Aly shrugged. “Maybe, but I sensed strong purpose there, as if the vines know they must protect the spring. I’m not sure they would undo the wall for me.”

  “Probably not,” Rissa said. “Nothing here is easy.”

  The girls crawled out of the hut and saw that the fire was out. Stripe had poured sand over it and stirred the ashes. “I guess he is a good camper,” Kaida said.

  “I know I’m glad I didn’t have to clean the fish,” Rissa said. “I totally did not want to deal with fish guts.”

  “Ewww!” Shaylee shuddered delicately. “Can we not talk about that? I ate some of those fish.”

  “Yeah,” Rissa said, “but you didn’t have to eat the guts.”

  “Ewww!”

  “Well, I wouldn’t mind a little fish right now,” Kaida said. “I’m hungry.”

  “There’s no time for fishing,” Stripe said as he raced toward them from the river. “I want to get going before those monsters decide to take off with my boat.”

  “I don’t think they’d do that,” Aly said.

  “You never can tell with monsters.”

  With no breakfast to eat, the group had no reason to linger at the camp, so the girls slipped their tattered gowns back on for warmth and trooped down to the river. Walking behind Rissa, Rachel noticed that between their mud bath and their dip in the river, all the temporary color was gone from Rissa’s hair. “Rissa,” Rachel said in surprise, “your hair is a really pretty color!”

  Rissa put a hand to her cropped strawberry blond hair. “You think so?” Then she laughed. “Don’t get used to it. When we get home, I’m planning on a pink period in Shaylee’s honor.”

  As they scrambled into the boat, the girls looked nervously at the river dragon, which was waiting patiently near the bow of the boat. But “patiently” for a river dragon included occasional twitches and wiggles that set the boat bobbing like a cork.

  “Where’s Marisol?” Kaida asked as she climbed in to sit beside Stripe. The girls called their friend’s name for several minutes before Marisol’s dark head popped up above the water. Her hair was woven with even more shells and pearls.

  “Guess what?” she asked. Then, without waiting for an answer, she said, “The river dragons told me there are more merpeople. Lots of them! We just have to head downstream to the sea.” She pointed downstream.

  “Marisol,” Aly said gently, “that’s the wrong direction. We need to reach the Guarded Forest.”

  “Well, I know that,” their friend said sulkily. “I just thought it was cool. You know, more people like me. I mean, the river dragons are fun, but they can’t really talk.”

  “We can talk,” Kaida said. “And we’ll be happy to chat with you as we head for the Guarded Forest.”

  “All right, all right,” Marisol said. Then she ducked under the surface and swam up to the river dragon. After a moment of mermaid-to-river dragon communicating, she shouted, “He brought the boat this far by bumping it from behind, but I don’t think that would feel very good for you onboard. We need some rope!”

  “We have this.” Rissa had brought the scraps she’d cut off their gowns the night before. “I thought it might come in handy. We’ll have to tie it together to make a rope.”

  Stripe pulled out his knife and sliced the pieces of gown into long strips, which they wove together and tied into a long rope. “It sure is the prettiest rope I’ve ever seen,” Shaylee said as they finished. “Look at all the gorgeous colors and lace.”

  Stripe tied one end of the rope to the front of the boat. Marisol tied a fat knot in the other end and passed it to the dragon. He took it in his mouth and began pulling. When the little boat lurched forward, the girls cheered.

  Soon the dragon was racing through the water, pulling the boat so fast that the wind whipped the girls’ hair around their faces wildly. Stripe laughed out loud. “I want my boat to do this always!”

  “Then you had better make friends with the river dragon,” Marisol yelled to him. She held onto one of the dragon’s leafy back fins so that he could tow her too.

  “I cannot wait to get home,” Stripe said, “and tell everyone how the monster made my boat fly!”

  “River dragon!” Marisol corrected.

  “River dragon,” Stripe agreed. “Do you think the river dragon would pull a boat for me again?”

  Marisol leaned against the river dragon’s neck for a moment, then nodded. “He would like that. He thinks this is a wonderful game. The river dragons love games.”

