Chapter 10

CHAPTER TEN, The cavern was huge, the biggest and most beautiful yet. Its walls were studded with glittering gems, and in the centre was a snow-white marble pillar. On top of this was an enormous diamond. Clearer than crystal, the diamond sparkled with hope and promise. Almost in a trance, Sienna slid from Sparkle's back and walked forward. Beside the diamond was a silver square with words engraved on it. To you who triumphed and found this stone, My traps stopped one person from acting alone. If you seek the diamond for selfish ends, Stop– use its power for good, my friends. Sienna lifted the diamond up, feeling the tingle of its power passing over her skin. Her thoughts raced as she made up her mind… "STOP!" a hard voice rang out. "Sienna!" Evie squeaked. Sienna swung round and saw that Dr Briar had crept up on the group. Riding Solomon, a tall proud-looking unicorn, she was armed with a long ceremonial sword. Dr Briar had her arm round Evie's neck and was touching the tip of the sword to Evie's throat. Her eyes glittered with menace. Sienna gasped. "Dr Briar! How did you get here?"

Dr Briar's lips curved in a cruel smile. "Solomon and I have been using cloaking magic to follow you through the labyrinth. I have to say it was very useful to have you to lead us safely through the traps. You did very well to reach the diamond. However, if you value your friend's life, then you will bring it to me." "We'll see about that!" Flame whinnied, stamping his hooves. There was a flash of light and Dr Briar's sword shrank to the size of a pin. She gave a shout of surprise. "Guess you're not going to have it, after all," said Sienna, waving it at her. "Finders keepers!" "Give it to me!" Dr Briar screeched, jumping off Solomon and striding towards her. "No way!" said Sienna. Dr Briar screamed and leapt at her, grappling with her for the diamond. Sienna staggered, lost her grip and the glittering gem flew into the air. Dr Briar jumped, trying to catch the diamond as it fell. "Oh no you don't!" Sienna yelled, leaping to catch the diamond too. Her fingers closed round it. "Yes!"

But, just as she landed, Dr Briar pulled a brooch from her jacket and drove the pin into Sienna's leg. Sienna fell to the ground in pain. The diamond landed on the floor and rolled away. With a furious whinny Sparkle charged at Dr Briar, who was scrabbling after the diamond. "No one hurts Sienna!" His eyes blazed and he looked completely furious. He butted Dr Briar hard with his head and she fell backwards. Misty stamped a hoof and a bubble instantly formed around Dr Briar. She hammered her hands against its sides but the bubble stayed firm. Sienna whooped. "Go, Misty!" "And Sunshine!" cried Evie as Sunshine exploded a boulder at Solomon's feet, sending the taller unicorn skittering backwards. Sunshine exploded another boulder and then another. Solomon turned and was about to gallop away into the labyrinth when Misty captured him in a bubble too. Sparkle had reached Sienna. "Sienna! Are you OK? How's your leg?" "It's fine," Sienna said, not wanting to make a fuss. "No, it's not!" he insisted. "Let me see." He nudged her hand away and his eyes widened in alarm. "You're hurt!" He stamped his hoof on the ground in dismay. Sienna gasped as rainbow sparkles flew up from the floor. They rained down gently on her leg and she watched in disbelief as the edges of the wound suddenly knitted together and the pain faded to tingles and then to nothing.

"Sparkle, w-was that you?" she stammered, getting to her feet. "I… I think I've found my magic," he breathed. "Sparkle's got healing magic!" Lyra cried happily. Sienna threw her arms round Sparkle's neck. "I can't believe it. I'm so happy for you!" "For us!" Sparkle said, his eyes shining. "And, look, we've bonded." He nuzzled Sienna's hair. One dark corkscrew curl was now a rainbow of colour. Sienna squealed with joy and hugged Sparkle again while her friends whooped and their unicorns stamped their hooves. "Where's the diamond?" said Lyra suddenly. She started to hunt for it. Ivy and Evie joined in, but Sienna didn't care about the diamond any more. She wanted to talk to Sparkle. She stroked his face. "I'm sorry it's taken this long to find your magic. Ms Nettles was right. It was my fault. I thought I was good at teamwork because I'm good at winning but that's not what it's about. Being in a team means supporting your teammates, listening and being happy when good stuff happens to them. From now on I'll remember that–with you and the others. Being in a team IS great!" She kissed him. "Particularly when it's a team with your best friend." Sparkle nuzzled her. "Am I your best friend?" Sienna glanced at Lyra, Evie and Ivy. They were all brilliant– she knew she'd be friends with them for the rest of her life– but they weren't Sparkle. The bond she had with him was extra-special. "You are," she said softly. He sighed happily. "And you're mine too. It's not your fault we didn't find my magic. This adventure has made me realise I'm not good at speaking up. I need to get better at saying what I think and feel. I shouldn't always just agree with you, particularly when we're In a dangerous situation." "So we're both going to change," said Sienna. "Yes, but you're still allowed to like winning and I'm still allowed to agree with you most of the time!" "Deal!" said Sienna, laughing and kissing his forehead. "Sienna," Lyra called anxiously, "we can't find the diamond! It's vanished!"

Sienna bit her lip. "I might have had something to do with that." They all stared at her. "What did you do?" asked Evie, astonished. She grinned. "When I held it for those few seconds I wished for my heart's desire." As soon as she had felt the diamond's power she had known what she should wish for. No matter how desperate she was for Sparkle to find his magic and for them to be able to graduate with their friends, the island would always come first. She had to protect it. "I wished for the diamond to be somewhere safe, where no one could ever use it to harm Unicorn Island." The others gasped and then rushed over to hug her. "That was genius, Sienna!" said Lyra. "I'd never have thought of that," said Ivy. "So where do you think it went?" asked Evie. Sienna shrugged. "No idea. But who cares, so long as it's safe." "Totally," said Lyra. "Now we should get back and tell Ms Nettles what Dr Briar's been up to. It's been an amazing adventure even if we're not going back with the diamond. Just solving the clues and finding it has been enough." Sienna smiled round at her friends. Lyra was right. They'd had so much fun– who cared if they didn't have the treasure in their hands? Sienna searched in her pockets for the model of the academy. She climbed back on Sparkle, then holding the model in her hand she spoke clearly, "Please take us back to the academy." A wind swirled about her, lifting everyone off the ground and whisking them away.