“It’s really progressing, huh?” he said. “Your hands weren’t like this yesterday.”
She nodded. “Faster than before.”
Her lungs constricted; she was gasping for oxygen. “Let’s go,” she said, pulling him toward the main exhibit into the staff-only area. “I n
eed to hurry up and get into the tank, or I’m going to have trouble breathing again.”
They hurried down an echoing stairwell into the bowels of the exhibit, where few got to go. There, it looked and felt industrial, and at night, almost sinister. The space behind the scenes consisted of metal scaffolding, rusty ladders, and other equipment. She led Enrique over to a ladder that ran up the side of the main exhibit. Light from the tank washed over them as they climbed up and onto the catwalk that spanned the tank. Shelly looked down at the rippling water, illuminated by its artificial light. There were sharks in the tank, but she wasn’t really afraid.
“You know, something’s been bothering me,” Enrique said, shooting her a worried look. He balanced on the catwalk beside her, wobbling.
“What’s that?” Shelly unzipped her hoodie to reveal her wet suit beneath.
“It’s almost like the sea witch knew this fish curse would help you get the trident for her. Because it’s easy for you to swim into the tank. It’s like this was part of her plan all along.”
Shelly gulped. “Maybe you’re right.”
“She’s evil—and wicked smart,” he said with a shake of his head. “She tricked you.”
Shelly handed him an oxygen mask and fins. “Here. Since you don’t have superpowers like me and all.”
He laughed, then pulled on the mask. She switched on the oxygen line. He gave her another thumbs-up. Then they clambered farther down the catwalk. It was slippery and narrow. She’d never swum inside the main exhibit. It was dangerous with sharks and other animals, not to mention the hazards of diving with an oxygen line. One needed to be a trained professional, but she might as well have been. They hovered over the pirate ship. She could just see it through the rippling water.
“Here goes nothing,” she said, diving into the tank with a soft splash.
Enrique followed, landing with a churn of bubbles beside her. He was clumsier in the water with all the gear, but she was practically a fish now.
She cut through the tank, diving toward the ship, past it and the faux treasure chest.
The trident stood before her, skewering the sand.
Enrique caught up. Without thinking, he reached out to grab the trident—but she batted his hand away just in time. A bolt of electricity shot out from the trident, nearly zapping him.
“Let me,” she said, and somehow her voice rang out clear as day through the water.
He nodded.
Suddenly, warning voices sounded.
“Don’t trust her—she lies!”
But then she looked down at her feet, which were fully turning into fins now, and over at Enrique, remembering the sea witch’s threat to turn him into one of her writhing creatures. She had to reverse the curse. She had to help the sea witch.
She grasped the trident.
Though it seemed to be wedged in the sand, at her touch it came loose with surprising ease.
No electric shocks zapped her.
Then, all at once, the barnacles fell away, revealing a gleaming, golden weapon.
She felt great power emanating from the ancient weapon, but also danger.
Suddenly, alarms sounded. Removing the trident must have triggered them. They had to get out of there before the police came. Enrique gave her a startled look. Together, they swam upward. But his oxygen line got snagged on the pirate ship—and came unplugged. He struggled to free himself, unable to breathe. Then, suddenly, the reef shark darted toward Shelly.
The shark looked agitated, too. Like something had gotten into him. An unnatural emerald light flashed in the shark’s eyes. Part of the enchantment to protect the trident?
The shark cracked open its jaws and zeroed in on the trident.