  “Like the world’s biggest, scaliest puppy,” Rissa said.

  “Marisol,” Shaylee called out, “what’s it like being a mermaid?”

  “It’s incredible!” her friend answered. “The water feels warm, and I can see underwater as clearly as you see me. The fish flash like silver lightning, and there are crabs at the river bottom that do the funniest sideways dance.” She smiled dreamily. “But the dragons say the sea is even better. I could dance with the dolphins.”

  Rachel frowned. Her friend’s love of her new form worried her. Would she be ready to change back when they got to the forest? “Marisol, do the twins know how to swim yet?”

  Marisol grinned. She loved talking about the twins her parents had adopted from China. “No, but they love the water too. You should see them splash in the tub. Mom calls them ‘the tsunami twins.’”

  “Sounds adorable,” Rachel said.

  “Totally,” Marisol agreed. “And when they say my name, Nina calls me ‘Mari’ and Marco calls me ‘Sol,’ so I only get my whole name when they’re both calling me at the same time. But that happens a lot. Mom says I’m their favorite person in the world.” Marisol’s smile faded. “I miss them.”

  “I think we’ll get back to them,” Kaida said. “I just know it. We’re going to get home when this is all over.”

  Marisol looked ruefully toward her tail. “I hope Mom’s ready to buy a really big fish tank.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  A Whale of a Tail

  The boat raced up the river as the girls thought about home. Stripe was the only one still wearing a grin as he crouched near the front of the boat with the wind in his face. Suddenly he shouted, “Stop!”

  The river dragon stopped so abruptly that the boat slammed into the back of his neck. The jolt was enough to knock all the passengers out of their seats. “What did you do that for?” Rissa demanded.

  “Look!” Stripe pointed to a low-hanging tree just ahead of them. Its branches were full of dark blue fruit. “Twilight fruit is very good.”

  “You nearly killed us because you wanted a snack?” Rissa shouted.

  Stripe glared. “I didn’t get any breakfast!”

  “Please don’t fight!” Marisol begged. “We can get some fruit and then keep going. The river dragon showed me that we are almost there.”

  The boat eased up under the fruit tree, and everyone picked a few pieces. The fruit tasted like a cross between a very ripe peach and a plum, and it had large seeds in the center. After taking a few bites, Rissa admitted that Stripe’s idea wasn’t that bad. “But next time, maybe you could let us ease to a stop.”

  Stripe just nodded as juice dripped down his chin.

  With full tummies, the girls felt much cheerier, and when the dragon brought the boat to full speed again, Stripe wasn’t the only one grinning. But as the dragon had promised, they soon slowed and came to a stop near a long, sandy bank. The river dragon dropped the rope, then gently nudged the boat toward the sand. The girls splashed through the shallow water and onto the bank.

  “This is the edge of the Guarded Forest,” Marisol called from deeper water. “I will wait for you here. I’m not exactly built for overland travel at the moment. Maybe when you restore the magic you can come back and turn me back into a girl.”

  “I have a different idea,” Kaida said. “We haven’t even tried the most obvious solution.”

  “What’s that?”

  “In the movies, when a girl turns into a mermaid from getting wet, all she has to do to turn back is get dry.”

  Marisol smiled. “Do you really think it could be as easy as that?”

  “It was as easy as that when you turned into a mermaid.”

  “Let’s try it, but I can’t get all the way to land. The water is too shallow, and I don’t crawl very well.”

  “We’ll get you,” Kaida said as she waded back into the water. Marisol swam as close to the riverbank as she could, scooting a bit in the shallows. Rachel and Rissa waded out after Kaida, while Aly stood on the riverbank with Shaylee. The younger girl was still a bit fearful of wading in the river. Half-carrying and half-dragging, the girls got Marisol onto the riverbank and set her down on the sand, well above the water line.

  “Now, I guess we wait for you to dry out,” Rissa said.

  The girls waited, pacing back and forth, while Marisol fidgeted uncomfortably on the dry sand. Finally, when her tail felt completely dry and she still had not changed, they had to admit that the plan did not seem to be working.

