Page 64 of The Poison Season

“I’m not saying she needs to get married right away,” Ketty said, handing her sister some bread and cheese. “But if she doesn’t even have someone in mind...”

Fiona grinned. “What makes you so sure she doesn’t?”

Leelo’s stomach, which had been full of butterflies only a moment ago, twisted in fear. Of course, her mother didn’t know whom she liked, just that she liked someone. She had been reminding Leelo of it lately, always fixing her hair or clothing before Leelo went out, even for Watcher duty. She’d made Leelo a new dress to wear forsomeone special, as she’d put it, with Leelo’s first corseted bodice and soft pink lace that had been carefully hand dyed.

Leelo had laughed at the implication, not wanting to deny her feelings too much; that would only make Mama more suspicious. But she’d never told her mother explicitly not to say anything to her aunt.

Ketty glanced meaningfully at Leelo. “I see. Is there something you want to tell me?”

“I—”

“About what?” Sage returned and dropped the full waterskins on the picnic blanket next to Leelo, oblivious to the tension radiating off her. She plunked down so close that she bumped Leelo’s thigh and reached for a strawberry, twirling it by the stem.

“Leelo has a secret romance,” Ketty said, her voice tinged with that tiny hint of suspicion she always had when it came to Leelo.

Sage laughed around the strawberry. “No, she doesn’t.”

Leelo glanced at her mother, who was averting her gaze, having realized her mistake too late. If Leelo hadn’t told Sage about the boy she liked, then Leelo was clearly trying to keep this a secret, and Fiona had just outed her.

Leelo wasn’t sure what to do. If she denied it, either Mama would appear to be a liar or Leelo would. But if she told them the truth, she would arouse Sage’s curiosity, and that would make it even harder to get time to herself.

“It’s Matias,” she blurted, choosing the name of a boy roughly their age out of thin air. “Matias Johnson. I haven’t told anyone about it because he doesn’t know I exist.” That part, at least, was true. Matias was another Watcher, but he lived on the far side of the island. Leelo knew nothing about him, other than that he had two older brothers and that his mother was a potter. She instantly wished she’d chosen another name, someone more credible, but it was too late now.

Sage screwed up her nose in disbelief. “What?”

Leelo blushed under her family’s scrutiny. “I know, it’s a little unexpected. But I think he’s nice and attractive. We danced at the summer solstice festival.” Lies, lies, and more lies. Leelo hadn’t danced with anyone that night, and she didn’t think Matias was attractive. He wasn’tunattractive; Leelo simply had never thought of him that way.

Fiona was watching Leelo from the corner of her eye, clearly not persuaded by her fabrication. She couldn’t have chosen a blander way to describe a boy she supposedly liked.

Ketty glanced away finally. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but Matias is as good as engaged himself. His mother told me at the most recent council meeting. He and Reddy Wells have been promised to each other for ages now. I’m surprised you didn’t know.”

Leelo flushed further, which at least seemed like an appropriate reaction to the news that her love interest was spoken for. “Oh.”

Ketty nodded smugly. “If you liked him, you should have made yourself known a long time ago.”

“It’s new,” Leelo said. “I didn’t know about Reddy.” She glanced at her mother and Sage, who were watching this exchange with completely different expressions that both said the same thing: they didn’t believe Leelo in the slightest.

Fortunately, Fiona was willing to accept the lie from her daughter. She tucked Leelo under her arm and kissed the top of her head. “I’m so sorry, my dear. But not to worry. There are other boys on the island. I’m sure we’ll find someone for you.”

Leelo allowed herself to be comforted, but on the way home, Sage was still staring at her with those narrowed, suspicious eyes.

“So. Matias,” she said when their mothers had fallen behind. “It’s funny. I don’t think I’ve ever heard you mention him before.”

“Really? I’m sure I have.” Inside, Leelo was cringing at her own terrible lie. She wished she’d mentioned someone else, but she’d panicked. She should have known this would come up eventually, especially now that Sage was engaged. But she’d been so focused on Jaren that she hadn’t thought to come up withanotherlie.

“He’s a strange choice for you.”

“He is?”

“His father is a butcher.”

Leelo’s stomach twisted as she suddenly remembered that Matias often had bloodstains on his clothing from helping his father work. “Oh, that’s right. I’d forgotten.”

“Well, I suppose it’s for the best that he’s marrying Reddy. Otherwise you’d have to learn how to butcher meat, and I’m not sure you’d be able to stomach it.”

Leelo managed a watery smile. “Probably not.”

“Don’t worry, Lo. I’ll find someone for you. We’ll have you engaged by the end of the year, too.” She slung her arm over Leelo’s shoulder, gripping her a little too tight.

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