Read Online Pretty in Pearls: A Forgive My Fins Novella (HarperTeen Impulse) by Tera Lynn Childs - Free Book Online Page B

scuffle. “I raise dorids and Moorella breeds aeolids.”
    Aha! Two different branches of the sea-slug family.
    “Well, according to the official race rules,” I say, reading from the relevant code, “ if there are sufficient entrants so as to require more than one race, the races may be divided by nudibranch infraorder .”
    Lily blinks at me. “Say what?”
    “It means,” I say, slamming the binder shut, “we can run two races. One for dorids, and one for aeolids.”
    The two farmers glare at each other warily. Lily beams.
    “Does that solve your dispute, gentlemen?” she asks.
    Grumbling, they both agree. Moments later, Mangrove is escorting them from the room, soon to return with the next unhappy citizen.
    Thinking about the festival makes me think about Riatus. Pretty much everything makes me think about him, but this relates to my current concerns.
    “I am so seriously confused,” I say. “Riatus is acting so weird.”
    “What happened?” she asks. “I thought you were giving up on him. How was your date with Lom?”
    I twist in my seat—a small chair next to the throne—so that my tail fin drapes over the arm. “You want to know where he took me?” I hang my head back over the other arm. “To the market.”
    “No,” Lily gasps.
    I nod, sending my dark hair swirling around me. “And guess where in the market.”
    “No!”
    “Yes,” I exclaim. “He wanted to buy me pearls.”
    “No!”
    There is something less-than-surprised about her tone.
    “Did you have something to do with that?” I demand. “Did you tell him to take me to Paru’s stall in some misguided—against-my-wishes—attempt to make Riatus jealous?”
    “Of course not,” she insists. “That was all his idea.”
    I glare at her.
    Mangrove returns to the throne room and announces the next audience.
    Lily waves them forward. She doesn’t need me for this one, so I stare at the ceiling and don’t think about Riatus. The throne-room ceiling is a wonder—intricately carved designs that include all sorts of elements of sea life from beautiful butterflyfish to slimy squid, coral to sea fans, and everything in between. It’s as if someone took all the ocean’s life and wove it together in picturesque, breathtaking relief. There are even a few jellyfish, but I try to ignore them.
    Just like I’m ignoring thoughts of Riatus.
    Lily processes the complaint quickly and a few minutes later she’s turning back to me.
    “Was Riatus there?”
    I sit up. “Yes.”
    “Did he say anything?”
    Boy did he. “He was kind of a jerk.”
    Lily leans over the arm of the throne, her blond hair surrounding her like a halo. “Like, how?”
    “Like . . . I don’t know.” I grab my own hair and start weaving it into a braid. “Just a jerk.”
    Mangrove announces another citizen, and this time Lily needs to know the relevant zoning laws about building above the city—as in floating above the city. Needless to say that it’s pretty much forbidden, except in cases of temporary structures. No one wants some new building blocking out what little sun we get down here.
    As soon as that discussion is settled, Lily swims out of her seat and spins in a circle. When she whirls back to face me, she has that up-to-something smile on her face.
    “So I take it you won’t be seeing Lom again?” Lily asks.
    I roll my eyes. “He couldn’t say good night fast enough after we left the market. Who can blame him after Riatus told him he caught me stealing pearls once?”
    Lily’s eyes narrow. “Did you tell him it wasn’t true?”
    “Yes.” I fidget with the hem of my top.
    “I thought Lom would be more understanding.” She studies me. “What aren’t you telling me?”
    I swear, Lily can smell gossip from a mile away.
    “Okay, maybe it was because I hit Riatus.”
    “You hit him?” Lily gasps.
    “I slapped him. Hard.” I shrug. “He deserved it.”
    “I’m sure he did.”
    Lily falls silent for a moment, and I’m not sure if I should