Chapter 9: Solving the Clue

I couldn't believe we had to go to this dance. All the professors insisted we go represent our school pride, and that meant getting a date, which meant wooing a girl, and then actual dancing. I shuddered. The professors showed us how to waltz and I just ended up tripping over my own feet. I wondered who I would ask. There was that hot, red-headed girl from Hogwarts in our year…

"What are you thinking about, Kai?" Nya asked.

I blinked. Nya invited me to go to the library to try to crack the mystery of the egg, but my first book still lay cracked on the title page.

"Just thinking about the Yule Ball."

"Still need a date?" Nya asked sympathetically.

I nodded. "And you?"

Nya's face turned pink. "Someone asked me."

I sighed. My little sister got a date before me. "Who is it?"

Nya went from pink to red. "Oh, just, some guy," she tried to answer casually.

Okay…so it's probably someone I don't like. That's the only reason Nya wouldn't tell me flat out.

"Nya, who is this guy?" I asked again.

She looked down at her book. "We really should be helping Lloyd."

I looked back at my own book: Shrieks and the Creatures Who Make Them. I knew Nya was right; it was already mid December and we were no closer to figuring out the clue than when we started. We should be helping Lloyd train for the next task, not stuck here in the library, but I couldn't help but worry about my younger sister. I didn't want anything terrible happening to her again after the Great Devourer incident her first year.

A clap of a book and a sigh of frustration flooded my ears. I looked over at my sister. "Didn't find anything?"

"No. Did you?"

"Nope. Just finished reading about banshees, but I still got a long way to go."

After few chapters, the silence began to weigh heavily on my ears. I wasn't Zane, who could read for days on end. I needed a break. I looked over at my sister, and she looked as frustrated as I felt.

"Maybe we should leave the reading to Zane," I suggested. I tried to think of something my sister might like. "Want to look at the Great Lake?"

Unlike at our school, Hogwarts wasn't filled with gardens and gentle streams. The grounds were green and well kept, but nothing like home. I had heard from other students that the lake was pretty impressive, but I had been so busy that I'd never gotten the chance.

Nya gave me a look. "In the middle of winter?"

I smiled. "It'll be fun. I'll just drop off our books first and meet you there. Besides, I can always use fire to keep us warm."

"Okay."

I went to the Destiny's Bounty and set the books on Zane's already large pile. All our friend did these days was read and come to class. I felt sorry for him; even he did take all of this on himself. I weaved back onto the grounds, when something caught my eye.

It was that girl again, sitting in the grass. Her red hair was swept back into a high ponytail, and she had her orange cloak bundled around her to fight against the chilly winter air. She was so close to me, and she was just sitting there by herself.

I paused. Nya was waiting for me, but it couldn't hurt to say hello real fast. So, I put on my winning smile, and sauntered over to the pretty girl in orange.

"Hello, there," I called.

She looked up and stared right at me. Her eyes were beautiful. I could get lost in them forever, but I forced myself to keep talking. I needed to make a good impression.

"My name is Kai. What's yours?" I asked.

"Skylor," she replied smoothly.

Skylor. A beautiful name for a beautiful woman. "So, uh, Skylor…" I started.

"Yes?"

Inspiration hit me. "You cold?" I snapped my fingers and flames danced across my fingers.

"I'm a little chilly," she admitted with a playful smile.

I took that as an invitation to sit down next to her. The ground was freezing. How on earth was she doing it? I summoned some more flames, concentrating on not burning myself.

Skylor watched me, fascinated by elemental magic. She asked me some questions and I did my best to answer them.

After awhile, I extinguished the flames. It had gone from being too cold to being too toasty. I took a deep breath and looked at Skylor. It was now or never.

"You know, the Yule Ball is coming up, and I was wondering if—"

"If I would go with you?" she finished, smiling that same, intoxicating smile at me.

I blinked. "Yeah, I mean, if someone hasn't asked you already."

Skylor's expression turned mischievous. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

Not quite the response I was looking for. Did that mean someone had already asked her? Was she just teasing me? Why did girls have to be so complicated?

