It didn't take long for Makenna to reach the boat. She popped up behind its engine in the warm, calm water and shook water off her hair. The moon's rays showered over her and acted like a flashlight.
As she floated, Makenna lifted her hand out of the water and studied her wound again. She then lifted her other hand and examined her find.
Her hand gripped the necklace's loop, and Makenna held it before her. "What is this?" she asked herself. She knew it was a necklace, but what kind of necklace was it? Was it a magic necklace or just a regular necklace? How did it wind up in Coutarine Island's sand? Weren't costate shells from the Caribbean and not Charleston?
Just seeing the necklace, Makenna felt like she knew it from somewhere. She didn't know what it was, but something about it seemed familiar.
She wrapped her fingers around the necklace and kept it close to her. Everybody aboard the boat was inside, including Alice, so she was the only one outside it right now... right?
Nope.
Makenna suddenly heard, "How ya doing down there, kid?"
Gasping, Makenna looked up. Ash had suddenly appeared over her.
"Ash!" Makenna whispered, and he nodded. No, seriously, he just appeared from out of nowhere.
The Wizard Fairy crossed his arms and asked, "Are ya comfortable down there?"
"What are you doing here?" Makenna growled. "How did you get here? For Pete's sake, Ash! Why can't you leave me alone?"
"It's just so much fun watching you attempt my trial," he admitted. "I'm not here to intrude, Makenna. I'm only here to guide ya."
"Well, it's not working!" Makenna angrily whispered. "Now get out of here before somebody sees you!"
Suddenly, she heard Alice's voice from below deck. "Hello?"
Makenna gasped again and glared at Ash. "Great! Now look what you did! Some Wizard Fairy you are, Ash!" She quickly hid behind the engine, but Ash remained on the boat. "What are you doing?" Makenna whispered. "You're going to get seen!"
He smiled and asked, "Am I?" Stepping aside, he approached the boat's edge and sat down on it.
"You're crazy!" angrily whispered Makenna. She shut up and hid herself more when the door to the lower deck opened, and Alice stepped out with her mother and father.
"I'm not crazy," she told them. "I know I saw a boy floating in the water earlier."
Makenna took that in. A boy? Was she talking about Tracey?
"Alice, honestly," her mother spoke, "you must have been imagining it."
Makenna glanced from her to Ash and then back to Alice's mother.
She turned her shoulder and faced the edge of the boat so she could examine Coutarine Island. She was looking straight at Ash, but she didn't see him.
"What on Earth?" Makenna said. "She can't see him? How?"
Ash started to have a little fun. While Alice's mother looked through him, he lifted his hands and made goofy faces.
Makenna glared and clenched her fist at him, but Ash continued to play, and neither Alice, her mother, nor her father noticed him. Were humans really that blind?
Alice's father soon passed his daughter and approached the area where Ash sat.
He quietly slid down the railing and moved out of the way.
Alice's father reached the railing and clutched it. "We motor in tomorrow morning," he spoke after a bit. "That island is a perfect place for us to spend tomorrow."
Makenna's eyes widened.
"But, Father," Alice protested, "don't you find it a little odd that a random island, as beautiful as Samoa, is just resting in the middle of the ocean when the Charleston area isn't tropical? There could be terrible creatures on it."
Her father laughed. "You worry too much, Alice. There are no terrible creatures. Tomorrow morning will mark the discovery of a brand-new island that Charleston citizens and tourists can vacation on."
Fear exploded throughout Makenna's entire body.
"But, Father," Alice argued, "sharks could surround it. Or worse, evil merpeople or fairies."
"Oh, for the love of—!" her mother said, reaching for her head. "Alice, as you should know, there are no such things as merpeople or fairies!"
"But, Mom!" Alice and her mother began arguing, giving Makenna and Ash time to escape.
Makenna slipped back into the ocean and swam away from the boat. Coming to the surface, she freestyled toward the point.
