Eadric had waited for me at the water's edge. He was frowning, and I knew he wasn't in a good mood. "Grassina was right when she said you should work on your spells. What were you thinking of with that last one? Winged creature? You could have called up anything from a gnat to a dragon!"
"I was trying to call a bird."
"Some bird!" he said.
"At least I tried! I didn't see you doing anything to save us."
"Huh!" said Eadric. He turned away and hopped stiffly up the beach. I followed only a few paces behind, tired, thirsty and with a terrible headache.
"We have to find fresh water," I said to Eadric's rigid back.
"That's where I'm going now," he grumbled. "I thought I saw sunlight reflecting off water behind these trees."
"I hope you're right," I muttered.
Although the rain had cooled the sand temporarily, it was already becoming hot beneath our feet. I tried to make long hops so that my feet didn't have to touch the scorching ground as often.
I was trying to keep up with Eadric when I bumped into a brown ball covered with coarse, thick hairs. The ball rolled aside, revealing a small green crab. I backed away when the crab clacked its claws in the air. A chorus of claws sprang up around me; I was surrounded by crabs even bigger and meaner than the first one.
"Eadric!" I shouted, hopping from one vacant patch of ground to another as more crabs threatened me with their claws.
"Over here, Emma!" Eadric had passed most of the crabs before they noticed us. I hopped again, but a crab scuttled forward unexpectedly and I landed on his back, flipping him over when I jumped again.
A dozen or so scurried to block my path. "This way!" Eadric shouted.
The crabs scuttled after him, leaving an opening. I knew I wouldn't stand a chance against the oversized claws of the larger crabs, so I hunched down, tensed my muscles and leaped as far as I could, flying over their heads. Although I made it past the crabs, I landed face first, getting a mouthful of sand.
We hopped away as fast as we could and didn't stop until we landed in the freshwater pond Eadric had seen. While Eadric paddled across the pond, I rinsed the sand from my mouth, spitting until the grit no longer rasped my tongue.
The water was warmer than I was used to, and felt wonderful. Still, I couldn't wait to start looking for Grassina. Even if she'd landed safely, I was sure she'd be worried about me. But before we went anywhere, we needed to turn back into humans. There was no telling what other kinds of creatures we might meet on the island.
Not wanting to make myself prematurely old again, I was reluctant to try another spell, so I began to look around, wondering what I might use to make myself sneeze. I saw Eadric chasing insects at the water's edge and was about to call to him when I spotted the most beautiful crimson flowers. They didn't look real with their golden centers and long, curled petals, and I couldn't resist the urge to touch them.
I'd always been fascinated by flowers, perhaps because they were forbidden in my parents' castle. When I was younger, I'd been told that my mother and aunt were allergic to them, and I'd only recently learned the truth about the family curse. Since the curse didn't take effect until after one's sixteenth birthday and I had yet to turn fifteen, I was still immune.
I could smell the flowers' perfume even though I was yards away. Climbing out of the water, I reached for a stem, pulling it down until I had the blossom cupped in my hands. The tingling began with my first sniff. I took another breath, deeper than the first.
"Eadric!" I shouted. "I'm going to ... going to ... ah-choo!"
The fizzy rush happened almost instantly. One moment I was a frog standing on tiptoe, sniffing a flower, the next I was a princess, crouched over a flower that I still cradled in my hands. I heard a shout and saw Eadric climbing from the pond, his clothes and hair streaming water. He wore the silliest grin, and I couldn't help but laugh. I guffawed, I chortled, I wheezed, just as I always do. Some unseen creature thrashed about in the foliage by the edge of the pond. A flock of shrill-voiced birds exploded from a nearby tree, scattering leaves and loose feathers. Eadric joined in, laughing so hard that he bent double, his arms wrapped around his stomach.
"Don't ever change your laugh, Emma," said a voice. "It's a wonderful way to find you." My aunt Grassina stepped into the sunlight surrounding the pond. Her hair hung down her back and was even more disheveled than usual. Bits of leaves peeped from the snarled curls, and wet sand smeared her clothes. Haywood scampered at her side, his drying fur ruffled and crusted with sand.
"Grassina!" I shouted. Scrambling to my feet, I ran to give my aunt a hug and to tell her the story of how we'd met Manta. "So what happened to you after we fell off?" I asked as we joined Eadric by the pond.
"It was a fight the whole way. I didn't notice you were missing until we had almost reached the island. When I saw that you were gone, I had the rug circle back. It never occurred to me that you might have turned into frogs again. No wonder we couldn't find you!"
"What did you do then?" I asked.
"We came to the island to wait out the storm," said Haywood, "but the wind had gotten stronger and we had a rough landing."
"Did you see the swamp from the sky? Did you see Grandmother or any of the other witches?"
Grassina shook her head. "We didn't see much of anything, but I don't think there's a swamp. The island isn't very big."
"The picture on the parchment—" Eadric began.
"Was a trick to get the witches here, if I'm not mistaken," said my aunt. "Knowing that group, a snake-infested swamp would be more of an attraction than a tropical beach."
"Do you suppose the witches might be on the beach? Eadric and I saw people and huts."
"Then that's where we should start looking. Come along, sugarplum," Grassina said, ruffling Haywood's fur. "Let's go see if we can find my mother."
I wasn't happy about walking beneath the trees since I didn't want to encounter the crabs again, but there wasn't any way to avoid it. I didn't have to worry, however. The moment Haywood saw the crabs, he licked his lips and galumphed across the sand in pursuit of a large fat one, sending the rest into hiding. While Grassina waited for him to return, Eadric and I kept walking.