"Uh…"

She laughed, a crisp and beautiful sound. "Don't worry. Nobody's asked me."

"So you'll go with me?" I asked hopefully.

Skylor looked at me for a moment. I looked back. Please say yes. Please say yes. I begged silently.

"Sure," she said at long last.

I breathed a quick sigh of relief. "Great! So, uh, see you then?" I finished lamely, not quite sure how to wrap up the conversation.

Skylor chuckled. "See you then, Kai."

I grinned and sauntered off. I did it! I got a hot date for the dance. I whistled as I walked. Skylor was so amazing and beautiful. I couldn't wait for the Yule Ball.

"KAI!" A shrill voice startled me out of my thoughts.

Nya was stomping toward me, her face red. Suddenly I remembered. I was supposed to meet her at the Great Lake. How long had I been with Skylor?

"I've been waiting for you to show up and you never did! I've been looking everywhere for you. Where have you been?" Nya ranted, her breaths coming in large white clouds.

"Nya, I'm so sorry. I've been talking to Skylor, and I completely lost track of the time," I tried to explain.

"Who?"

"Skylor. My date for the dance."

Nya glared at me. "Well, while you've been spending time with your date," she spat out the word, "I was freezing by a black, boring, ice lake, because you dragged me out here in the first place, when we were supposed to be helping Lloyd!"

"I'm sorry!" I snapped. I didn't think I was gone that long. I made a mistake, so why couldn't Nya get over it?

"I got distracted," I continued, "But I'm here now. We can go someplace else if you want."

Nya shook her head. "It's too late for that, Kai." And with that, she marched past me toward the school.

"Nya!" I called, but my sister kept going. "I said I was sorry!" I yelled, trying to get her to listen to reason, but she wouldn't stop.

I sighed. Girls. I didn't get them at all. I went back to the Destiny's Bounty, putting as much distance between my sister and I as possible. If Nya didn't want to be around me, then that's her problem.

"Kai!" This time, it was Zane calling my name.

I turned slowly. At least he had smile on his face. I could use some good news right about now.

"I crossed check my sources, and I believe I have discovered the secret of the golden egg."

I grinned. After a month of no progress, this was great news. It was almost enough to cheer me up.

"That's great," I said, "So what's the clue?"

Zane glanced past my shoulders. "Where's Nya?" he asked.

I frowned. "I don't know. Why?"

Zane's smile dimmed at my tone. I winced. I didn't mean to be quite so harsh.

"I believe the shrieks are actually a mermaid's song, which can only be heard underwater," Zane explained.

"Oh," I replied. That makes sense. But I really didn't want to see Nya again, so I suggested we fill up a bath and open the egg in there. Thankfully, Zane agreed.

A few minutes later, we had a warm bath and the egg was sitting peacefully on bottom. Thankfully, we found some swimsuits. I guess Master Wu thinks of everything.

"So, do we just open it?" I asked.

Zane nodded. I took a deep breath. It's really happening. I wondered what the clue was. I reached under the water and undid the clasp. Silence.

Well, at least it wasn't shrieking. I strained my ears and leaned forward, getting as close to the water as I dared. A gurgled song was coming through the water, but I couldn't make out the words.

"I suspect we'll have to put our heads into the water to hear the clue," Zane said.

I cringed. My head? Underwater? But I took a deep breath, squeezed my eyes shut, and shoved my head in the water with a splash, Zane right beside me.

For Lloyd, I told myself. Water rushed in my ears and my nose, and took everything in me not to pop back up again. For Lloyd, I repeated. I forced myself to calm down and listen.

Now, I could hear the chorus of hauntingly beautiful voices, singing:

Come seek us where our voices sound,

We cannot sing above the ground,

And while you're searching ponder this;

We've taken what you'll sorely miss,

An hour long you'll have to look,

And to recover what we took,

But past an hour, the prospect's black,

Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.

I shot of the water in flash and took sweet gulps of air. Zane came up much more calmly than I did, but right then I didn't care. I was just happy to get my head out of the water.

"We should go tell Lloyd what we've found," Zane suggested.

Oh right, how could I forget? "Good idea," I agreed.

