Chapter 8

CHAPTER EIGHT "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