Ash followed her by outlining himself in his magic and flying beside her. "Oh man, what a trip!" he announced. "I'll tell ya, Makenna! It's only nine in the evening, and check out everything that's happened to us!"
Makenna peered up at him and inquired, "How did you do that? I mean—why couldn't the family see you?"
Ash chuckled and placed his hands on his hips. "Special Spells work on both the strong and weak-minded."
"Special Spells?"
"You'll learn about them very soon."
The two fairies soon made it back to Coutarine Island, and they together landed on Merlin's Beach. Makenna had ridden another wave in after picking up her things while Ash flew.
When both of them were on the beach again, Makenna showed the Wizard Fairy what she found in the ocean and handed the necklace to him.
"Wow, remarkable," he said as he looked it up and down.
Makenna peered down at her cut and bit it again. Now it was starting to sting.
Ash held the necklace up to the moon's rays. "This is such a beautiful find, Makenn. It has to be about a hundred years old."
"Great, I'm glad you like it. I don't think my finger did, though," Makenna sarcastically spoke. She lowered her finger and turned her head, staring out at the reef.
"Maybe this will help ya understand your origin a bit more," guessed Ash, dropping the necklace and holding it to his face again. "This definitely looks to be from around the time your long-lost family member lived."
Makenna didn't hear him. She seemed to have spaced out. She continued to stare at the reef.
Ash tilted his head and asked, "What do you think?" He glanced at Makenna and finally questioned, "Is everything all right, Makenn?"
"Oh, I'm terrific," Makenna answered. "But..." She came to her senses and worriedly examined her friend's face. "Are you all right? You look exhausted. When was the last time you slept?"
Ash shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Eight days."
"What?" Makenna's eyes widened. "You're supposed to sleep for eight hours every night!"
Ash scoffed and admitted, "Yeah, like that's ever going to happen."
"Ash." Makenna sounded really worried. "Why haven't you slept in so long?"
Ash didn't answer and immediately tried to lighten the mood. "Well, let's not stay here all night when there is a nice corn on the cob waiting for us at camp!" He handed Makenna her find back and turned on his heel, marching toward Merlin's camp, "We've got to deliver the news about the wannabee humans!" Some of his hair wafted in his face, but he carefully pulled it out of the way.
"Sure," Makenna said while she watched him. Sighing, she slipped the mysterious necklace into her bag and followed Ash. He did look exhausted. "How have you managed to stay awake for eight days straight?" she inquired.
Ash shrugged and answered, "I have my Cappuccino Wing Slushy and plenty of spells and tricks to work on."
"What do you do at night if you don't sleep, then?"
"I usually train with Harmony."
"Ash," Makenna worriedly admitted, "I'm worried about your health. When you're tired, you're more prone to hurting yourself, and I do not want you to get hurt."
Ash rolled his eyes. "I thought it was Tracey ya liked, Makenna, not me. Don't worry. I'm fine. All right?" For the first time, he sounded stern. "No more questions now. We have some important information to give to Merlin, and we also need to fill our tummies."
Ash and Makenna headed into camp and found Merlin and Tracey. They sat by a fire with warm drinks in their hands and dinner plates beside their ankles. Merlin had wrapped a clean bandage around Tracey's injured arm and put it in a sling.
Makenna soon lifted her hand and waved. "Hey! I'm back!"
Merlin and Tracey looked up from their dinners.
"Miss Delling!" Merlin announced. He set his plate down and leaped to his feet. "And Ash, too!"
Makenna waved again. "Hello." She heard an excited bark and looked down. Silvey had appeared beside her and rubbed against her. "Silvey!" Makenna announced. She leaned down and scratched her behind the ears.
Silvey's tall ears flopped back, and she smiled.
Another voice soon exclaimed, "Makenna!"
She recognized it, "Raeven!" and looked up from petting Silvey. Raeven, it was.