We made our way through the Bounty and knocked on the second year's door, telling him the good news.

Lloyd's face lit up. "Really?" he asked.

I nodded, and told him how to find the clue for himself. Lloyd practically ran out the room to the bath. I smiled. It felt good to finally make some progress.

After Lloyd was done, we found Jay and Cole to tell them the news. I thought about including Nya, but I figured she probably didn't want to see me right now.

"So you have to stay under the lake for an hour?" Jay asked, when I finished explaining the situation.

"And find some mysterious object these merpeople have taken from you?" Cole added.

Lloyd seemed to shrink under their comments, but managed to nod firmly. "I don't know how I'm going to do it, but at least we got a month and a half to prepare," he replied.

"Perhaps Nya can assist you with this task," Zane suggested.

Jay lit up. "Yeah! I'm sure she'd be happy to help!" He looked around the room. "Where is she anyway?"

All eyes fell to me. I grit my teeth. Just because I was Nya's brother didn't mean I knew where she was all the time.

"Why does everyone keep asking me that?" I snapped. "I don't know where she is! I'm not her keeper."

"Whoa, calm down, Kai," Cole said.

"Did something happen between you and Nya?" Zane asked.

How did he know? I guess being an android he would be more perceptive. Everyone kept staring at me, waiting for an answer.

I sighed. "Nya and I got into a fight, but I'm sure it'll blow over. Right now, we should concentrate on helping Lloyd."

Everyone nodded.

We spent the rest of the evening looking over spells from the books in the Bounty's on board library, and practicing the ones that were useful—which wasn't many. Before long, it was too dark to read and no one wanted to stay up any later. Everyone piled out of the room as I closed my book, and stretched. I'd been sitting for way too long.

"What have you been doing?" My sister's voice froze me in tracks.

"Just doing research for spells that can help you breath underwater," I replied. I edged toward the door, trying to escape Nya's glare.

"Why?"

I took another step. "To help Lloyd in the second task," I said without thinking.

Nya's glare turned murderous. "And when were you going to tell me? The water wizard?"

Great. I tried to give Nya space and I made things worse between us. "I was going to tell you, but—"

"But you didn't think I could handle it? Because I'm your little sister?" she interrupted.

I stopped moving. "That's not what I was going to say."

"Then why didn't you?" Nya said as stepped closer to me.

"Because," I hesitated. My real reason was a lame excuse, but I decided to just go for it. How could this get any worse? "I thought you didn't want to see me."

Nya folded her arms. "I was upset, Kai, but I still want to know if you solve the clue we all have been trying to solve for the past month. And let me guess, everybody else knew about this too?"

I looked toward the door. It was only a few feet away. I could make my escape…

"They do, don't they?" Nya repeated, answering her own question. "Why does no one tell me these things?"

I glanced back at my sister. Her face was red and her whole body was shaking; she was so mad. I didn't want to throw any of my friends in that path of rage.

"It's not their fault," I said. "I was the one who suggested we look for spells inside of trying to find you."

Now I'd done it. Nya clenched her fists and stared roaring, "How could you, Kai! I thought we were in this together! But I guess it's just an all boys club and I'm the outsider! The little girl who doesn't belong!"

"That's not true—"

"Well, fine! I don't need you boys! I'm just fine on my own!"

"Nya, that's not what—"

"Goodnight!" she snapped.

Frustration boiled in my chest. Would it hurt my sister to listen to one thing I have to say? "Can't I just explain—"

"NO!" Nya yelled.

"Listen to me!" I yelled back. Why did she have to be so difficult?

"Good. Night." She repeated and stomped away and slammed the door behind her.

I exhaled as loudly as I could, not that anyone was around to hear me. Why couldn't Nya and I get along? Maybe it was because my sister's a teenager now. I hoped we could put our differences aside and get ready for the second task. But somehow, I got the feeling this wasn't going to blow over anytime soon, despite what I told everyone else.

AN: Oh the drama! By the way, pairings are not a major part of this story. There aren't going to be romantic hookups. There is some light stuff, but that's about it. Sorry if that disappoints anyone. Anyway, thanks for reading and your support! Reviews are welcome!