Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO "Are you OK?" Evie asked Sienna when she, Ivy and Lyra finally arrived back at the dorm. "Yeah, how come you didn't help us clear up after the match?" said Lyra. Sienna pulled a face. "Sorry." She'd been feeling so fed up that she'd forgotten about helping. "I… um… I wasn't feeling very well." She didn't like lying to her friends but she didn't want to explain and have them all feeling sorry for her. "Are you feeling better now?" Ivy asked in concern. Sienna nodded. "Yes, thanks." Jumping up, she went to the bathroom to avoid talking further. When they had cleaned themselves up, they went down to the dining hall for dinner: cheesy pasta with garlic bread and grilled tomatoes followed by chocolate pudding. Afterwards they curled up in their dorm's cosy lounge. There were squishy red sofas and beanbags, shelves full of games to play and a fluffy red rug in front of the crackling fire. Lyra produced a pack of cards and they played several noisy rounds of Ace the Unicorn, before abandoning the game in favour of toasting marshmallows over the fire and talking about the treasure map. At the start of the year the girls had discovered part of an old treasure map. They'd had some exciting adventures tracking down the missing

pieces, which had all been hidden in the school grounds. Now they had the whole map, they had one last clue to decipher and then hopefully they would find the hidden treasure: the legendary Unicorn's Diamond. It had been formed from the happy tears of Daybreak, the first unicorn, on the birth of her foal, and it had the power to give anyone who held it their heart's desire. Because it was so powerful, one of the previous headteachers at the academy, Ms Evergreen, had hidden it away and no one had seen it for a hundred years. "We've only got a week to solve the final clue," said Lyra. She took out the four pieces of the map and laid them on the floor, smoothing out the old yellowing paper. Each piece had a tiny drawing of Daybreak in one corner as well as other pictures round the edges. When the pieces were put together it was possible to make out a maze in the centre of the map with an X marking the diamond's hiding place. "We've got to find the diamond before the end of term," said Sienna. "Unless Dr Briar has found it already," said Ivy. "She hasn't," said Lyra confidently. "I spoke to Sam before the match and he's sure she would tell him if she had found it– she'd want to boast about it– but he hasn't heard a word." Sam's aunt was a famous archaeologist called Dr Angelica Briar. She had found out about the map and wanted the diamond for her private collection. She was so determined to have it that she had put the girls in danger several times. Sam had been helping her until he had realised how ruthless she was. Now he was firmly on the girls' side.

"We really need to solve the final riddle," said Lyra. It was written on the fourth piece of the map, the one they had most recently found. Evie read it out. "At the point where the landmarks make a mark The Unicorn's Diamond hides in the dark. A maze of danger where friends must be true, Reach the prize and you'll know what to do." "It sounds like the diamond is hidden in a dangerous maze," said Sienna. "Though mazes aren't usually dark," Evie pointed out. "And the first line about landmarks– what does that mean?" Ivy groaned. "We need more clues." "What about this?" Sienna pointed to a few faint words written on the

first piece of the map they had found. "The Northernmost Door… The Phoenix's Claw… The Salamander's Stare… The Dragon's Lair." "I wonder what they mean," said Lyra. "Are they things or places?" Sienna frowned thoughtfully. "If they're places, then they'll be marked on the magic map, won't they?" Lyra gasped. "You're right!" The magic map was kept in the school hall and was a model of Unicorn Island that showed everything, right down to tiny houses and trees. If you touched the place you wanted to go, the map would transport you there. Students were only allowed to use it with a teacher's permission, but Ruby dorm had broken that rule before! "Let's sneak into the hall after lights out," Lyra said, her eyes shining. "We can look for places with those names, and if we find them we can ask the map to take us there!" "Ooh, yes!" said Ivy. Sienna felt anticipation spiral through her as they all exchanged excited looks. They were going to have another night-time adventure! They waited until lights out and then crept downstairs. They had almost reached the hall when they turned a corner and saw Ms Nettles, the academy's strict headteacher, ahead of them. "In here, quick!" Sienna hissed, diving behind a long curtain covering a window, and everyone squeezed in with her. Ms Nettles started walking towards them. As her footsteps came nearer, Sienna could barely contain her giggles. Lyra put a finger to her lips warning her to be quiet. At last the headteacher passed and the corridor was silent again.

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Lyra drew the curtain back. "That was close!" "But fun!" said Sienna with a grin. They hurried into the hall. Moonlight shone in through the domed glass roof, illuminating the magic map in the centre. The magical force field surrounding it hummed softly. Sienna approached the map but then her steps slowed as the hum increased to an angry buzz. Sienna seemed to bump into something. "There's an obstacle in the way," she said, feeling with her hand. "It's like an invisible wall." "The map mustn't want us to get close," said Evie. "But why?" said Sienna in disappointment. "It's let us before." Lyra took charge. "I'm not sure why but even if we can't use it to go anywhere tonight, we can still look at it and see if we can find places with those weird names. Can anyone see a place called the Dragon's Lair, the Salamander's Stare or the Phoenix's Claw?" They edged as close as the invisible force field would let them and scanned the map. "Nope," said Ivy at last. "Nothing." "They're not on the map," said Sienna, disappointed. "Wait!" said Evie suddenly. "Look– in the south there is a lake with swans on and in the east there's a stone circle. Both those things are on our treasure map!" Lyra pulled the map pieces out of her pocket and spread them on the ground. "You're right. This quarter of the treasure map has a picture of a lake with swans on in the south, just like on the magic map, and this quarter has a stone circle in the east." "Ooh, and here," said Ivy, pointing, "IS an obelisk, and I saw one in the same place on the magic map." "The fourth drawing is of the academy, which is in the north on both maps," said Lyra. "So?" said Sienna impatiently. Evie jumped up and looked at the magic map and then back at the treasure map. "Swan Lake is in the south… The academy is in the north…