Chapter 1

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Chapter ONE I was enjoying a lazy Saturday lying on my clamshell bed, propped up by sea- sponge pillows, and reading my new book, Aqua Magic. Dad had given it to me only the day before—it was about an explorer mermaid called Cleodora Blue who went off in search of sea sprites—tiny creatures who live far away in a magical

part of the ocean. They looked so cute in the illustrations with their little faces and delicate gills. I couldn't help stroking the pictures with my finger!

I turned the page, watching how the metallic illustrations shimmered in the underwater light. Then I took a sip of my seaberry smoothie which was sitting on my bedside table and nibbled a slice of mermaid toast, spread with deliciously sweet seaweed butter. I felt very content and peaceful. Palace life can be busy and I was still sort of getting used to it. My mum married King Auster recently (which makes me a princess—yes, really!) but I only live here half the time. The other half I spend with my dad who lives in our old house on the other side of Scallop City. I turned the next page in my book. The tiny sea sprites twinkled up at me.

I smiled and reached again for my drink. 'Emeraaald!' came a sudden, familiar voice from outside my bedroom door. It was so loud that it made me jump and I almost dropped my smoothie onto my little pet octopus, Inkibelle! Without knocking, my stepsister Delphina came bursting into my room, her royal curls bouncing as she swished over to where I was lying on my bed.

'Emerald!' she said. 'How are you? I'm well, thank you. I was just feeling a little bit bored. I thought you might like to play! Do you want to play?' 'Erm...' I said.