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“ H ow do you know we’re going in the right direction? It just looks like we’re swimming in the vast ocean with nothing but dark blue everywhere I look.”

Hollyn treaded water at the surface as Thian patiently waited for her to pull in another breath.

He seemed to think about her question for a moment before he said, “You probably don’t notice the ocean currents around you, but they often move at different speeds and can be a bit winding, kind of like one of your surface roads.

Although they change sometimes, they are fairly similar.

I know the area where the Sea Witch lives, so I just have to find the right current.

Occasionally, we’ve switched into others along the way. ”

“I noticed that.”

“Just like your surface roads lead to places on land, the currents lead to places under water. I know where we’re going and the currents are taking us there.”

Hollyn nodded, kind of understanding. “But how do you know when to switch?”

Thian gave her a little smile and said, “I don’t know. I just do.”

The answer was incredibly frustrating for Hollyn. But it was just one more irritant in a sea of them. She giggled a little out loud at her own pun, even if it was only in her head.

“Something funny?”

“No. Just something I was thinking about. How long have you worked for Poseidon?”

Thian let the change in subject pass as he said, “For around five years now. I was in the armed forces for a long time before joining the Royal Guard.”

“Does it bother you that he sent you on such a lame mission with me?”

He shook his head slowly, a wolfish grin sliding onto his face. “I think even shopping for food items would be fun with you, Hollyn. You have an inviting personality.”

Despite her determination not to like Thian, she had to admit that his answer was smooth. “Ha! Do you really think flattery is needed? I’m not going to give you a hard time when you’re going out of your way to help me.”

His eyes widened. “Is that what you think? I’m a sweet talker? You really don’t know me at all. I’m rarely nice to anyone.”

Hollyn let his words sink in. With one look at him, she would never have described Thian as sweet, either when talking or in any other capacity, but right now, he wasn’t bad company at all.

She’d much rather be with Kai, had hardly been separated from him since the gift-giving ceremony, but this was something she had to do for herself.

“Well, I’ll keep that in mind. Shall we continue on?” Hollyn gave Thian a friendly smile and nodded toward the water.

Thian’s lips tipped up at the corners as he gave a sharp nod. He dove back under the waves, and Hollyn took a deep breath before following him down into the current they were riding.

After what felt like another hour, some rocky formations appeared in the distance. Thian signaled in their direction, and Hollyn understood that was where they were going. Nervous energy filled her stomach. She really hoped this worked.

As they swam closer, Hollyn grew more and more anxious. What if the Sea Witch couldn’t help her? What if she refused?

There really wasn’t an alternative right now though. Hollyn needed to be persuasive. Otherwise, she would likely never get control of her magic.

The undersea mountain loomed in front of them, and as they entered an access cave, a bubble of air surrounded them. Thian held out his hand and said, “Stay behind me until I know we’re safe. There’s a good chance she has some magical defenses we won’t see until it curses us.”

“Doesn’t she expect us?”

“Poseidon sent word through our underwater communication system. It’s similar to your phones on the surface, but it works on a different connection system than cellular. Again, the currents play a part. And I’m sure she got the message. That doesn’t mean we are going to be welcomed with open arms.”

As they slowly made their way down a wide tunnel, Hollyn worked to make out shapes in the dark. She reached out a hand and brushed Thian’s back. He reached for her, and their hands held as he pulled her along.

“I forget that you can’t see down here.”

“You can?”

“Yes. Pretty much all ocean dwellers can see in the dark. I would be interested to know whether Kai can or not, considering he has the genetics of Poseidon and Uma, but he was raised on the surface.”

“Oh, he can see well in the dark. He could do so many surprising things.”

“You two have really formed a strong bond in a short amount of time.” His voice seemed probing more than factual, and Hollyn wondered what was going through his mind.

“When you go through life-threatening situations over and over, you tend to get close to the one who helped you through it all.”

“That makes sense.”

Suddenly, Thian stopped, and Hollyn bumped into his back, placing her free hand on his waist.

“Someone is standing at the end of the tunnel. They just stepped out through a door.”

“Do you think it’s Yumia, the Sea Witch?”

Thian cleared his throat and called out, “Poseidon sent us. I have Hollyn Oates here. We’ve come to speak with Yumia.”

Silence filled the cavern.

“What’s happening?” Hollyn whispered to Thian’s back.

“I forget you can’t see anything. Honestly, I can’t even make out any more than a shadowy figure.”

“What do we do?”

Out of thin air, a disembodied, female voice commanded, “Hollyn Oates, step forward for my assessment.”

Hollyn startled and stood still for three pounding heartbeats before pushing around Thian and standing with her shoulders back and spine straightened.

Even the air stilled as Hollyn barely dared to breathe.

She waited for any sign that she was passing an unknown test of some sort.

She didn’t even know what she was supposed to do.

Should she throw her arms around, sing, pull up the baby wave she could produce in her hand?

As the time ticked on, she was ready to give up and begin the long swim back to Hanupali. Were they going to stand here forever?

Out of nowhere, the voice returned and said, “You’ll do.”

The lights flashed on and filled the cavern. Hollyn blinked several times as everything came into view. Instead of a person at the end of the cavern, a cardboard cut-out of a famous boy-band figure, Harry somebody, stood in front of a red door.

“Well, what are you waiting for? A red carpet? Get in here, you kooky kids!”

Hollyn took a deep breath and took the steps between the door and herself. There wasn’t a knob, so she pushed it inward and walked into a scene that looked liked Willy Wonka had hired the patrons of the Mos Eisley Cantina to make his chocolate, and one thought went through Hollyn’s brain.

“Cover me in icing and call me a cake because I’ve found my party.”