We were alone among the trees when Eadric said, "So how about a kiss? I haven't had one yet today." He took a step closer, backing me against one of the frond-topped trees, and leaned toward me with his hand braced against the trunk.
"A kiss? With all the things we have to do, is that all you can think about?"
Eadric grinned. "Sometimes. Other times I think about horses or improving my swordplay or what I'm going to have for dinner, but none of those things seem important when we're alone on this beautiful island."
"You mean I'm more important than horses right now?"
"And dinner. My stomach hasn't settled down yet, so I'm still not hungry. Do I get that kiss?"
I rolled my eyes. "After that romantic explanation it would be almost impossible to refuse, but I'll manage," I said, ducking under his arm.
"Hey!" said Eadric. "What's wrong? You kissed me the other day."
"You're right, I did. I must not have had anything more important to think about then."
With Eadric trailing behind, I hurried between the last of the trees and stepped onto the beach. There were people there, scattered across the sand like brightly colored flowers. All elderly women, they were dressed in loose-fitting gowns made from vibrant fabrics. The sleeves were short, leaving the women's arms exposed. Although my mother would have been shocked, I thought it was practical for such a hot climate. I was already perspiring in my long-sleeved gown.
Small groups of women strolled along the water's edge, giggling when the waves wet their feet and legs. They'd stop now and then to pick up objects that the storm had washed ashore, exclaiming over their finds like children on a treasure hunt.
Other women were working on their own projects. The closest of these was an old woman in a yellow and orange gown kneeling beside a castle she was constructing out of sand. Since the castle was within the water's reach, she was constantly repairing walls and towers, scooping the sand with a large seashell.
"Hello!" she said, looking up as we drew near. "Come to see my castle? It's a beauty, isn't it? Watch what happens when the water fills the moat. See, it looks just like the real thing!" Water from one of the larger waves had run hissing up the sand, filling the moat and lapping at the castle walls. Clapping her hands, the old woman sat back on her heels and watched the wave retreat.
"You've done a beautiful job," said Grassina, coming through the copse of trees. "Did you build it all by yourself?"
"Of course. No one else can handle the sand so well. I'm the only one who can fashion a bridge or mold towers like these," she said, patting one tenderly.
"So you know everyone on the island?"
The old woman nodded. "There aren't that many of us. We all live right there," she said, pointing toward a nearby group of huts.
"I know that woman," Grassina muttered once we'd continued on our way. "But I'd swear she didn't recognize me. Her name is Hennah, and she isn't behaving like herself at all."
"She seemed nice," I said, glancing back over my shoulder.
"Yes, she does, which isn't like her. Normally, she hates people and goes out of her way to let them know it."
"All the witches from the retirement community must be here. We should have asked Hennah where we could find Grandmother."
"There's another witch," said Eadric, pointing farther down the beach. "Let's ask her."
An old woman with curling white hair so long that it brushed the sand was bent double, collecting seashells. She looked up when our shadows crossed her path.
"Good day," said Grassina. "I was wondering if I might ask you a question. Do you know anyone named Olivene?"
The old woman straightened and brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "I don't think so," she said in a husky sort of voice.
"Could you tell us your name?" I asked.
The old woman looked perplexed. "I can't seem to remember "
"That's all right," I hurried to tell her. "Sorry to have
troubled you."
The old woman held up her cupped hands, opening them to reveal an assortment of shells. "Would you like to see my seashells? I've found some lovely ones. Some of these must be the fairest in the sea!"
"Perhaps another time," said my aunt. "We have something we have to do first."
Since the witch was busy with her shells, it was easy to sneak away. I glanced at Grassina. The worried look on her face frightened me. "That was Cadmilia, one of the most devious witches around. Everyone knows that she tried to kill her stepdaughter."
"But she seemed nice, too!" I said.
Grassina shook her head. "It doesn't make any sense, does it? If even their personalities have changed—"
"They must have lost their memories altogether," said Eadric, digging the toe of his boot into the sand.
"Eadric!" I said, startled at his brilliance. "I bet that's it!"
"It makes sense, doesn't it? They can't even remember their own names, let alone who Grassina or Olivene are. If they can't remember that much, there's probably a lot they can't remember."
Shading my eyes with my hand, I glanced down the beach. "We'll just have to look for Grandmother. She must be around here somewhere."
We finally found my grandmother lying on a blanket, sound asleep. Her face was relaxed, without the cruel lines that usually etched her skin, and she looked kind of sweet lying there. I almost didn't recognize her.
"Do you think we should wake her?" I whispered to my aunt. "She looks so peaceful."
"What's all this noise about?" said my grandmother, turning her head to glare at us.
My aunt looked defiant, which was the way she usually acted around her mother. "We came to find you."
"Why? Do I know you? Doesn't matter. I'm taking a nap. Go bother someone else." My grandmother rolled onto her side, turning her back to us. Perhaps it was the curse, but even without her memory, Grandmother was the nastiest witch around.
Grassina shook her head and walked away, gesturing for me to follow. "This may take a while," she said once we were out of my grandmother's earshot. "Why don't you and Eadric see what else you can learn about the island? The more we know, the sooner we can get your grandmother's memory back and ask her to reverse the spell on Haywood."
"Will we take Grandmother with us when we go?" I asked.
"That depends on what we learn. Just be careful. There's more going on here than you might imagine."