The main attraction

“Ma’am, you’ve got to listen to me! I’m a witch, not a nymph! I’ll prove it to you!” Begged Chloe.

“Oh, I’m not falling for that one again!” Laughed the trapper. “I know you Water Nymphs have some skills in magic. I’m not gonna let my next paycheck escape away from me, especially not when I’m paid by Foxmarry.”

“Foxmarry?!” Yelped Chloe. She knew that name all too well. Foxmarry owned the largest and most popular zoo in the entire world.

“Yup, and it seems you’ll be the main attraction, since his last Water Nymph escaped a few days ago, right before the great reveal.”

Chloe turned white as a ghost. Given the popularity of the zoo, she’d be seen by the whole country. If she’d ever be freed, she would never live this down. Everyone would forever know her for this!”

“Conrad! Run back to my dorm room and get Rosaline. She’ll know what to do!”

“Meow!” Conrad meowed, before sprinting off into the woods.

“Okay, I’ve got to try something. If only I brought my wand with me…” Thinking for a few seconds, she considered her options.

She could cast a spell without her wand, but wandless magic is unpredictable and unfocused. Her teachers even warned their class to never do this when under large stress, which is precisely something Chloe suffers from right now.

On the other hand, she is the finest witch in her year. She just might be able to pull it off.

However, she might be also be able to trick the tracker into letting her go.