by Julie Sykes
Valentina sniggered but Sage rounded on her next. “I’m surprised at you, Valentina. I thought you’d have tried to help your unicorn and friends to escape the fire instead of pushing them out of the way.”
Valentina’s mouth opened but Sage fixed her with a steely glare and she snapped it shut again.
Sage nodded at Blaze. “Clear up this mess then meet me by the lake.” He stomped away.
Scarlett and Blaze set to work, silent for once.
“That’s not fair,” said Isabel, when Sage was out of hearing. “You shouldn’t have to do lessons on our day off.”
“I think it serves you right,” said Valentina righteously.
Scarlett glared at her but part of her did feel guilty – setting the hay bale on fire had been dangerous – so she didn’t say anything back.
“I hope Sage doesn’t make us work outside for too long,” she whispered as she and Blaze headed to the lake after clearing up. “It’s so cold.”
“You don’t have to come,” said Blaze. “You could go back inside.”
Tempted as she was to take Blaze up on her offer, Scarlett knew it wouldn’t be fair. The accident in the stable was her fault too. “No, we’re in this together,” she replied.
Sage’s lesson on using magic was difficult and hard work. He expected perfection and made Blaze practise over and over again to get things right. Sage put Scarlett to work too, making her fetch and carry things for Blaze to heat and set fire to. She also had to run for the odd bucket of water, when Blaze lost control and her fires were too big. She thought longingly of the lounge with its comfy sofas and crackling log fire. By the end of the afternoon, Scarlett and Blaze were exhausted but Sage seemed satisfied with Blaze’s progress.
“Well done, you’ve worked hard and are beginning to get more control over your power,” he said. “Meet me here first thing tomorrow morning after breakfast. I have a job for you.”
Scarlett’s heart plummeted. “It’s jumping tomorrow morning with Ms Tulip. Could we come later?”
“No. Tomorrow morning, first thing,” said Sage firmly. “This task is much more important than a jumping lesson.”
“What’s the task?” asked Scarlett, but Sage walked away without answering. Scarlett sighed. She had a horrible feeling that the job was going to involve lots more hard work!
Early the next morning, Scarlett arrived, shivering, at the stables. She knew at once from the chatter among the unicorns that something was wrong.
“What’s up?” she asked.
“It’s so cold that the stored lake water is beginning to freeze,” Blaze said.
Scarlett peered into the heated containers. A thin crust of pink, yellow and blue ice crystals had formed on the surface of the water inside. They sparkled prettily in the early morning sunlight streaming through the doors. Scarlett felt a shiver of fear. Why weren’t the heated containers stopping the water from freezing? Had someone tampered with them or put a spell on them and also the lake? But who would do such a terrible thing? Everyone knew how important the waters of Sparkle Lake were to the survival of the island. Scarlett shook her thoughts away. Surely no one from Unicorn Island would be stupid enough to freeze the lake’s waters on purpose?
Pulling off a glove, she broke up the ice crystals so the unicorns could have a drink, then she and Blaze went to the lake.
Sage was waiting there for them. “This cold snap is getting worse,” he said. “Blaze, you are the only unicorn here at the school with fire magic. I want you to try to thaw Sparkle Lake. It is a huge task and you may not succeed, but this will be good practice for you and your new power, and you may be able to thaw the lake enough for the unicorns to drink fresh lake water today. If Sparkle Lake remains frozen then Ms Primrose will be forced to close the school.”
Scarlett exchanged an anxious look with Blaze. She didn’t want the school to shut.
“Scarlett, you can help Blaze by encouraging her. When a unicorn feels loved and confident their magic becomes stronger,” Sage said. “Work together and stay off the ice or you’ll fall through it as it melts. Work slowly, starting at the edge, or you’ll lose control. Begin!”
Scarlett fell silent as Blaze, watched by Sage, started on the enormous task. Sage had taught Blaze two ways to use her fire magic. She could either stamp a hoof or she could breathe gently on an object.
Blaze was good at fire making. Each time she stamped on the ice a red-gold flame flared from her hoof, making the ice crackle and hiss as it slowly melted. She made it look easy but Scarlett could see her muscles trembling with effort.
