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Authors: E.G. Foley
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the silky salt water was quite pleasant.
It was, after all, a fine day for a swim.
And even more intriguingly, when he looked down, the ancient, algae-covered roof of the building he had spotted from the air was now but several tantalizing yards below his feet.
He squinted, salt stinging his eyes. Why, that thing had some sort of statue atop it.
The large, human-shaped figure had clumps of barnacles growing on it, but Jake saw the stone-carved toga it was wearing and was suddenly inspired.
Crikey, is that one of those old pagan goddesses? Athena or something? Why, it seemed he’d discovered some kind of ancient Roman ruins.
A sunken temple!
The adventurer in him could not resist. Lounging on the beach was all very well, but here was a leisure activity worthy of a future Lightrider!
It was a little difficult to see in the blue-green underwater twilight, but Jake was determined to get a closer look. Might as well, since I’m already down here, he thought eagerly.
So, rather than heading for the surface, he swam down deeper to explore his mysterious find.
Though still above the building, he could see its lines somewhat clearly. There was a wide portico with columns and an entrance down there in the dark…
Unfortunately, he hadn’t gone far when he realized he couldn’t hold his breath much longer. Blast it.
Drowning would certainly put a damper on his holiday. No need to do the Dark Druids’ work for them. Besides, it would be much more fun to explore that thing with all his friends along.
Lungs burning, Jake shot toward the surface.
A long moment later, he came up sputtering.
Dani and Maddox were already on their way out to rescue him, the frantic redhead leaning forward over the bow of the sailboat like a ship’s anxious figurehead, while the Guardian apprentice sought no help from the lazy breeze in the canvas, but rowed through the waves at top speed.
“Jake! Are you all right?” Dani shouted anxiously.
He waved back from the water. “No worries!”
He began swimming slowly toward them, but it was only a moment before Maddox pulled on the oars, slowing the boat alongside him.
“That Gryphon ought to be ashamed of himself, bucking you off like that!” Dani huffed, reaching out her hand to him as Maddox held the boat steady.
“I’m sure he is,” Jake replied.
“What took you so long to come to the surface?” she demanded as he grasped her outstretched hand and let her pull him closer.
The buoyancy of the water made him light enough for her to reel him in fairly easily. Besides, the little redhead had always been stronger than she looked—and her Irish brogue always thickened when she got upset. “Ye nearly gave me an apoplectic fit, ye daftling!”
“I’m always givin’ you apoplectic fits, Dani O’Dell. It’s what I do .”
“I thought ye hit your head down there, or got eaten by a shark!”
“Nah, but I saw something, and you’ve all got to see it, too.” He braced his other hand on the gunwale and heaved himself out of the water.
She looked at him in surprise. “What, a mermaid?”
“Not a mermaid!” he said in annoyance, and shook his head, scoffing. Girls . Jake slung his body awkwardly into the boat.
“Careful, ye lug! You’re gonna capsize us!”
While Dani fussed at him for getting water everywhere, he wiped the salt water out of his eyes and flung his wet forelock out of his face. “Did anybody bring a towel?”
“We have them back on the beach.”
“So what did you see down there?” Maddox prodded.
Dani grinned. “A pirate treasure?”
“Honestly!” Jake retorted, laughing at her wild guesses. “Something even better than that. But it’s a surprise.” He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled toward the shore: “Ho, genius! Get the Turtle fired up! It’s time to take her out! Because I just found us the first official adventure of our holiday!”
CHAPTER 4
Maiden Voyage of the Mighty Turtle
S ailing back toward the
It was, after all, a fine day for a swim.
And even more intriguingly, when he looked down, the ancient, algae-covered roof of the building he had spotted from the air was now but several tantalizing yards below his feet.
He squinted, salt stinging his eyes. Why, that thing had some sort of statue atop it.
The large, human-shaped figure had clumps of barnacles growing on it, but Jake saw the stone-carved toga it was wearing and was suddenly inspired.
Crikey, is that one of those old pagan goddesses? Athena or something? Why, it seemed he’d discovered some kind of ancient Roman ruins.
A sunken temple!
The adventurer in him could not resist. Lounging on the beach was all very well, but here was a leisure activity worthy of a future Lightrider!
It was a little difficult to see in the blue-green underwater twilight, but Jake was determined to get a closer look. Might as well, since I’m already down here, he thought eagerly.
So, rather than heading for the surface, he swam down deeper to explore his mysterious find.
Though still above the building, he could see its lines somewhat clearly. There was a wide portico with columns and an entrance down there in the dark…
Unfortunately, he hadn’t gone far when he realized he couldn’t hold his breath much longer. Blast it.
Drowning would certainly put a damper on his holiday. No need to do the Dark Druids’ work for them. Besides, it would be much more fun to explore that thing with all his friends along.
Lungs burning, Jake shot toward the surface.
A long moment later, he came up sputtering.
Dani and Maddox were already on their way out to rescue him, the frantic redhead leaning forward over the bow of the sailboat like a ship’s anxious figurehead, while the Guardian apprentice sought no help from the lazy breeze in the canvas, but rowed through the waves at top speed.
“Jake! Are you all right?” Dani shouted anxiously.
He waved back from the water. “No worries!”
He began swimming slowly toward them, but it was only a moment before Maddox pulled on the oars, slowing the boat alongside him.
“That Gryphon ought to be ashamed of himself, bucking you off like that!” Dani huffed, reaching out her hand to him as Maddox held the boat steady.
“I’m sure he is,” Jake replied.
“What took you so long to come to the surface?” she demanded as he grasped her outstretched hand and let her pull him closer.
The buoyancy of the water made him light enough for her to reel him in fairly easily. Besides, the little redhead had always been stronger than she looked—and her Irish brogue always thickened when she got upset. “Ye nearly gave me an apoplectic fit, ye daftling!”
“I’m always givin’ you apoplectic fits, Dani O’Dell. It’s what I do .”
“I thought ye hit your head down there, or got eaten by a shark!”
“Nah, but I saw something, and you’ve all got to see it, too.” He braced his other hand on the gunwale and heaved himself out of the water.
She looked at him in surprise. “What, a mermaid?”
“Not a mermaid!” he said in annoyance, and shook his head, scoffing. Girls . Jake slung his body awkwardly into the boat.
“Careful, ye lug! You’re gonna capsize us!”
While Dani fussed at him for getting water everywhere, he wiped the salt water out of his eyes and flung his wet forelock out of his face. “Did anybody bring a towel?”
“We have them back on the beach.”
“So what did you see down there?” Maddox prodded.
Dani grinned. “A pirate treasure?”
“Honestly!” Jake retorted, laughing at her wild guesses. “Something even better than that. But it’s a surprise.” He cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled toward the shore: “Ho, genius! Get the Turtle fired up! It’s time to take her out! Because I just found us the first official adventure of our holiday!”
CHAPTER 4
Maiden Voyage of the Mighty Turtle
S ailing back toward the
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