I dug through my purse until I found a tissue. Pressing the tissue against my finger, I waited, watching the water rush under the bridge. Nothing changed.
After several moments, I shook my head and dropped the tissue back into my purse. “I don’t think it worked.”
“No, look. It did.” Malik leaned farther over the edge of the bridge and pointed at a spot near the center of the river, almost directly where my blood would have hit the water.
I squinted at the dark shape. “That’s a turtle.”
He shook his head. “It’s the kelpie. You cal ed her. You need to identify yourself.”
“Uh, hi. I’m Alex Craft,” I said, feeling stupid talking to what I was pretty sure was a turtle or a fish. The shadow began to sink back under the water, and Malik’s head snapped toward me. His dark eyes went wide, and
