Betrothed by Wanda Wiltshire Page B

to say it because I know how sensitive you are—there are your ears. Maybe you’re not of this world.’
    Hilary leaned forward in her seat. ‘I don’t think I’d go that far, Amy, but Jack does have some valid points.’
    ‘Oh please, I can kind of believe Jack getting carried away, the big drama fiend he is, but you . . . Besides, I can’t kiss my elbow.’
    ‘But your ears, Amy.’
    ‘So what if they’re a little pointy?’
    ‘A little!’ Jack scoffed. ‘You could open cans with those things!’
    ‘Don’t,’ I whined. ‘You’re making me self-conscious.’
    ‘Oh don’t worry, Marla, they’re very cute little can openers.’ Jack laughed, as he reached across to pinch the pointy tip of my ear. ‘Does Leif have pointy ears too?’
    ‘Yes,’ I confessed.
    ‘Well then, think about this. If you hate your own ears so much—and you are forever whinging that you do—then why would you imagine the same imperfection—your view, not mine—on the object of your desire, the man who is supposedly the perfect creation of your imagination?’ He hesitated for a while to let his point sink in. ‘Didn’t think of that, did you?’
    ‘So what are you saying, Jack? That I’m a fairy and Leif really does exist in another world somewhere?’
    ‘I’m just saying that until we get some answers, I wouldn’t rule anything out.’

    A little later we were sitting around Ruby’s dining table, chatting—about school, the weather, that kind of thing. When the conversation turned to family, I asked about my own. ‘Ruby, I’ve been wondering if my parents left any way to contact them, an address or something.’
    She shook her head. ‘I’m afraid not, dear.’
    ‘No clue at all as to where they might be?’
    ‘I do believe your father mentioned the name of the place they were from, but I couldn’t say what it was now. I suppose I should have written it down.’
    ‘Does Faera sound familiar?’
    Her eyes lit up instantly. ‘That’s it, Faera!’ There was not a trace of hesitation in her voice. A thrill of excitement raced through me. Faera existed!
    ‘Did he say where this place is?’ Jack asked. ‘What country it might be in?’
    ‘Not that I recall . . . but of course, it was a long time ago now.’
    ‘Did he have an accent?’
    What a brilliant question. Jack was so clever! I wanted to jump up and hug him.
    ‘Yes . . . it was unusual—very formal and there was a lovely tone to it. He definitely wasn’t from here.’
    ‘Musical and old-fashioned?’ I asked.
    Ruby smiled, ‘Precisely, dear.’
    Just like Leif’s .
    Hilary asked about surnames, but apparently my parents hadn’t mentioned them. It was disappointing, but not unexpected. Surely surnames would have been on the letter if they’d wanted me to know them. After an hour or so, and the promise of a future visit, we said goodbye and headed to the sea.
    Bondi Beach was a crescent moon of pale sand freckled from one end to the other with people. We claimed a patch and threw down our towels. I stretched out on my back and enjoyed the sun on my skin as our discovery raced around my mind. Faera existed—probably in some strange, far off country, but just to know it was real was amazing. And Leif—could Leif be real too? Not a Fae prince obviously, but alive somewhere and dreaming of me? Could he be on the other side of the world? Perhaps, connected to my parents somehow, all three safe and happy and yearning for me? I mentally slapped myself. It was all just wishful thinking and could only lead to heartache and possible, no, probable , insanity. I sighed, frustrated at just how much I didn’t know.
    Jack picked up a handful of sand and trickled it onto my belly. ‘You all right?’ he asked after a moment.
    ‘Just thinking.’
    ‘About what?’ He was lying on his stomach beside me, eyes on my middle as he flicked off the sand with tickling fingers.
    ‘What do you think, Jack?’
    ‘Guess that was a stupid