Free Magnus Fin and the Ocean Quest by Janis Mackay

sea, between child and man. His heart hurt in his ribs it was knocking so hard.
    He flung himself over the final rock pool and fell with a cry on to the black rock – and there it wasin the swirling water beyond, half hidden behind fronds of seaweed: the glittering mother-of-pearl handle. With not a second to lose, Magnus Fin jumped into the cold water, reached out his hand through the tangle of seaweed and grasped it.
    The handle gave under his touch. He pulled it through the water towards him. He felt the drag of a whirlpool. A crack flashed in the rock. A green emerald light blinked from the black, so bright it almost blinded him. And the door in the rock under the sea opened.

Chapter Thirteen
    As the rock door opened, a tremendous sound crammed into the boy’s ears, like a thousand screeching gulls. Magnus felt himself being sucked forward, pulled like a magnet. Something had brushed against him. Someone or something had taken him by the hand.
    The emerald light was gone. The door closed behind him. Magnus Fin was floating now and water swirled around him and above him. His wetsuit clung to his skin and a warm, weightless feeling filled his body. Fronds of seaweed brushed his legs. He held his breath.
    The slow ringing words, “Welcome, son of Ragnor,” reverberated around him. In a daze, Magnus Fin looked around. Everything was filmy, swaying, like a dream. Who spoke? Who was holding his hand? Was he drowning? The voice sounded like bells, or flutes, or waves breaking. It soothed the boy. The voice and the hand soothed him.
    “Welcome,” it spoke again in a warm lilting voice, “you must be Ragnor’s son.” Magnus Fin felt as though he was dissolving, like sugar in tea, and wondered – had he drowned? Was he dead?
    But the ringing voice sounded once more. “Welcome, son of Ragnor. I am your grandmother.Welcome to the kingdom under the sea.” And just when Magnus Fin couldn’t hold his breath one second longer, a kiss pressed against his lips making a fire burst in his lungs. Then instantly, and effortlessly, he could breathe.
    Magnus Fin blinked over and over. His body felt warm and strong. That kiss had been like bellows to a fire. He was breathing underwater. And he could open his eyes and, in a blurry fashion, he could see. He stared at the strong white hand with smooth long fingers now holding his. Slowly his gaze traced the hand up the arm to the elbow, then further up to the shapely shoulder and finally to the face, the kind face of a woman.
    “My name is Miranda,” she said gently. “To greet you I have worn my human skin.” Magnus Fin stared into her large green eyes. She looked human, beautiful and old in a wise, kind way. Long thick white hair tumbled down her back and reached to her knees. “We selkies do exist,” she said, pressing Magnus Fin’s hand, “we really do.” The selkie woman looked into his eyes and smiled. “Now come and meet your kinsfolk,” she said, and gently pulled her grandson through the sea. Then she stopped and looked at his feet, bound in trainers and making little headway in the water.
    “Shoes are good for land, Magnus Fin,” she said, “but you are part selkie. Webbed feet will serve you better. Take off your shoes, Fin. I’ll take care of them.”
    So Magnus pulled off his trainers then stretched and wiggled his toes.
    “Grand feet,” said his grandmother, and for the first time Magnus felt proud of his feet. And she was right. It was easier to swim without his heavy shoes pulling him down.
    Magnus Fin could see easily underwater now. Looking above him he could see the red rays of the setting sun stream through the water. Ahead of him the long snow-white hair of Miranda floated through the water, making him think suddenly about Mrs McLeod and Tarkin’s seventeen words for snow. Good old Tarkin and his Alaskan mermaid. Then he thought about his father waving him off urgently and his mother handing him the moon-stone. When was that? Hours and minutes