Later that night, around 11.45........

Anemone scribbled furiously at the scroll, shredding it. She huffed, and picked up her third.

Dear mother, she wrote.

You do not understand my love life. I am not dating Pike. [heaven forbid]

I am dating someone else, who you will meet at the party.

Your loving daughter,

Anemone

P.S. Give my siblings a hug for me.

She smiled with satisfaction, and rolled up the scroll, tying it with a ribbon.

Anemone was holding something wrapped in seaweed. She picked up a white, mother-of-pearl box, and placed it inside. Tongue poking out in concentration, she tied it with ribbon and set it aside. She did the same thing with the second object. Placing the first in an enchanted safe, she took the second and quietly tiptoed into her and Tamarin's bedroom. On one side, was a hammock, and on the other was a bed of seaweed. A rock ledge jutted out from each wall. Anemone quietly placed the box on the ledge on Tamarin's side, fingering the ribbon. She thought about today, and how cruel she'd been to Tamarin. She didn't want to be. But as they got closer and closer together, she knew it was only a matter of time before her mother made her marry some dumb Seawing, like Pike. Anemone wasn't exactly sure if she and Tamarin were dating, but she'd find out tomorrow, like it or not. Tomorrow would reveal if her plan would work. Tomorrow would be the decision between Tamarin's death, or Tamarin's survival. Anemone couldn't live with Tamarin's death. Her plan had to work. Or she could kiss her beautiful future goodbye.

Literally.