “I need to do something else.”

“What? Sephie will find you no matter what you do. Think rationally!” Valentine said. He shivered, hugging his arms around his body.

“Sephie’s here,” Christian said dully. “See that ship?” He cast his gaze to where Sephie’s boat was rocking with the gentle waves. “That’s her. And I don’t know what she’s planning on doing, but I’m sure that she has her own plans. Which is why I have to kill her,” he said simply, locking eyes with his brother.

“Kill Sephie?” Valentine choked.

“She’ll kill me if I don’t. You know the legend says fire destroys her.”

Valentine clamped his hands over his ears. “No, brother. No, no, no. I won’t stand here and listen to this. I’m going to see Sephie myself.”

Christian lurched, as if he was about to lunge toward Valentine.

“No, brother,” Valentine said, holding out a warning hand toward him. “I won’t tell her anything of your betrayal. But she’s reasonable, and I feel she might reasonably change the
terms. Don’t do this to us,” he added. Then he ran back to the water and dove under the waves.

Christian watched until his brother disappeared, unsure whether to follow him or simply go forth with his plan on his own.

H
E’S A MERMAID
? D
ID
I
RUIN YOU FOR HUMANS
? F
LETCH SAID
.

I like him, Miranda would say. She’d pull her knees up to her chest and glance up at Fletch through her bangs, which she always did when coaxing him to agree with her on anything, from Netflixing a Wes Anderson movie, to ordering pizza with extra mushrooms as takeout.

Good. You deserve someone who treats you right. I’ve always thought that. That’s why I was your boyfriend.

Her eyes flew open. She wasn’t sitting on the beach in front of a bonfire, and Fletch was nowhere in sight. Instead, Louisa was sitting next to her in a rocking chair and bright sunlight was streaming through the dormer windows.

Suddenly, yesterday came flooding back to her.