“Come on, Blaze, we can do this,” she urged, rubbing her neck.
A long while later, Blaze managed to create a sliver of water in the ice. It didn’t seem much to Scarlett, especially for all the effort involved, but Sage was delighted.
“It’s a good start,” he told Blaze. “I must leave you now and contact all the fire unicorns on the island to ask them for help. Keep up the good work, and be careful.” He galloped away.
Scarlett groaned. “This is so boring. Look, there’s Isabel and Cloud. Shall we take a break now Sage has gone? Hey, Isabel. Over here!”
“What are you doing?” asked Isabel, riding Cloud on to the ice.
As Scarlett explained the task Blaze had been given Isabel’s eyes widened. “Can we watch?”
Spurred on by an audience, Blaze arched her neck and stamped a hoof. A flame arched over Isabel and Cloud, falling at the far side of the lake. A chunk of the ice melted in one go.
“Woohoo!” cheered Isabel, and Cloud whinnied loudly.
“Naughty, Blaze!” chuckled Scarlett. “You’re supposed to be doing a tiny bit at a time.”
“This is much more fun, though!” Blaze answered. “I bet I could melt the fountain if I tried.”
“Ooh, this I have to see,” Isabel told Cloud. “Let’s get closer.”
Blaze whispered to Scarlett. “I’m going to send an arch of fire over Cloud and Isabel and melt the fountain right in front of them.”
Scarlett clapped with delight. “Wicked! Go, Blaze!”
Cloud was about to skate over to the fountain when a voice shouted out, “Wait!”
They turned to see Layla hurrying over to the edge of the lake. “You should keep off the ice while Blaze is melting it,” she warned Isabel.
Scarlett rolled her eyes at Isabel. Why was Layla being such a pain? It was only a bit of fun. She and Blaze might die of boredom from the huge task they’d been given, if they didn’t take a break.
Blaze took a deep breath and focused on the frozen fountain. Then she stamped her hoof. CRACK! An enormous ball of fire, like a tiny sun, exploded from Blaze’s hoof and arched in the air. Sparking brightly it landed right in front of Cloud and Isabel, encircling them in a ring of small flames. The ice melted, leaving Isabel and Cloud stranded on a thin shard of floating ice. Isabel yelled but her panicked words were silenced as the shard tilted and tipped Isabel and Cloud straight into the freezing water!
“Isabel!” Scarlett screamed. She leapt on Blaze’s back and they galloped towards the hole.
Cloud, head high, nostrils flaring, was scrabbling around in the water.
“Swim, Cloud!” shouted Isabel, hanging tightly to her mane.
Blaze stopped at the edge of the ice. Scarlett slid from her back, dodging the cracks running across the ice.
“Get back!” Suddenly Layla was at Scarlett’s side. “Move Blaze back before she cracks the ice even more.”
Slithering and slipping on the glassy surface, Blaze backed away. Scarlett copied Layla as she lay down on her tummy. The shining surface beneath them shivered and groaned. Scarlett held her breath, ignoring the cold burn of the ice seeping through her clothes.
“Here,” called Layla, stretching out her hand to Isabel.
Isabel, eyes wide, hung over Cloud’s neck. Her fingertips couldn’t quite reach Layla’s. Scarlett, who was taller, stretched out her hand but Isabel still couldn’t grasp it.
“
Stretch!” shouted Scarlett, every muscle in her arm screaming with effort as she tried to grab Isabel’s hand. “And a bit more!”
With a superhuman effort, Isabel stretched out her arm until her fingers caught hold of Scarlett’s.
Scarlett pulled but she didn’t have the strength to help Isabel and Cloud out of the water. All she achieved was to make the ice hole bigger!
She felt a tug on her hoodie. Layla!
“Hold tight,” Layla gasped.
Scarlett gritted her teeth and hung on to Isabel. The ice groaned and creaked as it broke away. Then suddenly, Layla gave an extra-hard tug. Scarlett slid backwards, pulling a dripping Isabel with her, and Cloud scrambled from the water after her. They landed on the ice. Layla and Blaze dragged them clear of the ice hole and Cloud scrabbled to her feet.
