Frantic Inside Grand Caves
3: Evidential
We reached the Fortuna. I looked around and saw Millie, Emily's parents, Shona's parents, Archie (one of Neptune's officials), Beeston (colleague of Archie), Theo (the local gardener), Marina and Althea with their parents, Mrs. Finwave (The teacher), and some stray merfolk drawn by the commotion.
My mouth was so wide open; I must have looked like a guppy. I closed it as the crowd parted to let us pass.
When we reached Emily's mum, she was quietly sobbing on Emily's Dad's shoulder (I subconsciously wondered if Emily would ever sob on my shoulder). Jake Windsnap looked up with his eyes wet.
"Is Emily really - ?" I asked. He motioned to the entrance of the Fortuna, indicating for me to see for myself.
As I swam in through the porthole door, I could feel every eye glued to my back. We wonder what that half-royal semi-mer thinks?
I sat on the edge of the trapdoor leading to Emily's room, waiting for my legs to reform. Once they had, I hoisted myself up and tiptoed around Emily's bedroom.
There was her rumpled bed. I sat down on it carefully, and rolled my eyes across the room. I absentmindedly ran my fingers the length of Emily's purple bedspread, and then my fingers felt something. Something wet and gloppy.
When I looked among the creases on the sheets, I knew what I'd found was evidential: a glob of orange-streaked seaweed.
