The first thing Ursula did upon returning home, even in her shaky state, was write down a phonetic rendering of Siddikah's incantation. No longer bewildered by the process of transformation, Ursula had listened carefully to the wailing song the second time around.

Ursula began to practice the incantation in the privacy of her home each day: first thing in the morning and last thing before bed. She knew she would ultimately need a translation. If she didn't know what she was saying, she'd never be able to connect her will to the words. They'd fall flat, even if she memorized every crescendo, every enunciation as sung by the Squid Witch. Yet she was off to an excellent start, and her practice was keeping her occupied.

She had to stay busy, lest dread of the next Transformation seize her. Nine hours to return to self! Nine! Ursula still suspected the sorceress was pushing her, testing her, punishing her, even. But why?

The books on domestic spellcraft and animal training got lugged back to the library and exchanged for volumes about life on land. It didn't take long to identify the colorful winged creatures Siddikah had used: butterflies. Ursula was fascinated by their life cycle and immediately understood why their metamorphosis made them perfect aids to a Transformation spell. But her heart sank as she read that these animals preferred not to fly over oceans. How would she get one, much less the dozens she would need to practice and perfect the spell? It was almost as if she needed to transform into something else in order to get the ingredients for a Transformation—a most unfair trap. Siddikah was lucky to have Planete.

Days later, Ursula was helping an injured mermaid in the temple when a flash of insight nearly made her shout aloud. Butterflies weren't the only animals that undergo metamorphosis! Frogs do, and some fish, and even certain mollusks and crustaceans. Perhaps the butterflies could be substituted! After all, spells were both art and science, leaving room for a degree of tweaking.

In between long working hours, Ursula studied feverishly. She looked up languages, pored over books about metamorphosis, and struck up an acquaintanceship with a male cecaelia named Cosmos that had come to Atlantica from the Caribbean years ago.

Cosmos was happy to tell her about the customs of his previous home, and from these conversations, Ursula concluded that the envoy Sebastian might be lingering in Atlantica out of hope or expectation that he be given a tour of the kingdom. It would be too forward to request a private tour, and inappropriate to go wandering around unsupervised. Surely Sebastian knew the royals were busy and thus, Ursula believed, the crab was waiting patiently for an invitation.

***

The day had arrived, and Ursula realized that much of her dread regarding the imminent Transformation had faded. It was not unlike what she had heard her elders say about childbirth: the memory of the pain fades to enable the next pregnancy. While birthing, one swears "never again"...only to find oneself not only willing, but eager to have another baby.

Changing for Triton was Ursula's labor of love, and it operated the same way.

There was only one thing left to do, then: figure out a gift for Siddikah. Ursula needed to stay in her good graces, and a gift would hopefully set a better tone this time around.

***

"I hope you like it. My Uncle Dismas and I make a batch every year."

Siddikah was studying the red, gel-like cordial that Ursula had just given her. The substance shimmered as the witch swirled it around inside its decorative bottle.

"I'm sure I will, pet. Thank you."

"Thank you for your continued help, Siddikah." Ursula made a slight bow. "Perhaps next time I could bring a treat for Planete?"

The sorceress smiled and tilted her head. "Are you ready?" she asked.

"Yes."

Ursula listened even more carefully to the incantation this time, and identified a few phrases she had been singing wrong at home. She burned the corrections into her memory at once. How she ached to get a closer look at tonight's butterfly, now that she knew the names of so many kinds! But she dared not interrupt Siddikah during her work.

Then it was done, and the moment was ripe. They were meandering toward Siddikah's large mirror so Ursula could see herself.

"Siddikah, your singing is so beautiful. I've never heard that language before, though. What is it?" Ursula hoped she sounded casual.

"Mmm, why do you ask?" Siddikah sounded breezier than herself.

"Just curious," Ursula shrugged.

"Just curious how you might do this yourself?"

"I—well, I..."

"I'm on to you, child, and don't think for a moment you are learn how to do this without proper guidance. From a willing mentor." Siddikah's hands were on her slim hips, fingers splayed wide.

Playing innocent will get me nowhere, then. Fine. Ursula squared her shoulders. "Would you be willing to mentor me, Siddikah?"

"Sure."

"Really? Oh, thank you! I have so many questions already! For example, can you substitute other animals for the butterflies, perhaps a frog or—"

"Ursula," Siddikah said sternly. She raised a hand to command silence.

Ursula nodded, breathless and eager and smiling.

"You're swimming ahead of yourself, angelfish. I'd love to teach you all about it, but you would need to apprentice with me properly."

The younger cecaelia waited, excitement and terror clashing within her. Images of the ghastly garden assaulted her mind's eye.

"You would need to stay with me for a pre-determined period of time," Siddikah began.

"How long?" Ursula interrupted.

"I think I could teach you a great deal in a year."

"A year?" Ursula gasped.

The Squid Witch furrowed her brows. "At least. I'd love to teach you everything I know. Do you think you could absorb everything I know in a matter of months?"

"No, of course not. I just didn't anticipate learning everything you know. Perhaps just the Transformations...?"

"To master Transformations, you are going to have to learn a great many other things about the Dark Arts. One cannot isolate this kind of spell, as if it's a trick for entertaining others at a party."

"I do understand, Siddikah, but how could I simply disappear for a year? What would I tell Melisande and Dismas? Ephram? What would happen to me and Triton if I were gone that long?"

"I thought Triton was the whole reason you wanted to mess with Transformations in the first place. Do you want to be able to control your physical form on your own terms, or not?" Siddikah raised one brow.

"He is the reason, and of course I do. But how would I explain my absence to him? To everyone?"

"Tell them you are going on a journey to locate your birth parents," Siddikah said.

Ursula startled. "It almost sounds as if you've given this some thought."

"I have." Siddikah moved closer to the mermaid, who had to remind herself not to back away in response. "Ursula, have you not wondered why I haven't named a price for these last two Transformations? After all, you've brought me no new information from Atlantica since our first meeting."

"I confess that I have wondered."

"It's because I don't want to do anything to impoverish you in any way. Since the first time we met, I have wanted you to become my apprentice."

"I had no idea," Ursula said softly.

"Yes. I have longed for an apprentice for years now. Every master wants one eventually. We want to know our knowledge will live on in another. Someone worthy, someone who will honor our memory. We crave this the way other merfolk long for a child."

"I'm flattered that you--"

"Of course, I've been waiting for your infatuation to calm down. I've been hoping the pain of these Transformations would bring you to your senses, and that you'd start caring more about your own safety. But that hasn't happened, either. So the time doesn't seem right just yet."

Infatuation? How dare she?

"There's so much to think about," Ursula said vaguely.

"Indeed. So start thinking. And then come talk to me."

Ursula forced a smile. "I will do that. Thank you."