  “It makes me feel a little sick to be so dry,” Marisol said. “Please help me back into the water before you go.”

  “We’re not giving up yet,” Kaida said. “Hey, the Mud Shapers said our beads were magic. Maybe you can wish on yours or something. Do you still have it?”

  When Marisol drew up her tail, the other girls could see that the leather thong seemed to have magically grown to encircle her tail just above the flipper. The beautiful blue bead lay on the scales. Marisol gripped it in her hand and closed her eyes. “I wish to be a girl again.” Nothing happened.

  “I could have told you that wouldn’t work,” Stripe called from the boat. “The beads won’t have power again until you Princesses fix the Wellspring. Their power comes from that magic.”

  “But after we restore that magic, will the bead change her back?” Rachel asked.

  Stripe shrugged. “The beads’ magic is different for each person, but it’s always something you really need.”

  “I really need to be a girl again before I go home,” Marisol said.

  “But Princess, you might need something else even more,” Stripe replied.

  None of the girls could imagine Marisol needing anything more than being a girl again. “I guess you’ll have to put me back in the water and go fix the Wellspring,” Marisol said sadly.

  Rachel shook her head. “Don’t you remember? The Guardians said it will take all of our magic to restore the spring. We need Marisol with us.”

  “Well, I can’t carry her through the woods,” Kaida snapped.

  “The bears probably could,” Rissa said.

  Marisol looked alarmed. “I don’t think I can be dry that long. I’m feeling worse and worse.”

  The girls stood silently around Marisol for a moment. They didn’t want to leave her behind. They weren’t even sure if they could. But what choice did they have?

  Finally, Kaida turned to Rissa. “I think you should try another spell.”

  Rissa stared at her, open-mouthed. “You want me to try a spell? You? Who are you, and what did you do with Kaida?”

  “Very funny. Look, we don’t have any choice. Just make sure you don’t mention ‘stuck’ or ‘blown up’ or ‘eaten by monsters’ in the rhyme, OK?”

  Rissa sniffed and turned to Marisol. “You want me to try a spell on you, to turn you back into a girl?”

  “Yes,” Marisol said. “I’m ready to be me again—really, really ready.”

  Rissa nodded and looked at the others. “I think we all need to agree. Does everyone want me to try this?”

  “We don’t have a lot of other choices,” Aly said softly. “I believe you can do it.”

  “OK.” Rissa closed her eyes. The other girls joined hands around her and Marisol. Rissa cleared her throat and began. “Water Princess back on land no longer needs her tail. Change back to legs and skin and clothes. Magic rhyme, don’t fail.”

  The girls held their breath as seconds passed without a change. Then Marisol’s tail began to sparkle and shimmer. The scales and fins seemed to dissolve, revealing her legs and feet. Then the gown Marisol had been wearing flowed down from the remnant that had been her shirt when she was a mermaid. Before their eyes, she was completely transformed back to herself—legs, gown, slippers and all!

  Marisol jumped to her feet and threw her arms around Rissa. “You did it! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

  The girls hugged each other, jumping up and down. Shaylee even ran back and tried to hug Stripe, but the younger boy wasn’t having any of that. “Don’t you think you should go restore the Wellspring?” he finally asked.

  “Yeah,” Kaida said. She pointed to the dark woods that edged the sandy riverbank. “Are you sure that’s the Guarded Forest?”

  Stripe looked toward the gloomy woods. “I’m sure.”

  “Can you lead us to the Wellspring?”

  “No!” Stripe folded his arms. “I don’t know where it is, and I’m not going in there at all. I did my job and now I want to go home.”

  Marisol shrugged. “I guess that’s fair. Do you want the river dragon to tow you home in your boat?”

  Stripes eyes lit up. “All the way back so everyone can see? Yes!”

  As the girls laughed, Marisol walked to the edge of the river. Taking care not to get her feet wet, she exchanged thoughts with the river dragon. “He’s happy to go with you, Stripe.”

  “Great!” the boy said. Then he looked sad. “Will you Princesses come back to see me and the other Folk again sometime?”

  “I don’t know,” Rachel said. “Maybe not.”

