Chapter 2

Chapter two, "Evie!" her friends yelled. Sunshine whinnied and leapt forward to try to catch her but Misty was already stamping her hoof and using her magic. A large shimmering bubble formed round Evie and carried her gently to the ground where it came to a stop before popping. Evie sat on the grass, her heart pounding. If Misty hadn't used her magic, she could have been badly hurt. "Are you OK?" Lyra, Ivy and Sienna demanded, galloping over on their unicorns. "I'm fine!" said Evie, knowing her face was as red as a tomato. She looked at the daffodils she had crushed when she landed. "I don't know what happened." She was sure she'd felt the tree shake when she'd been hanging on but maybe she'd imagined it. She'd probably just been dizzy because she'd been upside down. "Thanks, Misty." "No problem," said Misty. Sunshine seemed scared and embarrassed as she nuzzled her. "I'm really glad you're not hurt." Lyra helped pull Evie to her feet. "Do you want to finish the course?" she asked. Evie shook her head. "I think I'll head indoors," she said, pulling a twig from her hair. "I'll come with you," Ivy offered. "It's OK. I'll be fine." Evie's eyes smarted. Why couldn't she just be normal like everyone else? Her foot throbbed as she hobbled back to Sunshine. In silence they walked to the stables. When they were back, Sunshine finally spoke. "Next time there's an obstacle race or something like that I think we should just watch, Evie." "OK," Evie muttered. She certainly didn't want to embarrass Sunshine any further. After topping up Sunshine's hay net and fluffing up her straw bed, Evie

left the stables. As she walked towards the school buildings, she felt her unhappiness lift. It was hard to be miserable when Unicorn Academy was so beautiful. The gardens were bursting with spring flowers and the glass and marble towers of the school sparkled against the clear blue sky. Evie's chest filled with pride. I might not be good at sport but I'm a good student and I'm great at science and maths, she reminded herself as she went inside. There's no reason I can't be an excellent guardian of Unicorn Island. Sam, one of the boys from Topaz dorm, was coming along the corridor pulling a suitcase on wheels. A lady with a dark shoulder-length bob and lots of jewellery was walking beside him pulling a much larger case. Evie recognised her as Dr Angelica Briar, Sam's aunt and a famous archaeologist. She'd visited the academy earlier in the year to give a talk on her work and afterwards the Ruby girls had shown her the first part of the map they had found. Dr Briar had told them it was about a hundred years old but that it wasn't worth anything.

Sam whispered something to his aunt and then greeted Evie. "Hi there!" "Hi, Sam," Evie said. "Hello, Dr Briar." Dr Briar smiled warmly. "Evie, isn't it? You were one of the girls who found that old piece of paper, weren't you?" Evie was thrilled that Dr Briar had remembered her. "Yes, that's right." "Aunt Angelica is staying for a few weeks to help document the paintings and artefacts in the school," said Sam proudly. "So, have you and your friends found any other bits of old paper that you want me to take a look at?" Dr Briar's eyes twinkled merrily. Evie only just stopped herself from saying that they had found a second piece. She'd like to have told Dr Briar, but Lyra had made them promise to keep the map secret. "Well?" pressed Dr Briar, her eyes curious. "No." A blush crept up Evie's cheeks as she lied. To hide her discomfort she blurted out a question. "Dr Briar, do you know what 'folly'

means?" She'd been pondering that ever since she'd been in the orchard. "Why, yes I do," said Dr Briar. "It means foolish, but it's also the name given to a structure that's built for fun and which has no practical purpose. Many years ago rich people liked to build follies in the grounds of their houses. They could be towers or even miniature castles." Of course! Evie suddenly remembered reading about a secret folly in a book. Her eyes widened. Maybe the new folly in the riddle was a building– a place that had recently been built when the map was drawn. "Why do you ask?" Dr Briar asked, studying her. "Oh, n-no reason," Evie stammered. "I just heard the word somewhere and didn't know what it meant." Evie felt uncomfortable under Dr Briar's scrutiny. "Right, well, I'd better go," she gabbled. "Nice to see you, Dr Briar. Bye, Sam!" She didn't stop until she was back in Ruby dorm at the top of the north tower. She sank down on her bed, impatient for the others to come back so that she could tell them what she'd found out!