The Grown Ups' Crusade by Audrey Greathouse

Author:Audrey Greathouse [Greathouse, Audrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Clean Teen Publishing, Inc.

Chapter 27

“Lasiandra!” Gwen called back. She started running toward the water. She felt a terror gripping her, like at any moment the tides would change and sweep exhausted Lasiandra away. It had been so long since she'd seen her friend, and they had parted under such anxious circumstances, but Lasiandra wasn't going anywhere now. Propping herself up in the shallow water, she tried to catch her breath. Her tail didn't even have the energy to flex and splash up.

Gwen stopped in her tracks. Lasiandra was not smiling. The haunting sensation that Lasiandra would be swept away transformed into a more nebulous fear. Gwen didn't know what she feared, but she sensed something was very wrong.

“What happened to you? Are you alright?” she called.

“I'm fine,” Lasiandra replied, “just a little winded. It was a long swim here.”

“Did you and Jay make it out of the lake alright?”

“Yes, but of course,” Lasiandra answered, water still dripping from her hair. “He's fine. I promised you I'd keep him safe and get him home, Gwen.”

Lasiandra was as good as her word. This had always been true, but everything Starkey had said about mermaids twisted in Gwen's mind and filled her thoughts with wordless worries.

“Come over here and give me a hand,” she instructed.

“What's going on? Where have you been?”

“I can explain everything,” Lasiandra said. “Come over, Gwen. We haven't much time.”

She wanted Gwen to give her a hand—with what? They didn't have much time, but time for what?

“Do you still have the skyglass?” Gwen asked.

“No,” Lasiandra answered. “It has done its work, and I know what I need of the stars' backward secrets. We're all going to have what we want now: you, me, Jay… all of us. Come over and help me!”

Still, Gwen hesitated. She might not have trusted immature Peter or callous Piper, but she had trusted Mr. Starkey as much as a teenager could trust an adult. Even he had warned her against the mermaids.

Lasiandra saw her reluctance, but her urgent expression did not leave room for her look hurt. “Gwen, for the stars' sake, come here. I'm not going to hurt you.”

Mermaids never lied. She saw no choice but to rush to her friend.

She ran over, and as she looked down at her friend she saw a satisfaction in her eyes that she did not recognize. She approached, charging into the shallow waters on her bare and sandy feet. Gwen started to form another question, but before she could, Lasiandra reached out. Not for her hand, but for her ankle.

With a sudden jerk, Lasiandra grabbed her foot and pulled her down. Screaming as she toppled over, Gwen smashed into the surf, hurting herself as she crashed down.

A mouthful of bitter saltwater tasted as bad as the ocean water felt against her open and aghast eyes. She reached out, groping in the dark silence of the water for Lasiandra. She could feel the sand beneath her, but it shifted and swayed with the tide. Gwen flailed in the water as she attempted to get back to her feet, or at least get her face back to air.

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