Fear brightened Blaze’s eyes. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s OK,” said Isabel, through chattering teeth.
It wasn’t OK though. Seeing Isabel’s eyes, large as moons in her pale face, and Cloud shivering next to her, Scarlett felt terrible. This was as much her fault as Blaze’s. “I’m to blame too,” she said, hugging Isabel even though she was soaking wet. “I should have listened to Layla. I shouldn’t have encouraged Blaze.”
“That was so scary.” Blaze was trembling. “I didn’t know the strength of my magic. Sage was right. I need to be much more careful.”
“Don’t worry. It’s fine.” Isabel gave Scarlett a shaky smile.
“You’d better take Cloud back to the stable and dry her before she catches a chill,” said Layla.
Scarlett swallowed back a small burst of irritation. Isabel didn’t need Layla to tell her that. With a tight knot in her chest, Scarlett watched Isabel and Cloud ride away. She knew that, somehow, she had to make it up to her best friend.
“I don’t believe it!” said Blaze. “The lake has frozen over again already. Look!”
“That’s impossible!” Scarlett turned. Blaze was right. “That can’t have happened unless … unless…” Her eyes widened. “Maybe the lake has frozen over because someone has put a spell on it?”
Blaze looked shocked but Layla nodded. “I’ve read about freezing spells.”
“Why would anyone try to freeze the lake?” asked Blaze.
“I don’t know,” admitted Scarlett. “But think about it. Ms Nettles said the lake would never freeze over and it has, and Ava thought she heard Ms Nettles muttering about a spell.”
“I bet you’re right,” said Blaze. “But if there is a spell, there’s no point trying to thaw it because it will just refreeze. So what should we do?”
Scarlett hesitated. “I’m not sure. Let’s go back to the stables for now.”
Back at the stables, Layla went to check on her unicorn, Dancer. Scarlett brought Blaze a bucket of sky berries, having picked out the biggest, juiciest ones for her. “Here, these are for you,” she said.
“I’m not hungry.” Blaze hung her head. “I still feel awful about what happened at the lake.”
“I know but you need to keep your strength up,” insisted Scarlett. She held out a sky berry. “Go on, just eat one. Please.”
Blaze took the berry reluctantly.
“Eat another,” Scarlett encouraged, holding out a second berry.
Isabel looked into Blaze’s stall. “Cloud’s dry now and I’m going back to the dorm to get warm. Are you coming?”
Scarlett was torn, wanting to be with both of her friends.
“Blaze doesn’t look too happy,” whispered Isabel, noticing. “I’ll be fine on my own. You stay here and feed her.”
“Thanks, Isabel. You’re a brilliant best friend. I’m really sorry about what happened,” Scarlett said gratefully.
Isabel grinned. “It was my fault, too. I should have kept off the ice. See you later.”
Scarlett patiently fed Blaze the whole bucket of sky berries before she went back inside. She pushed aside her guilt over Isabel and Cloud as she thought about the lake. Had someone put a spell on it? A plan started to form in Scarlett’s head. If she and Blaze could break the spell and stop the school from closing, everyone would be so pleased. But how could they break the spell?
The library, Scarlett thought. It’s bound to have a book that could help!
It was warm indoors and Scarlett’s fingers tingled pleasantly as she hurried along the corridors to the library. She opened the heavy door. In the middle of the room, the librarian’s desk was shaped like an enormous book, with a colourful spine and gold lettering.
“Can I help you, dear?” Ms Tansy, the librarian, blinked at Scarlett through her yellow-rimmed, flower-shaped glasses.
“I’d like a book on spells, please,” said Scarlett.
Ms Tansy beamed. “We’ve plenty of those! The section you need is over there on the right, next to the History of Unicorn Magic.”
Scarlett’s feet sunk into the thick carpet as she crossed the library. When she reached the section Ms Tansy had pointed out, she stopped abruptly. The spells section took up a whole wall! Now what was she going to do? She groaned under her breath. If she wanted to make it up to Isabel and Cloud, she’d better get reading!
