Coral Reef Rescue by Coral Ripley

Author:Coral Ripley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Published: 2021-03-29T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

Effluvia popped up at the surface. “What’s wrong, got stage fright?” she sneered. “Well, I’m off to find the pearl. Enjoy the show—break a fin!” She swam back down to the reef, laughing.

The mermaids looked at each other in horror. “Can we make a new bubble to protect the theater?” Emily asked.

Tarni shook her head. “It’s very powerful magic. It took months to make the first one.”

“There’s only one way to save the show,” said Grace. “We have to find the Golden Pearl before Effluvia and use its magic to fix the theater and the bubble. We need to solve that riddle,” she declared.

Next to her, Emily, Layla, and Marina nodded.

They swam down to where Iluka was busy trying to repair the thrones. Now that the shark had gone, all the creatures that lived in the reef were coming back out. Tropical fish swam around the theater, helping the mermaids gather up the seaweed garland. The octopus was collecting his juggling shells, and the members of the crustacean band were sidling back toward their instruments.

“Iluka, did you have any ideas about the riddle?” Grace asked. “We need to find a bright pink brain. Do you know of anything like that?”

Iluka stroked his beard thoughtfully. “It could be the brain coral. But that’s not pink, it’s white.”

“The riddle says ‘look for one of brightest pink.’” Layla shook her head. “If the brain coral is white, that can’t be it. Is there anything else that’s pink? Or brainy?”

“Some sea fan coral is pink,” Tarni said.

“So are some anemones,” Iluka added. “But I wouldn’t call them brainy. Are we sure the old clam remembered it right?”

A thought was forming in Grace’s mind. “That’s it!” she cried. “The Mystic Clam is old—really, really old. Didn’t you say the coral is getting bleached white? Maybe hundreds and hundreds of years ago, back when the clam remembers the pearls being hidden, the brain coral was bright pink!”

“Great idea, Grace,” Emily said.

“Brilliant brainpower,” Layla joked.

“The brain coral is on the reef just outside the theater. I’ll show you the way,” Tarni offered. “Come on!”

“Hang on, where’s Effluvia?” Grace said.

“Over there,” Layla pointed across the reef to a purple tail sticking out of the coral as Effluvia searched for the pearl.

She was surrounded by a crowd of tiny orange clown fish, who were darting in and out of the anemones, directed by Fang.

“She must have enchanted them to help her look!” Emily cried.

“Let’s pretend we’re still trying to fix the theater,” Grace whispered.

“We need to get some seaweed to make more garland,” Layla said loudly.

“Oh, yes. There is more seaweed just outside of the theater, Sea Keepers,” Tarni bellowed awkwardly. She winked at the girls as she pointed the way to the brain coral.

They swam across the theater, trying not to make it look like they were hurrying. Once they were outside, they rushed toward a busy reef, filled with anemones and fish.

“Tarni said it was just outside the theater…” Grace muttered.

“Hmm, let me guess, is it that thing that looks like a massive brain?” Layla said.

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