Read Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist for Free Online Page B

too.

It was hours before I got the chance to speak to Shona. We didn’t manage to catch a moment on our own, with everyone crowding around in groups to talk about Neptune’s visit all throughout lunch and then having to sit in silence for the ocean studies test.
    At the end of the day, we swam out through the tunnels with Althea and Marina.
    “That was easy!” Marina said as soon as we were out of earshot of the classroom.
    “What did you put for number four?” Althea asked.
    “Angelfish,” Marina replied quickly.
    “Yeah, me too.”
    Shona was busy stroking the glittery gold starfish she’d won for best outfit.
    “So swish, Neptune coming to our school,” Althea murmured.
    “I know,” Shona replied dreamily.
    “I wonder if he’ll get all his treasure back,” Marina added, and the three of them talked about his visit all the way to the end of the tunnel, where Shona and I said good-bye to the others.
    As soon as they were out of sight, Shona turned to me, her eyes almost popping out with excitement. “So? What were you trying to tell me this morning?” she asked. “Was it about the ring? Did you really lose it?”
    I glanced around before replying. Some younger merchildren were laughing and playing in the sea on their way home from school. A couple of them had caught a ride home on a dolphin. Others were chasing one another or jumping over waves. The sun beat down on us.
    I pulled Shona into a rocky crevice. We swam between the rocks, taking a long route home. Once I was sure there was no one around, I pulled my hand out of my pocket. It slid out easily this time. Twisting the ring around so she could see the diamond, I held my hand out.
    “Swirling sea horses!” Shona said, swimming upto look more closely. “You had it all along! But why did you say you’d lost it?”
    I wondered whether to tell her the truth about the weird feeling I’d been getting from it all day. How crazy would it sound, though? And was it a good idea to involve her at all? Last time I’d dragged her into one of my adventures, it had nearly wrecked things between us. But could I really go through this on my own?
    “You promise not to tell anyone about this?” I asked, deciding our friendship was strong enough.
    Shona looked at me blankly. “Why? Why the big secret? How come you didn’t turn it in, Emily?”
    I shook my head. “I couldn’t.”
    “‘Didn’t want to,’ you mean?” Shona said. “Emily, you heard what Mr. Beeston said. Neptune will be furious if anyone —”
    “I couldn’t, Shona,” I said more firmly.
    She stopped and stared at me. “Why not? What do you mean?”
    I looked up at her from under my eyelids. I could feel my tail quiver as I blushed. “You’ll think I’m crazy,” I said.
    “Of course I won’t,” Shona said, laughing. “I know you’re crazy. Come on, it’s me, your best friend. Tell me!”
    I smiled, despite my weird feelings about it all. “OK.” And before I could talk myself out of it, Ifound myself telling Shona all the things I’d been feeling since I’d been wearing the ring and about my hand getting stuck in my pocket while Neptune was at school.
    “It was so strange, when I was looking for it. I had such a strong feeling, as if it wanted me to find it,” I said.
    I stopped talking and waited for Shona to speak. This was where she would tell me I’d completely lost it and she didn’t want to be my friend anymore. Why had I risked her friendship again? Was it too late to take it all back, say I was joking?
    I stared down at a skinny sea horse bobbing along the seabed, its bright orange color standing out against the white sand. A shoal of butter hamlets drifted by, taking no notice of the sea horse or of us.
    Finally I looked up at Shona. She was staring into my face. “You promise you’re not making this up?” she asked.
    “Of course I’m not making it up! Why would I want you to think I’m even nuttier than you already do?”
    “It must be magic,