“You bet,” Rose's mother said.

“Let's go get him,” Dr. Neill said.

“I can't wait,” Sam said.

Then Rose's mother and Dr. Neill leaned down to give Rose the biggest hug she'd ever had in her life—both of them looking at her with love and bravery in their eyes. She felt a giant swell, almost as if Nanny had just come up for air, sent a huge wave flooding over her. She closed her eyes, letting the wave and their hugs hold her aloft.

Rose watched as her mother stopped in front of Maeve. They looked at each other for the longest time, arrows of strength and love shooting from their eyes. Rose felt almost like crying, even though she didn't know why. Her great-grandmother's gaze was so ferocious—she looked charged up, ready for battle. She kissed Rose's mother. And then she did the oddest thing. She shook her hand—just as if they were in a business meeting instead of a rose garden.

“Godspeed, my darling,” Maeve said. “You will prevail.”

“Granny,” Rose's mother said, her eyes huge and wide open, looking almost as if she were a very little girl, and in that second Rose could see her mother at Rose's age and even younger, turning to Maeve for everything.

“Right is might, darling,” Maeve said. “He has gotten away with so much for so long. You're going to end that with the truth. Today . . .”

“What if he wins?”

“He won't,” Maeve said, hands on Rose's mother's cheeks, gazing hard into her eyes. Her touch left two small streaks of dirt on her cheekbones, like war paint. Dr. Neill brushed them away, and Rose's mother turned, and she and Dr. Neill walked up the stone steps.

“I love you, Mommy!” Rose shouted out.

Her mother looked directly at Rose. Their eyes met and held—her mother's were as bright blue as the sky. They smiled at each other. Her mother held up a coin and threw it into the Sea Garden wishing well. It sparkled in the sunlight, turning as it flew through the air, jingling against the rocks inside.

Rose's mother had thrown the coin, but Rose made a wish anyway.

Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Lily and Liam sat together in front, while Patrick, Marisa, and Sam rode in back. Marisa and Patrick seemed so happy and close, even though they had to be exhausted from their long drive. The conversation was quick and lively, catching up on the weeks since they'd first met in Cape Hawk, hearing about Patrick driving Sam up from Baltimore for the ceili, and it reminded Lily of good friends, out for a summer drive—instead of on the way to Family Court.

“You should have heard Marisa and her sister,” Patrick said. “They were the best at the festival.”

“Even though we came in third,” Marisa said.

“Wait till next year,” Sam said.