An hour later, Scarlett rubbed her eyes. Closing the book in her lap, she tucked it under her arm then climbed the ladder for the umpteenth time to put it back on the top shelf. She didn’t know how many books she had read but none of them had said anything about removing a freezing spell.
Replacing the book, Scarlett reached for its neighbour, but someone else got there first.
“Layla!” Scarlett put a hand on the book. “I really need this. Can I borrow it first?”
“Why don’t we look together?” said Layla. “I spend a lot of time in here, reading about unicorns.”
Scarlett had wanted to solve the problem of the lake by herself, to make it up to Isabel and to prove to everyone, particularly Layla, that she could be serious when it mattered. But Layla was clever and she clearly meant well, even though she could be incredibly annoying. Maybe she could help her. “OK, let’s work together,” Scarlett said. She explained her suspicion about the freezing spell.
It hardly took Layla any time at all to work out which book they needed. Minutes later, they were sitting on purple cushions with a massive book on seasonal and elemental spells on their knees and their backs to the reading tree – a real tree with multicoloured leaves that magically grew in the library. Scarlett couldn’t believe how quickly Layla could read, her eyes rapidly skimming over the pages. They found a chapter on freezing spells near the end.
“Breaking a freezing spell sounds really complicated,” Scarlett said doubtfully as they read through the chapter. “There are so many different spells and potions you can use.”
“And they all need such strange ingredients to work,” said Layla. “Wait!” she added. “What’s this? It says here that any water-freezing spell can be broken if a diamond from the Diamond Glacier in the Frozen Wastelands is placed upon the frozen water.”
Scarlett caught her breath. “So if I could get one of those diamonds, I could break the spell on the lake.”
“You could, but the Frozen Wastelands are miles away,” Layla pointed out. “It would take days to get there.”
An idea popped into Scarlett’s head. “Not if I used the magical map in the hall!”
The magical map in the centre of the school hall was a miniature model of Unicorn Island. It had tiny mountains, valleys, ice, sea and even Unicorn Academy complete with a lake and fountain. The map was extremely powerful and could take you anywhere on the island if you just touched the place you wanted to go.
“But you can only use the map with Ms Primrose’s permission,” Layla reminded her. “And she only lets people use it in emergencies.”
“This is definitely an emergency. I’m going to go and ask her right now,” said Scarlett, jumping to her feet. She thought about asking Layla if she’d go with her but quickly changed her mind. Layla wasn’t brave enough for this adventure.
Scarlett nodded. “I have to.”
Layla twisted her plait around her hand in a thick coil. “I’d better come with you. We should ask Blaze and Dancer along too.”
“Really? You’ll come with me?” said Scarlett
Layla didn’t look totally sure but she squared her shoulders. “Absolutely.”
Scarlett’s eyes sparkled. “Thanks! Let’s go and see Ms Primrose.”
But when they knocked on the headteacher’s door there was no answer.
Layla looked relieved. “Oh well, I suppose we’ll just have to wait until Ms Primrose comes back.”
“No!” said Scarlett. “I’m sure Ms Primrose won’t mind us using the map without asking. After all, if we’re right about the spell, we could save the whole island by getting this diamond!”
“I really don’t think we should go without checking with her first,” said Layla doubtfully.
“You can stay here if you want.” Scarlett’s mouth set in a determined line. “I’m going.”
“But you can’t go on your own! The Wastelands are the coldest, bleakest part of the island. There’s nothing there except steep glaciers and dangerous man-eating bears.” Layla shivered. “No, if you’re going then I’m going too!”
Scarlett was surprised but didn’t want to waste time talking about it any more. “OK, let’s go!”
They ran to the stables and explained their plan to Blaze and Dancer – Layla’s small, slightly shaggy blue and silver unicorn. Both unicorns were very excited when they heard the plan and were keen to race to the hall. When they stepped inside the grand room, cool winter sunlight was shining through the domed glass roof, making rainbow patterns on the floor. In the centre of the room was the magical map of the island, showing the snowy mountains, green valleys and golden beaches.