Evelina and the Reef Hag Part 25

Kamaria took the first visible hole in the trees.

Evelina clutched Kamaria's red suit tighter.

Branches slapped Evelina in the face as they crashed through the leafy canopy.

A bigger hole would have been nice, but there was no time to be picky with a homicidal, freak of nature, killer bird on their tail.

They plummeted to earth, landing with a thud in the sand, in the middle of a small clearing.

Then, Whoos.h.!.+

They slid headlong into a flock of seagulls pecking a dead flounder.

Evelina struggled to her feet, shaking from head to toe. They were lucky to be alive. For once, Kamaria's recklessness had paid off. "Thanks." Another inch and they'd have been s.h.i.+sh kabobs. "Nice flying."

"Don't mention it," Kamaria panted. "No man left behind." She dusted off her derriere. "That's how we operate."

The conch sh.e.l.l sounded.

"Come on!" Evelina raced toward the sound. Not only did she not want to be late, but curiosity about Eydis Turtlemoon was burning a hole in her brain. Now that she knew who Frankie's betrothed was, she was dying to clamp eyes on her.

By the time they reached the clearing Kamaria had shrunken by half.

Udora stood waiting, bottle in hand, ready to collect her.

"Hurry, my dear!" Mrs. Segal shooed Evelina toward the gathering of witches by the waterfall.

Abby and Tally rushed toward her.

Tally gave a great sigh. "You made it."

Evelina scanned the crowd. "What did I miss?"

"Lily was looking for you," Abby said. "Something about that p.r.i.c.kle you gave her."

"The lab results." Though Proteus had already clued her in. "A barb from the tail of a Ghost Ray. It's the Reef Hag's secret weapon. That's how she does it. I'm sure of it. It creates doubt and misery in the mind of the victim. If it isn't pulled out they eventually give up-their heart gives out."

"Speaking of hearts." Abby wiggled her eyebrows up and down. "Cliff finally told me her name."

Evelina held up a hand. "I already know."

Tally gazed from one of them to the other. "Who's name?"

"Frankie's betrothed," Abby said out of the side of her mouth to Tally, then turned back to Evelina. "He finally told you? It's about time. Everyone else knows. She's right over there."

Evelina's gaze followed the direction of Abby's hand.

"Eydis Turtlemoon." Abby pointed through the crowd. "The tall, skinny blonde."

Evelina's gaze roved over the slender girl in the white tunic. Eydis of White Water-the same tribe as Lily. Maybe Lily knew something about her.

Eydis Turtlemoon turned her head.

Their gazes locked.

Evelina's skin flamed.

She quickly looked away, realizing she'd been gawking like a fool.

Luckily, Eydis showed no sign of recognizing her.

Not that she would. Why would she? According to Frankie, he never saw Eydis, let alone talked to her.

Evelina sucked in a long cool breath. No sense thinking about it. There was nothing she could do to change it.

Only Eydis could break off the betrothal.

And why would she do that?

Frankie was everything anyone could want.

Except...

He belonged to someone else.

Evelina did her best to remember that all the way to the tree fort, and again when Frankie and Cliff showed up later that night.

"We saw your girlfriend tonight," Abby blurted as soon as they popped in.

Evelina shot Abby a hot glare. She grabbed a pineapple and plunked it on the cutting board at the bar. She s.n.a.t.c.hed up a knife to begin slicing it with concentrated furor.

"Oh yeah." Frankie raised one golden brow. "How is she?"

Abby shrugged. "Average."

Cliff pinched her b.u.t.t.

"Ouch!" She punched him in the arm.

"We didn't actually speak to her." Evelina sliced into the pineapple with a thwack. "But, she looked very... nice."

Awkward.

Thank you Abby.

Frankie's mouth curved in the ghost of a smile.

"She is," Cliff piped in.

"n.o.body asked you." Abby grabbed him by the arm, pulling him away from the bar.

Frankie handed Evelina a plate for the pineapple. "Next Sunday's the final compet.i.tion."

"I know." She looked up from her slicing. "And the Swamp Hogs are ahead."

"Oceana and White Water are down one." Frankie appeared thoughtful. "Lake of the Isles have the best chance of beating them."

Frankie was right. Oceana was certainly the strongest team, but numbers mattered. The scales were tipped.

Lake of the Isles needed to keep their heads down, until the Reef Hag was caught.

Easier said than done.

The truth was...

They were all in danger out there.

"Concentration is key," Burble trilled. "Without it, all is lost."

Evelina groaned under the weight of the enormous tiara Abby had just conjured on her head.

Beams of light shot across the sand, igniting the crowd of novices on the beach practicing spells.

It felt like a chandelier had fallen on her, but Evelina forced a smile, putting on her game face for Abby's sake.

"So is speed," Burble made eye contact with Abby, Tally and then Evelina. "Often you must transform in an instant. Let your imagination run free."

Abby snapped her fingers.

The tiara disappeared.

Evelina rubbed the back of her neck to loosen the kinks.

"Focus and," Burble swept both hands in the air, "execute!"

A delicate tiara of diamonds and pearls appeared on Tally's head.

Abby lifted her hand in the air, gaze trained on Evelina's head.

Evelina stiffened, bracing herself for the anvil to fall, or in this case a tiara the size of a s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p.

Abby snapped her fingers.

A light circle of weight descended onto Evelina's head.

Tally's gaze widened.

Abby gave a hoot of laughter.

"What?" Evelina put a hand to her head. It felt like oysters. "Ouch!" One snapped at her finger, giving it a sound pinch. Evelina flung it from her head. "It's alive!"

"Almost!" Burble smiled wide. "Very close. Well done! Continue on." Burble strode down the beach in the direction of Nebula Sludge and her brood of Swamp Hags.

"Close!" Abby gave a loud huff. "I think my first one was closer."

"I think she means closer to the right size." Evelina patted her on the shoulder. "Who knows, maybe they're loaded with pearls."

"What's that?" Tally pointed down the beach.

Evelina cupped one hand over her eyes, squinting against the bright sun. "Looks like something's washed ash.o.r.e."

Abby strode toward it. "Looks like a dead head."

Evelina followed. "It has a head alright."

Tally gasped. "It's a person!"

Evelina rolled the figure over.

Her skin tingled.

Eydis Turtlemoon.

Evelina stared for a long moment, then dropped to the sand.

She put her ear to Eydis' heart, but couldn't hear a thing.

Evelina started chest compressions, counting to thirty. Then she pinched Eydis' nose, tilted her chin, and gave her two breaths. She pumped her chest again.

Eydis coughed and coughed, puking up water.

Evelina rolled her onto her side.

"Thank G.o.d!" She released the breath she'd been holding. "She's alive."

When the coughing stopped Eydis' eyes fluttered open.

"Eydis!" Evelina helped her sit up. "What happened?"

"I just waded out to cool off for a minute. Then, something stabbed me," Eydis whispered. "Like a needle."

Oh no!

She'd been stung by a Ghost Ray.

"Where?"