CHAPTER 37

Lake Specter, made by magic, was not like most lakes. For one, it was fish-free. As Molly’s face slipped below into the darkness of the lake, she noticed how still the water was. Not a blip. Not even those teeny-tiny fish that swim in little silvery schools. It was almost like a dream, thick and black except for the spotlight created by her headlamp.

It was hard to see how deep they were sinking. It felt like the world just kept falling and falling out from under them. Every time she reached down with her foot, it swung in the emptiness. Again and again, until, finally, after what felt like forever, but was not, Molly’s foot touched the soft, unfortunately squishy bottom of the lake.

Claudia looked at Molly, who was slowly turning, taking in her surroundings, waiting for her light to catch something. Something other than nothing, which seemed to be all around them.

A halo of bubbles burbled up from her mouthpiece.

Molly shone her light on Claudia. Who shrugged.

And then, just beyond Claudia’s shifting form, Molly spotted it.

A wall in the middle of the bottom of the lake.

Like a castle in the middle of nowhere.

Which briefly made Molly think of her mother’s fish-bowl and its tiny fortress with a drawbridge their goldfish, Mr. Goldfish, swam in and out of.

This was like a very gothic version of that.

Molly kicked toward the wall. The icy water was already turning her fingertips numb as she placed her hand on the stony surface. It was bumpy, covered with something small and sharp, like a thousand tiny clams.

“Is this the labyrinth?” Claudia asked, knowing Molly could not hear her. It looked different, although, honestly, the last time she saw it was a long time ago.

“TURN BACK, CLAUDIA!”

“Deborah.” Claudia whirled around to see Deborah, whose eyes were blazing jade green.

The sudden appearance of Deborah scared the bubbles out of Molly, who fell back with a “BUBBBLLLAA!”

Ghosts, of course, can talk underwater; people cannot. Ghosts can also YELL underwater. Which is just as unpleasant underwater as it is on land.

“DON’T you DARE move another inch,” Deborah barked, swimming in front of Claudia. “What the cauliflower do you think you’re doing?”

“You know exactly what I’m doing,” Claudia said, pushing past Molly. “My friends are helping me get the Seal. Which you kept secret from me!”

“I thought it was pretty obvious,” Deborah said with a glare. “But then maybe I was the smart scout of Daedalus.”

“You are the BOSSY scout of Daedalus,” Claudia sneered. “Heddie is the smart one. GO HOME.”

“Home? Really? Funny for YOU to say that,” Deborah sniffed. “Since you no longer consider this your final resting place.”

“Funny? How about FUNNY to see YOU here since you made it abundantly clear you have no intention of helping me,” Claudia snarled. “An eternity of telling me what to do. Some scout you are.”

“You’re questioning my qualifications as a Lumberghost, when you’ve dragged these Lumberjanes to the bottom of a lake, scouts that could still DIE,” Deborah snapped back. “You are a blight on the Daedalus cabin.”

“Well, I won’t be for much longer!”

“FINE!”

Molly couldn’t hear exactly what either ghost was saying. But she could guess from:

Glub!

Glub glub!

. . . that it wasn’t good.

A small current was swirling around Deborah and Claudia, a churning in the water that was pushing against Molly. Molly held out her arms to try to stay upright.

“If you didn’t want this you could have said something a hundred years ago!”

“Who could say anything?! If I did, what would you hear?”

“Don’t blame ME for your LIES!”

“You don’t care about me!”

Deborah threw her arms out with a huge WHOOSH. “I CARE ABOUT YOU SO MUCH!”

A swell slammed against Molly, who waved her arms to try and get her balance.

Ugh, Molly thought, grabbing at the wall behind her.

The wall that was supposed to be behind her.

Which was now . . .

Gone.

“NO, YOU DON’T!” Claudia said, throwing her arms up.

Whoosh.

With a final gust, Molly was tossed backward. She reached out her hands, grazing the edge of a gap in the wall, about the size of a refrigerator door.

“All you care about is DAEDALUS,” Claudia seethed.

“YOU ARE DAEDALUS,” Deborah snapped.

“Wait.” Claudia froze. “Why is it so dark?

“Molly?” Claudia swiveled in the water. “Molly?”

Deep in the heart of Lake Specter, there was only darkness.