Free Secrets of the Deep by E.G. Foley

shore, Jake, Dani, and Maddox were startled to spot the dolphins that had been frolicking around Isabelle stampeding back out to sea. Leaping as they swam, the pod raced right past the sailboat. It was an amazing sight, but it puzzled them.
    “Where’d all your friends go?” Jake asked his cousin when they had returned to the beach. “Was it feeding time or something?”
    Isabelle shrugged. “I don’t know. It almost seemed like something upset them, but they left too fast to tell me what was wrong. Are you all right, coz? That was quite a fall.”
    “I’m fine,” he assured her as he used his telekinesis to make a towel float over to him from the neatly folded stack under the umbrella shade. But when his Gryphon came padding out from the garden, head down, Jake sent him a playful scowl. “There you are, you big baby.”
    “Caaaw.”
    “No, I’m not mad at you!” Jake chuckled and dried his face and ears.
    Archie left the side of the Turtle , sloshing over to him in shin-deep water. “What were you yelling to me out there?” he asked, sweat beaded on his freckled brow.
    “I’ve got a surprise for you all. Everybody—listen to this!” Gathering the whole group around, Jake proceeded to tell his friends what he had seen underwater.
    As he’d expected, they were as fascinated as he by the prospect of exploring the sunken temple. Going down to have a look at it sounded like the perfect adventure for their first time out in Archie’s submarine.
    The boy genius whooped with excitement at the chance to finally show off his latest invention. He had purposely built the submersible big enough to hold everyone, unlike his flying machine, the Mighty Pigeon , which could only carry two.
    “Nix, help me get her ready?” he cried, beaming.
    “Aye, aye, Cap’n,” she drawled, following with a wry look as Archie went splashing back through the shallows to make his launch preparations.
    “I think I’ll sit this one out,” Isabelle murmured to Jake while the others scattered to prepare for the sub’s maiden voyage.
    “Why?” Jake asked, turning to her in dismay. “Izzy, this is a big moment for your brother. What’s wrong? Don’t be a killjoy.”
    “Nothing! It’s just, someone ought to stay behind in case Aunt Ramona or Miss Helena come looking for us,” she said, a tad defensively.
    Jake glanced up toward the villa. “Are they still getting everything ready for the party tonight?”
    She nodded. “We’ll have to start getting ready ourselves soon.”
    Jake had been surprised to learn it was the done thing among the upper classes to entertain one’s neighbors when visiting distant lands for an extended stay. Therefore, tonight they’d be hosting a swanky gathering at the Villa di Palma to meet and greet the other rich, highborn holidaymakers visiting Taormina or staying at the other seaside mansions for the season.
    Now that they’d had some time to settle in, he supposed it was expected of them. More importantly, if he knew Great-Great Aunt Ramona, the real reason for tonight’s soiree was probably just an excuse for her to inspect their holiday neighbors.
    No doubt she wanted to make sure there were no suspicious characters nearby who had any dubious ties to certain unsavory wizards.
    “You should see the boxes full of treats they’ve been bringing in from a local bakery for tonight.” Isabelle glanced up the curved stone steps that led to the house. “I still don’t know what I’m going to wear.”
    “Any excuse for a party with you lot,” Maddox commented as he walked toward them, finished mooring the sailboat.
    Isabelle lifted her nose into the air as he approached, and looked away with a sniff of disdain. “Nobody said you have to come if you don’t like it, Mr. St. Trinian.”
    Maddox scowled.
    “Izzy, that’s obviously not what he meant,” Jake muttered, hating the discord between these two as much as everybody else did.
    He could understand her wanting to throttle Maddox—he