Days passed, then weeks. Often, Ariel dreamed of the solar eclipse. She’d see the moon in front of the sun. She’d see giant waves in a sea as black as midnight. Then she’d wake up, happy to be with Eric. Happy to be human. Almost every morning, Ariel would walk along the water’s edge. She’d wave to the seagulls. She’d call for her sisters. They’d wave and chatter across the water.

One day, she and Eric took a boat ride. First Ariel rowed. Then it was Eric’s turn. He was lifting an oar when Scuttle landed on its edge.

“Hello, Ariel! Hello, Prince Eric!”

“Scuttle! How many times do I have to tell you? Please call me Eric!”

“Of course, Prince Eric,” the seagull replied.

Ariel laughed. “Do you have something for me?” she asked.

“Oh! That’s right. I do!” Scuttle patted his feathers. “Now, where did I put that thing?”

“Here, Scuttle!” Flounder jumped out of the water, a piece of paper in his mouth. “It’s a card!” He bobbed for a moment, while Ariel took the paper.

“Why, thank you, Flounder.”

Ariel read the card to herself. Then she read it again, just to make sure she had it right.

“It’s a birthday invitation!” she said.

Eric groaned. “Not another one!”

“This time, it’s for Andrina.” Ariel sighed. Of course she wanted to go. Andrina was her sister! But how could she be a mermaid again? The eclipse was too fresh in her mind.

“You should go, Ariel!” said Scuttle. “There couldn’t possibly be another solar eclipse.”

Maybe not, Ariel thought. But what if something else happened? What if her father’s trident didn’t work for another reason?

On the other hand, it would be an adventure. And how could she say no to that?

“You’re not going, are you?” asked Eric.

Ariel felt torn. “I don’t know. The invitation doesn’t give much information. It doesn’t say where it is. Or how long.”

“Oh!” Scuttle fluttered his wings. “I forgot! There’s another part of the invite!”

He patted his feathers again.

“Okay, okay, Sebastian must come to the rescue once again.” The crab poked his head out of the water. Then he scrambled onto a rock.

He waved a wrinkled paper in his claw. “For you, Ariel.”

Sebastian glared at Scuttle. “It was just floating on a wave. It would’ve washed out to sea, if I hadn’t stumbled across it. Good thing—”

“Thank you, Sebastian,” said Ariel. She took the paper, and smoothed it on her knee.

“Ahh!” she cried happily. “I’ll definitely go to the party! Without a doubt!”

“You will?” said Prince Eric.

“Yes!”

Ariel’s six sisters suddenly popped out of the water. They swam around the boat.

“It’s in Crystal Cove!” explained Aquata.

“There’s plenty of land,” said Andrina.

“And sand,” added Arista.

“And water,” Attina put in.

“We can all be together!” said Adella and Alana.

“And Ariel can still be human,” Andrina added.

“You can come, too,” Ariel told Eric with a smile.

“Please, join us! You are welcome!” King Triton boomed as he surfaced.

Ariel reached over to hug her sisters one by one. The boat rocked. Eric laughed and hung on tight.

It would be a perfect celebration, Ariel thought. It’ll be the best of land and sea!