“Nice work on these nails, baby doll.” He was grinning uncontrollably as he gazed down at a handful of the nails she’d straightened. “One thing I did right was I taught you how to be resourceful. Make the best of things.” His confidence was coming back, Luce realized, and her tail flipped from pure exuberance. He was going to be fine. Maybe she could even introduce him to Dorian.

“You did everything right, Dad.” Except for trusting Peter, Luce thought, but she didn’t say that part out loud. Then she couldn’t suppress the urge to brag a little. She wanted him to be proud of her. “Some of the other mermaids even think I should be queen.”

He laughed. “I don’t doubt it, baby doll. They couldn’t hope for a better one than you.” He was looking at the pile of wood, and Luce suddenly realized that he was consumed by hope, almost delirious with excitement. After two years marooned to be this close to freedom . . .“Now, about that raft. I’ll build a frame, and maybe while I’m working on that you can oil up these seal skins . . .”

24

Strange Queens

They couldn’t have picked a better day for setting out. The sea was smooth and luminous, the air warm. Birds were flocking north again as Luce slipped into the harness she’d braided from long strips of hide. It had been her father’s idea to pad the insides of the straps with fur so that they wouldn’t chafe her shoulders. Luce checked the raft for the tenth time that day, tugging and banging on it. It seemed sturdy enough, with low boxlike sides to keep the waves from slopping in too much. Her father grinned to himself as he lowered in a heavy skin bag of fresh water along with some dried fish in a crude net of twisted grass cord.

It had taken them several days to get everything ready, but Luce was still nervous. It was a lovely day, and the waves were as low and easy as she had ever seen them, but if the weather changed for the worse she might not be able to save him. And there was no way to guess how far they had to go.

He saw the look on her face and ruffled her hair. “Lucette, doll, if something goes wrong . . .” She tried to keep her dismay from showing. “Don’t ever think it was your fault, all right? I’m the one who should’ve studied harder in raft-building class back in high school.” He grinned, but for the first time since they’d begun planning his escape Luce could hear anxiety in his voice.

It was a feeble enough joke, but Luce smiled at him. “I won’t let anything happen to you.” Suddenly she was positive that she’d get him to land, no matter what it took.