Page 54 of Monster's Pet

“That’s better than disgusting,” Bruce said. “Switch with me?”

I pulled my cup away from him. “This is mine. They’re tailored to each of us for optimal nutritional values.”

Bruce sighed heavily and glared at his own cup. “I know,” he said glumly. “But this tastessobad.”

“Gulp it down instead of using the straw?” Aiden suggested. “Then it won’t linger for as long.”

An expression not unlike being led to the gallows crossed Bruce’s face, but he grabbed his cup, removed the straw, and lifted it to his lips. I watched his Adam’s apple bob as he gulped the smoothie down—once, twice, three times—and then he half-threw the cup away from him with a shudder.

“That was rank,” he groaned. “What I wouldn’t give for a coffee to change the taste in my mouth.”

I nodded sympathetically. “We’re allowed to brush our teeth, at least.”

Bruce made a face. “The mint taste won’t stay for long.”

“Brush your tongue, too, man,” Aiden said with a chuckle. “Besides, we’re going to be in salt water. You won’t notice after a few minutes.”

“May I have the attention of the Nexus third year class, please?” Professor Akhtar’s voice was magically amplified to carry throughout the mess hall.

My stomach dropped.

Had something happened?

“You have ten minutes before you need to be in the pool. Do not be late, or we will leave you behind.”

“I thought he was going to cancel for a moment there,” Bruce said, sighing with relief. “I’d hate to have drunk this nasty smoothie for no reason.”

My straw made a slurping noise as I reached the end of my own smoothie and I sucked up the last few drops. “I’ve been excited about going to Atlantis since he mentioned it in September!” I said, wiggling in my seat. “I don’t want to be late. Aiden, are you ready to go?”

He held up one finger, his throat working as he swallowed large gulps of his drink. “Done,” he said with a gasp, thunking the cup down on the table.

We joined the rest of the class, heading down the stairs to the pool. The remnants of the dance were long gone, the floating hardwood floor included, as we lined up along the edge of the pool.

Professor Puddlemoan was handing out necklaces with a bead in the center. “These are for emergency air. If you find your own breathing apparatuses malfunctioning for whatever reason, activate this with a squeeze, and it will give you an hour’s worth of air. Find a professor, let us know, and we will find a solution. You might have to go home earlier than anticipated, but that’s better than drowning.”

“No kidding,” I muttered to Aiden, who smothered a laugh.

He’d modified his bottle to leave his mouth free, changing it to be of similar construction to my necklace chain. I was looking forward to making out with him underwater.

“Everyone here?” Professor Akhtar asked as he entered the pool room. He did a quick head-count. “Excellent. Are you in your pairs? Even better. Stay together. Be safe. Don’t take risks. I will go through the portal first. Give me two minutes, and if I don’t return, follow after me, twenty seconds apart. Once you’re through, move out of the way of the next pair. You’re familiar enough with the procedure by now, right?”

“Yes, Professor,” we chorused.

“Good. Let’s go explore Atlantis!” he exclaimed, clapping his hands together enthusiastically. He dove into the pool, with barely a splash as he entered, and swam down to the portal at the lowest point of the deep end.

There was a pause, during which he did whatever he needed to do in order to open the portal, and then the entire pool lit up with a glowing greenish-blue light originating from the portal.

Once he’d swum through, Professor Puddlemoan started organizing us into the order we’d enter the portal. “First team, go!” he ordered when a minute and a half had passed since Professor Akhtar had entered the portal.

Aiden and I were the seventh team to go, and we waited at the surface of the pool, hanging onto the edge, for our turn. Now that we were in the water, my wetsuit didn’t feel as uncomfortable as it had on dry land.

“Six, go!”

We activated our underwater breathing spells in anticipation of our turn.

“Seven, go!”

I ducked under the water and swam down to the brightly glowing portal, Aiden at my side. My heart thrilled with excitement the closer we got to it. I only had the briefest glimpse of the frame—dolphins, sea horses, octopi, and other sea creatures carved into the rock—and then we were swimming through.

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