  The boy nodded glumly. “I will remember you always.”

  “And I can’t imagine ever forgetting you,” Rissa said.

  The girls all hugged the protesting boy. He voiced his protest, though Rachel noticed that he didn’t squirm away. Finally, they backed away from Stripe’s boat and watched as the river dragon pulled it out into the water. Stripe and the girls waved wildly to each other until the boat was out of sight.

  When Stripe had disappeared downstream, the ragged group turned toward the tree line. “I don’t suppose anyone has any magical sense of the right way to go?” Kaida asked. All the girls shook their heads.

  “I’m not sure it matters,” Rachel said. “I suspect the Guardians will find us quickly enough after we get in the woods. I just hope they aren’t too mad about how long we’ve taken to get here.” The girls pictured the huge bears angry and shivered.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  A Walk in the Woods

  “Is it just me, or is there something seriously creepy about these woods?” Rissa asked. By now the girls were deep enough into the trees that they had lost sight of the river. “I mean, the woods feel way creepier than the first time we were in them.”

  “The life force in here is ... strange,” Aly said, looking around. “When we were here before, it was brighter. Now the life force of the trees is like those around the Mud Shapers’ village—something is twisting them. It all feels ... wrong.”

  Rachel pointed to a sapling whose trunk was nearly as twisted as a vine. “The trees look like they’re sick or something.”

  Aly walked to the twisted tree and laid her hand gently on its bark. “It doesn’t have any kind of disease, I don’t think.” She chewed her lip quietly. “They almost look like the plants I saw in that exhibit at the science fair, where someone proved how plant stems will twist and turn to find the light.”

  “They’re looking for light?” Rissa looked up. “It’s not really that dark in here.”

  Aly shook her head. “Not light, exactly.”

  “They are looking for life.” It was the rumbling voice of Fleet speaking in Rachel’s head. She yelped in surprise, then turned to see the huge bear behind them. “All life in this forest comes from the Wellspring,” Fleet continued. “In their own way, the trees are looking for the Wellspring, too, just as you are, and they are doing just about as well.”

  “How did you sneak up on us?” Rachel asked.

  “You princesses make a great deal of noise when you walk,” Fleet said.

  Shaylee edged closer to Rachel. “Is he mad at us?” she squeaked.

  The bear tilted his head to look at the tiny blonde. “Why would I be angry with you?”

  Rachel tried for a nonchalant shrug. “We haven’t fixed the Wellspring.”

  “I know.” The bear nodded.

  “We figured you probably wanted it fixed by now.”

  The bear blinked. “Have you not done your best to face each challenge? Why would any of the Guardians be angry with you?”

  “He’s not mad,” Rachel told the other girls. Then she turned back to Fleet. “Um, as you probably noticed, we’re not exactly sure where the Wellspring is.”

  “I suspected that when I saw you were walking in a circle.” Fleet responded.

  Rachel thought she detected a hint of sarcasm from the bear, but she decided to ignore it. “Could you show us the right direction?” she asked.

  Fleet nodded. “I am afraid you must walk. I cannot carry you all, and the other Guardians are ... ill.”

  “What happened to them?” Rachel asked.

  “What happened to who?” Shaylee asked, tugging on Rachel’s arm. Rachel repeated Fleet’s words quickly, still looking at the great bear.

  “Our life comes directly from the Wellspring,” Fleet said quietly. “We lost our magical abilities some time ago. Now our life here is running out.”

  “None of the Guardians have ... died, have they?” Rachel asked.

  “Not yet.” The bear turned to push into the woods. “Come, please.”

  As they followed Fleet, Rachel quietly told the other girls about the Guardians. For the first time since Rachel had met her, Rissa looked totally deflated.

  “It’s my fault,” the girl mumbled. “Me and my stupid spell. We lost all that time!”

  “She must not blame herself,” Fleet said. “Tell her, Princess, there is no blame here.”

  “I’ve got it covered,” Rachel said, then she laid her hand on Rissa’s arm. “Your spells aren’t stupid and neither are you. We’re all trying to work without directions here.”

 

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