"Makenna! Makenna! Makenna!" Raeven zoomed over to his friend and flew into her chest, knocking her down.
"Raeven!" Makenna repeated. "It's you!" She hugged him. "Where have you been? I haven't seen you since we first got to Coutarine Island! Why did you disappear like that?"
"I had to help Merlin," Raeven explained. "You know how lazy he is."
Ash watched the Metamorphic Fairy and her animal friends reunite, his face showing disappointment.
Merlin noticed that and said, "Don't worry, Ash. I haven't forgotten about you."
Ash confusingly glanced at him.
From where he sat, Tracey stood after setting down his own plate and reached for his arm.
Merlin placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled. He and Ash kept their distance, but everybody glanced in the direction Merlin whistled. Horse hooves were heard, and Harmony appeared.
Makenna's jaw fell open, and Ash froze when he saw his horse. "Harmony!" he yelled after a bit.
Harmony, now tacked with an English saddle, whinnied and jogged to her master.
"Harmony!" he yelled again, reaching for her. "How ya doing, girl? I've missed you."
Harmony rubbed her nose on him, and he chuckled.
"Harmony," Makenna said to herself. "She's a horse! Harmony's a horse!"
Harmony glimpsed at her and blinked.
"That's Makenna Delling," Ash explained. "She's a Metamorphic Fairy. She's new here at Coutarine Island."
Makenna nodded and waved hello to Harmony.
Raeven wrapped his wings around her neck, and Silvey leaned on her leg.
***
Later, the magical beings and their animal friends sat by the fire on the beach and finished their dinner. Since Makenna and Ash were late, they took longer to eat while Merlin, Tracey, Harmony, Raeven, and Silvey had already finished.
Tracey, fretting over the humans, frightfully told Merlin, "We can't just let those humans invade Coutarine Island, Sensei. Humans have their own tropical islands to vacation on. This island belongs to the sprites."
Merlin sipped his coffee and said, "I understand, my young apprentice, but we can't do anything about those humans tonight. You're tired, Miss Delling is tired, and Ash is exhausted. You need to settle down for the night."
Makenna yawned and flopped down on the sand on her back after finishing her dinner. Silvey joined her and also yawned.
Harmony touched Ash's cheek.
Smiling, he patted her.
"But what about the humans?" Tracey asked Merlin, as images of people stampeding onto Coutarine Island's beaches, and the fairy sprites being caught in jars invaded his mind. "We can't just let them waltz onto this sand without an invitation. We have to keep the sprites' reputation intact." He tightly gripped his arm and stood from the fire.
"Tracey, please," Merlin begged. "You need to calm down. We'll deal with humans tomorrow, okay? Please."
"But-But," Tracey stammered. After a bit, he sighed. "All right. Sorry about my immaturity, Master." He bowed to Merlin. "If you'll excuse me. I will retire."
Merlin nodded. "Good idea. Good night, Tracey."
"Good night." Tracey and Gina left the firelight and headed to their sleeping area, where a sleeping bag and a pillow were set up. Half asleep, Tracey kicked off his boots and opened his sleeping bag with his free hand. He crawled inside and pulled it close, sniffing. Tracey squirmed a bit until he got comfortable, and then just like that, he fell asleep. Immediately, he started to breathe silently, and Gina curled up under his arm, falling asleep as well.
Merlin tittered and then glanced at Makenna, who was almost asleep on the sand. "Makenna, I think it's time you retired, too. Tomorrow is another busy day."
She yawned and said, "You have a good point, Merlin." Makenna sat and stretched her arms over her head. She, too, had her own sleeping bag and pillow.
Makenna picked up Raeven, who was already asleep, and slumped over to her sleeping bag. Just like Tracey and Gina, she and Silvey instantly fell asleep the second they got comfortable. Makenna lay on her front, the mysterious necklace in her hand. The moon's rays washed over it, causing it to glow faintly, and the cut on Makenna's finger also shone slightly.