Read Summer in Enchantia for Free Online

splashing about in the water. The waves had turned every rowing boat upside down. Even King Rat was floundering around, hiswig soaked through and flopping to one side.
    “I could always eat them,” said Esmeralda thoughtfully, “although I don’t think they look as if they would taste very nice – I really prefer eating seaweed.”
    It was a tempting offer, but Rosa quickly shook her head. “No, you’d better not. Maybe you could you put them in the brig for us, though?” she asked, looking at the trapdoor on the deck that led down to the ship’s prison.
    “Certainly!” said Esmeralda, swooping down and scooping three pirates out of the water in one go. “It’s the least I can do!” She swung them over the deck. Rosa and Nutmeg pulled the trapdoor open andEsmeralda dropped the yelling pirates inside, before swinging back for some more.
    Soon all of the pirates were in the brig. Last of all, Esmeralda scooped up a very wet and bedraggled King Rat.

    “Let me go!” he yelled, shaking his fist. “You can’t do this to me!” he shrieked at Rosa.
    She grinned. “Just watch us! Thanks, Esmeralda!”
    The sea serpent dropped King Rat into the brig on top of the rest of the pirates.
    “But I’m cold and wet and hungry!” wailed King Rat from inside the brig.
    “There’s plenty of ship’s biscuits to eat!” said Rosa, tipping a load of them down inside.
    Nutmeg slammed the trapdoor shut and bolted it. “That should keep them safe.” She grinned. “Me hearties!”
    Rosa giggled. “Now we just need to get the ship back to the shore,” she said. “Then we can unload the King and Queen’s treasure and magic it back to the palace for the party.”
    “Hooray!” said Nutmeg. Then she frowned. “Though how are we going to get it to the shore? I don’t know how to sail a ship.”
    “Maybe I could help you out there, too,” Esmeralda volunteered. “I could push you back to the beach.”
    “That would be brilliant!” said Rosa. “Thank you!”
    “My pleasure. You certainly helped me out, little human. If it wasn’t for you, my tooth would still be hurting and goodness knows what damage I would have caused. Here we go!”
    The sea serpent dived down and hauled up the anchor with her teeth. Dumping it on the deck, she gave the girls an almostshy look. “Would … would you mind dancing for me while I push the ship along? It’s just, I love to watch dancing and I hardly ever get to see any.”
    “Of course we will!” exclaimed Rosa. “We love dancing too!”
    Nutmeg waved her wand and the music for the jig they had danced earlier flooded out. The girls began to dance the hornpipe on the deck, skipping forward, backs straight, arms folded. Smiling happily, Esmeralda pushed the ship gently through the waves and, with the first stars of the night shining overhead and the lively music in their ears, Rosa and Nutmeg danced on.

When they reached the beach, Esmeralda pushed the ship all the way up on to the sand until it would move no further. Then she unloaded the treasure from the hold, her long tentacles snaking down the steps and plucking the chests out one by one. At last, everything King Rat and his pirates had stolen was piled up on the sand.
    “Thank you so much!” Nutmeg said gratefully to Esmeralda. “Now I can use my magic to whisk everything back to the palace and we can have the garden party tomorrow after all.”
    “I wish you could come,” Rosa said, patting the sea serpent’s neck.
    Esmeralda smiled. “I will think of you all having a lovely time, and be happy. I prefer it in the sea.” She glanced at the brig. “But what about those perishing pirates?”
    Rosa and Nutmeg looked at each other. “We’re going to have to let them out at some point, I suppose,” said Nutmeg reluctantly.
    Rosa walked over to the brig trapdoor and banged on it.
    “Let us out!” groaned King Rat. “I feel seasick!”
    “You can only come out if you promise that you won’t be a pirate any