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“That’s why you made your wish?”
“Yeah, it sounds silly now, but I wanted to impress Kendall. Like I said, huge mistake.”
He shot her a sympathetic look and shook his head sadly. “But that’s not a real friend,” he said. “Real friends should like you exactly the way you are.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “Yeah, I learned that the hard way. It all backfired anyway. Winning my race only made Kendall hate me more. It’s all been such a disaster.”
Though, at least Attina and Alana had been there for her today. She hadn’t lost everything.
“Well, I’m your friend.”
She could tell he meant it, even in her freaky, fishy cursed state.
Suddenly, back over Triton Bay, a bolt of green lightning streaked through the sky and struck the ocean—and this time she saw an image in the flash. It was Enrique—slowly shrinking and starting to turn into one of those strange, pathetic creatures trapped in Ursula’s lair.
Shelly jerked her head away. The image was a clear warning from the sea witch not to double-cross her. And it had also signaled something else—something far worse.
As she’d feared, she wasn’t the only one in danger anymore.
Enrique was, too.
“Come on, let’s turn back,” she said, feeling cold. Nothing felt safe anymore.
“So, what’s the plan then?” he asked, seeing the frightened look in her eyes as they headed back to the beach.
“Tomorrow,” she said, knowing that she didn’t have a choice anymore. She couldn’t let that horrible fate befall Enrique. They had to get the trident. There was no way around it. “Meet at the aquarium after sunset,” she told him, eyes narrowing. “And we’ll take the trident.”
The spare security card had a silver key ring attached to a yellow-and-blue foam flounder.
Shelly had stolen it from a drawer in her mother’s home office the night before, and now, with Enrique by her side, she swiped the security card, then slid the key into the lock. The new security system frightened her. Her father had it installed after a recent series of strange burglary attempts. The police thought it had been local teens, but Shelly wondered if it was something far more insidious—Ursula. What if they were wrong and she could leave the bay? The foam flounder bopped around, and she held her breath, then twisted. The bolts turned and released, admitting them into the dark aquarium.
Enrique gave her a thumbs-up. “Nice work.”
They slipped through the side entrance and followed the corridor down the main hall. The main lights were out, but the exhibits were still lit with their signature blue-green light that cast eerie shadows through the cavernous space. The aquarium felt totally different after hours, when the tourists had cleared out, leaving their sticky residue behind. No kids played tag, careering around the exhibits, or pressed their noses to the glass. No parents chased them, looking exhausted. Instead, it was quiet and foreboding. Not even staff were there. The sea witch was watching; she’d know if they failed. They couldn’t let that happen.
Suddenly, Shelly felt short of breath, like her lungs couldn’t get enough oxygen. Enrique glanced back at her in alarm. He noticed her struggling to keep up. “What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I’m . . . having a hard time . . . breathing,” she managed, still gasping for air. Her lungs were screaming at her. “It feels like my lungs suddenly . . . aren’t working.”
He pulled her toward the nearest tank. “Hurry, over here! I have an idea.”
“What . . . do you mean?” she gasped. “Where are you taking me?”
“Maybe it’s the gills,” he said, leading her to a small tank and removing the top. “Fish can’t breathe out of water, remember? And you’re turning into . . .”
“A fish,” she said, recalling zombie Mr. Bubbles saying, You’re going to go belly-up!
“Just try it,” Enrique said, and she dunked her head into the tank on command.
As soon as the salt water hit her gills, it was like she could breathe again. Really breathe. Gradually, her lungs stopped screaming. She pulled her head out with a frightened expression.
Their eyes met. He held her gaze. “That means . . .”
“Not much time left,” she finished in barely a whisper. Her eyes fell on the main exhibit that towered over the hall. The reef shark darted around the trident, coasting by the pirate ship.
Enrique followed her gaze. “How are we going to get it?”
“Superpowers, remember?” she said, stripping off her scarf and gloves, revealing her hands, which were now more fish than human.
