Mutante

Chapter 22

Copyright 2023 Elizabeth Frerichs

Crossposted on elizabethfrerichs.com and fanfiction.net

*****

Rosie wrapped a lock of her hair around her finger meditatively. "What if we just shrink it? After Grandma is free, of course. It would be a lot less dangerous if we could just stick it in a jar or something."

Robert chuckled. "Can you imagine showing a mini sea monster to people? They'd never believe it."

"Well, what do you think, Thomas?"

"I had not considered that, but yes, it should be possible to shrink the monster if you can just get it outside the magical blackout spell."

"How large is the spell?"

"Only in the house itself. Lady Rina tied the block into the structure."

Rosie smiled at Robert. "Looks like you'll have a chance to antagonize Ranulf after all."

***

Time passed. Without her timekeeper, Rosie never would have known exactly how long it was. Kelp whispered up against the sides of the "tunnel" all around them, blocking out the light and preventing her from seeing, even with her new eyesight. Finally, finally! the ground began to slope upward.

"I suppose it makes sense that the different colored kelp would live up here, near the largest concentration of magic," Rosie said with a tired sigh. "I wish it didn't though. The thought of having to go back to the cave after this is a lot."

"Too right!" Robert said. "At least getting the kelp shouldn't be terribly difficult."

"Don't say things like that," Rosie nearly whined.

"Why?"

Rosie huffed. "Now it's going to be nearly impossible."

He laughed. "I doubt that." He winked at her. "First one to find the turquoise kelp wins."

Rosie smiled, appreciating his attempt to lighten the mood. "Then prepare to lose."

He scoffed and began ostentatiously studying the path ahead of them. Before long, it came to an end with no kelp. Presumably because the kelp was dangerous. Hopefully, only if they ingested it, but . . . .

"Thomas, did Grandma discover what would happen if you touch the turquoise kelp?"

Thomas's expression grew pensive. "I believe that was the one that she said caused painful welts on one's skin. She did the experiments on a table out of my sight, and I'm afraid her mutters were not particularly intelligible. I only remember the vomiting because she tested it on a porpoise she summoned. Let's just say it was a day I'm quite glad I cannot smell."

Robert hissed. "So, no touching the kelp."

Rosie suppressed an "I told you so" and then took out the gloves they would need. "Anything else we should know before we try to harvest it?" she asked the mirror.

Thomas shook his head. "Not that I can recall."

"All right. Well, Sir Knight, prepare for defeat," she said, smacking the extra set of gloves into his chest and rushing to examine the foliage pressed up against the tunnel wall. Hopefully, they could find the plant and be done with it. Quickly.

"No fair!" Robert complained, following hard on her tail fin.

Rosie merely sent him a wide smile and continued examining the portion of the tunnel she had chosen. Nothing stood out to her.