Cora's Mystery by Janet Gurtler

Author:Janet Gurtler
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction; Mermaid Kingdom; Fantasy & Magic; Family/General; Social Issues/Emotions & Feelings; Social Issues/Friendship; Mermaids; 9781496526069; 9781496526083; 9781496526106
Publisher: Capstone
Published: 2015-11-30T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

I made a few detours as I swam back to Neptunia, collecting some rare and delicious mussels and shrimp from a place I’d discovered with my friends. I lucked out and also found a spotted dogfish egg capsule. Mermaids used them as purses, and I tucked the rare finds and treasures inside my new bag.

When I got back to Neptunia, I smiled my friendliest smile at the two guards on either side of the entrance. I even batted my eyelashes a little, but they didn’t react. All castle guards are well trained and rarely respond to anything with more than a shift in their eyes. But the guards all trained together, which meant they were friendly with each other. It only made sense that the guard at our castle would know a lot about what was going on at the other castles. If only I could find a way to get them to talk.

Fortunately, one of the guards had a son who went to my school. He always talked about how his dad had a weakness for rare fish. He told us about hunts they’d go on, and how his dad always wished he had more time to hunt.

My luck seemed to be improving because the boy’s dad was one of the guards on duty.

I stopped just past the entrance. “I have a question,” I said out loud, as if I were talking to the coral walls of the castle. I glanced over, and the biggest guard frowned and shook his head. It was against the rules to talk to him if he hadn’t spoken first, but I was desperate and acting foolish. I couldn’t seem to help myself.

I reached into my newly acquired mermaid purse and took out a big, juicy shrimp, so rare I’d almost fainted with happiness when I’d spotted it lurking under a sea plant. “This is one of the rarest shrimp in the ocean. I can’t even believe I found it. I wonder if there’s any mermen who could truly appreciate it.”

The guard narrowed his eyes. “Miss Bass, guards do not take bribes from merchildren. Guards do not take bribes from anyone.”

I knew that too, but I also knew that once he’d spoken to me, I was free to talk to him. And despite what he’d said, I noticed he couldn’t help staring at the shrimp. “Of course. I would never bribe anyone. I mean, what would a merkid like me even need to bribe a guard for?” I fake laughed. “That’s so ridiculous no one would even believe it.”

Both of the guards glared at me. I hoped they couldn’t tell how badly my hands were shaking or how nervous I was.

“It’s just that … well … I know it might seem silly when you have the important job of protecting our castle, and I’m just a thirteen-year-old merkid, but our swim team — as you probably know — is swimming in the Castle Cup. I’m on the swim team, and I hate to brag, but I have a pretty good chance of winning a few races.

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