I collapse to the deck of the ship, writhing in pain, watching in horror as my legs turn into a tail.
What have I gotten myself into now?
I clutch the wand for support, but it’s bucking like a wild stallion. I clench my teeth, refusing to let go. I will not let this get the better of me.
Slowly the pain starts to subside, and I’m able to breathe again. Almost. Every breath starts to feel a little more inadequate, like I can’t fill my lungs. What’s happening?
“Well,” says Calliope, “That was quite the show. We’d better get you in the water quickly, though.”
A few of her companions leap from the water and onto the deck of the ship, lifting me, then pulling me down… down to the murky depths of nothingness below.
My instinct is to hold my breath as my face plunges below the surface. But
