(I am heartily sorry that I took so long to write this chapter. Next one will be quicker, honest.)

*

This time, they got to approach Wallfruit Cove at a leisurely pace, not tearing ahead in a fit of worry about a missing sister.  That meant that Rube noticed the way the trees changed as they went on.  Around a certain corner, you went from knotty, bent old oak trees to something stiff and aromatic, covered in dense ferns and lianas.  It was like crossing from the part of the zoo with the penguins to the part with the tigers.

Rube had found that it made things easier to concentrate on one thing at a time.  If she thought about the trees, then she wouldn’t have to worry about running into Dad when they crossed from Wallfruit Cove to Opal Hill.  If she thought about running into Dad, then she wouldn’t have to worry about what they were meant to do when they got to Opal Hill.  If she thought about Opal Hill, then she didn’t have to think about everything she’d learned this morning.

They rounded another corner, and the pools opened up before them.  Cool and blue and tempting, but full of strange people.  She’d only seen Sleet and Comet up close, but she’d seen grey and green, and she thought she’d seen markings like the suckers an octopus had on the underside of its tentacles.  You had to take things a little bit at a time.

Sleet saw them coming, and splashed their way out of the pool they were in.  They looked as if they were trying to run through syrup.  “You came back!” they cried, waving their arms (with definite sucker-marks) in the air, “I thought you weren’t coming back ‘til tomorrow?”

“We got in touch with Colwyn,” said Rube.  (And never mind how, she thought.)  “The Iridescence family thought that he helped Kai escape, so they’re holding him prisoner.”

Sleet’s mouth fell open.  (Rube tried not to look at what was in there instead of a tongue.)  “They can’t do that!”

Rube wasn’t sure what she was supposed to say to that.  She ended up just staring blankly.

“They’ve always been…”  Sleet shook their head.  “But this?  Kidnapping Colwyn?  We need him!  They can’t do that!”

“Well, they did,” said Jeanette, sounding a little impatient, “So…”

Rube spoke quickly, to pre-empt Sleet taking offence.  “We’re going to go to Opal Hill and get him back.  Do you think the council will listen to us if we talk to them?  I know you said they…”

“They’ll have to!” said Sleet, “How are we supposed to…?”

Just then, a little shadow appeared on Sally’s shoulder.  “What’s going on?” asked Kai.

(To be continued)

(A lot sooner this time)