A Pearl Among Princes by Coleen Paratore

arm.
    â€œFor a long time now,” Lu says, “and more and more it seems this past year, you have been telling all of us about these strange emotions haunting you. The dreams of all the faces and the signs and the guiding words you hear from your mother.”
    Nuff tilts her head to look in my eyes. “You say you are called to leave Miramore,” she says. “Mackree knows he can’t go with you. He knows that the only way for you to leave Miramore is with a prince. Mackree could beg you to reconsider, beg you to stay, but his love for you is nobler than that. So he has set you free.”
    My friends give me time and space to let the pain cry out. After, I wash my face and rejoin them. “Tell me, honestly, are you mad at me for wanting to leave?”
    â€œWe’re not worried,” Nuff says. “We know you’ll come back.”
    â€œYou’ve always been special,” Lu says. “We’ve always known. Nuff and I, we’re content here. You’ve always wanted something more.”
    â€œYou’ll be the first, Gracepearl,” Nuff says with pride in her voice. “The first to marry a prince and leave Miramore.”
    â€œGracepearl the First you’ll be,” says Lu.
    We clean up the crumbs, fold the napkins, and sit back content in silence. Lu begins talking of the gown she’s making for the Summersleave Ball. “It’s crimson,” she says, “like the sunset, and I’m sewing in bits of silver jitties to catch the light.”
    â€œI bet Sir Richard will keep your dance card filled all night,” I say. “And what about you, Nuff? Has a prince caught your fancy?”
    â€œNo, not yet,” Nuff says. “I’m still making observations.”
    Nuff starts a fire in the hearth. I put the tea kettle on. Lu runs home to ask if she can spend the night too. She comes back with a pillow and quilt.
    After tea and the last of the good chocolate cookies, arms linked, we walk down to the beach, gazing up at the glittering specks above.
    Reaching the water I close my eyes and take a deep breath, sending out gratitude for Father’s recovery and these two wonderful friends.
    For a few minutes we are each lost in our own reveries, then wishes made, we link arms again and head home, our chatter bubbling fast as a brook.
    Back at the cottage we lay out blankets in front of the fireplace and sit together staring at the waning fire, now just glowing embers on a log.
    â€œWhat about you, Gracepearl?” Nuff asks. “Has a prince caught your fancy?”
    â€œSir Peter interests me some,” I say.
    Nuff sits back a bit, her body stiffening. I try to catch her eyes, but she won’t look my way.
    â€œAnd you, Nuff,” Lu says, “what about you?”
    â€œNo one yet,” Nuff insists.
    I have the sense Nuff is holding back.
    â€œI’m tired,” Nuff says, “can we go to Psleep?”
    â€œSure,” I say, setting the grate around the hearth.
    Lu blows out the candle lamps.
    I snuggle beneath my covers. “Good night.”
    â€œGood night,” Lu answers.
    Nuff is silent. Does Nuff fancy Sir Peter?
    But Nuff doesn’t really even want to marry a prince. She wants to stay on Miramore forever. Surely she won’t begrudge me this boy who has a boat I need. There will be other princes for Nuff this year and the next.
    I need a boat right now.

CHAPTER 10
    ÊºChop, Chop!ʺ
    A, B, C, D, E, F, G,
H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P,
Q, R, S, T, U, and V,
W, and X, Y and Z,
Now I’ve said my ABC’s,
Tell me what you think of me.
    Dawn blossoms bolder than a fiery orange trumpeter lily on the Isle of Miramore. It begins as a pinkish bud, then blooms and spreads with a wild, unstoppable fury until it basks the entire shore in its glorious glow. Walking the path to the beach, in the distance I faintly hear the guard blowing a wake-up call through a giant whirled queen conch shell to