Free The Shell Princess by Gwyneth Rees Page B

tell you,” Rani began.
    But before she could continue, there was a knock on the wall outside and four long wriggly arms pushed back their seaweed-flap.
    “Good day, everyone,” said Octavius the octopus, as he peered in through one of the gaps he had made in the seaweed curtain. “May I come in?”
    “Of course,” said Murdoch. “Though we’re just about to have dinner.”
    Rani noticed that her mother was frowning. Octavius had a habit of visiting at inconvenient times and staying for ages.
    “I’ve already had my dinner,” Octavius said, settling himself on the most comfortable rock. “Some of my delicious stew. Do you know, I don’t believe I’ve ever
tasted anything as fine as my very own cooking? I don’t know why I should be such a talented cook – unless it’s another consequence of having such a large brain. I suppose I am able to put a lot of thought into my recipes.”
    Rani felt impatient. Once Octavius got started on the subject of his brain, he was impossible to stop. She would never get to speak to her family at this rate. Then she had an idea. As Octavius
continued to boast, Rani decided to try out some magic. As she focused on him she could feel her magic struggling against a very strong force indeed. She concentrated extra-hard, and was beginning
to feel a bit dizzy, when something weird started to happen. Golden sparks appeared around Octavius’s mouth as he said, “Of course, my brain is really just of average size for an
octopus.”

    Miriam and Murdoch stared at him in disbelief and Kai nearly dropped the shell-cutlery she was putting on the table.
    “And in any case,” continued Octavius, “quantity does not always mean quality.” And he gave them a humble smile as he exited their cave.
    “I don’t believe it!” gasped Miriam.
    They all started to laugh.
    Rani decided that now was as good a time as any to break her news. “Mother, Father, Kai . . .” she began again firmly, and this time they all turned to listen.
    “A magic stone?” frowned Miriam, when Rani had finished. “I don’t understand.”
    “It’s a message -stone, Mother,” Rani said. “Morva showed me how to open the pendant and we found out that my real parents must have died when I was a baby. They
were in some sort of danger and that was why they put me inside the Clam-Shell. But I had a twin brother and they put him inside another shell or something because he’s still
alive.”
    Rani’s mother sat on the seaweed mat, looking dazed. “And now you want to leave us in order to find him?”
    “I don’t want to leave you,” Rani said, “but I have to find my brother. You can’t come with me because only magic mermaids can go to the place Morva comes
from.”
    “It sounds far too dangerous,” Miriam said. “And you are too young to make such a big journey. Perhaps when you’re older—”
    “It’s not dangerous!” Rani protested. “Morva will be with me. Please, Mother, I’m ready to go now !”
    But her mother was shaking her head firmly.
    Rani looked at her father. Surely Murdoch would understand. “Father?” she pleaded. “Please say I can go!”
    “We think of you as belonging here with us, Rani,” Murdoch said gently, “that’s the problem.” He sighed. “I’m afraid I agree with your mother. I
don’t want you to go either. You don’t know what you will find there, Rani. It may not make you happy. And we don’t want to lose you.”
    “You won’t lose me,” Rani said, fighting back tears. Why couldn’t they understand? They had to let her go! Otherwise she was going to lose her brother!

   Chapter Three   
    Rani’s pet sea-horse, Roscoe, was swinging himself on one of the seaweed swings in the shell-garden. He looked a bit huffy when Rani approached and flipped himself round
on the swing so that he had his back to her.
    Rani realized that she hadn’t spent much time with Roscoe recently – she’d been too busy practising her magic.
    “I’m sorry,