9 Chapter 9

9 "Azmina, pass me a bubble!" urged Willa. Then she turned to the squid mom. "Do you mind if we use your special ink to make our potion?"

"Anything to stop those Shadow Sprites!" said the squid mom. The squid kid puffed out his chest in pride. Azmina handed her the last bubble that she had tucked away under her wing. Willa passed it carefully through a swirl of invisible ink and the silvery liquid seeped into the center of the bubble, leaving the river water behind. She had clearly roared out a very special bubble! Willa felt triumphant for a moment. Then she saw that most of the water around them was almost completely gray. "Come on! Let's get to the surface," she said to the others. "Do you have time for a cup of sea-squirt tea?" asked the mom, lifting a tentacle like a pinkie finger. "Stay for tea!" the kid squid yelled, clapping his tentacles in excitement. "And I can show you what a good tickler I am."

"Thanks, but we must make this potion as soon as possible," said Willa politely. It was nice to get the invitation, but she did NOT fancy being tickled by a giant squid. She could tell from the faces of the other two Dragon Girls that neither did they! "Well, drop by any time," said the mom squid. She and her son waved all their arms and tentacles goodbye. Willa and her friends swam toward the surface. It was a bit awkward for Willa, carrying the bubble of invisible ink under one wing. Luckily, swimming up was easier than swimming down, and before long, the Dragon Girls broke through the water's surface. Immediately, their bubble helmets popped and they could breathe in the crisp Magic Forest air again. "Willa! Be careful the bubble with the ink doesn't pop, too!" warned Naomi.

With a guilty jump, Willa looked down at the bubble. Phew! It was still in one piece. In fact, the bubble's surface had hardened in the air. It now felt like delicate glass. Carefully, Willa flew out of the water, sending a shower of silvery drops into the air.

She landed on the riverbank. Azmina and Naomi landed beside her. "Here goes," said Willa, pulling the apple out of the bag, which had magically repaired itself after the scissor fish incident. She opened the apple and

held the bubble over the apple. It was too big to drop inside. "Should I break it?" she wondered, but as she spoke, the bubble shattered into a thousand pieces. She groaned. "What's happened to the ink?" She couldn't see it anywhere. "Maybe it's become invisible again now that we're out of the shadow water?" suggested Naomi. "Maybe. But where is it?" wondered Willa. Azmina pointed at the potion. "Hopefully in there!" The three dragons peered into the apple. Within it bubbled a beautiful liquid, the color of a moonlit ocean. "Do you think it's right?" asked Willa, a little anxiously. "It's perfect," declared Naomi. "You can tell just by looking at it." "I think so, too." Azmina nodded. "But what do we do with it?"