Chapter 7

CHAPTER SEVEN, The mound descended into the ground like a grassy lift then stopped with a judder. Sienna blinked. It was so dark! She was still holding Lyra's torch and she swung it round. The beam of light showed they were In a cave with dark tunnels twisting away in different directions. Sienna felt a rush of excitement. "We're in the labyrinth!" She jumped on Sparkle's back and rode off the mound. The others followed. Evie was last and as Sunshine's hooves touched the cave's floor the ground began to shake and the grassy mound began to rise again. They watched as it fitted back into the hole in the ceiling, shutting them in the dark. "How are we going to get out of here?" Ivy said with a quaver. "We'll figure it out later!" Sienna answered, too excited to worry about that yet. "Which way to find the diamond?"

She shone the torch around. Each tunnel had pictures carved above its entrance. "Let's try this one," she said, pointing at the widest tunnel. The others nodded. "OK," said Lyra. "You can lead." Sienna smiled at her. She knew Lyra loved to be the leader, but she was holding back because she wanted Sparkle to find his magic. "Thanks." "Wait, Sienna. What about going down this tunnel?" said Sparkle. "The floor is smoother, like someone has walked down it before. Maybe it was Ms Evergreen when she hid the diamond?" Sienna frowned. She didn't agree. "But it twists back on itself." She shone the torch into his tunnel to show how it curved. "It could end up back here." "But—" "I'm sure it's this way," said Sienna impatiently. Sparkle snorted unhappily but to Sienna's relief he walked into the

tunnel she'd chosen. The others rode after her with Lyra bringing up the rear. The tunnel twisted and turned until it reached a dead end. "Oh," Sienna said in disappointment. "We'd better turn round," said Lyra. They struggled to turn in the tight space and Lyra ended up leading them back to the main cave. "I wish you'd listen to me," Sparkle said crossly to Sienna. She frowned in surprise. He was hardly ever grumpy with her. "What's the matter with you?" she asked. "Nothing," he muttered. When they were back in the first cave, Ivy said, "Let's look at the carvings above each tunnel. Maybe one of them is a clue." "Spread out, everyone, and see what you can find," Sienna instructed. They all did as she said and hunted around. "Here!" said Ivy at last. "On the wall above this tunnel, there's a carving of a bird rising from a fire. That's what phoenixes do." "Maybe it's something to do with the Phoenix's Claw on the map," said Lyra, joining her on Misty. Evie gasped. "Hang on! Do you think all those things on the map are clues to help us find our way through the labyrinth? The Northernmost Door… The Phoenix's Claw… The Salamander's Stare… The Dragon's Lair…" Sienna whooped. "I bet you're right! Come on, everyone!" She rode Sparkle down the tunnel that had the phoenix above it– it was the tunnel Sparkle had originally suggested. The others clattered after her. But to Sienna's intense disappointment, the new tunnel also ended in a brick wall. "Let's not give up yet," said Lyra, jumping off Misty and starting to hunt around. "There may be something here we just haven't seen yet… Yes!" She pointed to a round indentation in the wall. "A button!" Sienna punched the air. "Yay! Press it!" Lyra pressed the button that had a carving of Daybreak on it. There was a loud grating sound and the wall slid open to reveal a hidden chamber, the walls lit by a soft blue fluorescent glow that was coming from little blue

flowers growing on the walls. Wow!" breathed Sienna. "Let's go In." "But it might not be safe," said Sparkle, not moving. Sienna rolled her eyes. "Don't be silly. This has to be the way." Sparkle stepped cautiously inside and the others followed. Ivy was the last to enter and as she and Flame crossed the threshold there was a loud rumbling sound. "What's that?" said Evie warily. They all gasped as the wall closed behind them with a crash. "We're trapped!" said Ivy in alarm. "We can't be. There's bound to be a way out," said Sienna. "Look, there's another tunnel over there." She started to ride towards it, but the walls began to shake and stones rained down on them from the roof. Ivy shrieked as one hit her. "Ow!" The noise grew louder and suddenly Sienna realised that the walls and roof had started to move. A wave of fear overwhelmed her. "The cave's closing in!" she yelled. "We're going to be crushed!" "Gallop!" shouted Lyra, pointing at the tunnel straight ahead.

Sparkle leapt after Misty, his hooves clattering and skittering as they galloped across the stone-strewn floor. Sienna lay over his neck, making herself as flat as she could as the roof pressed closer. Sparkle raced into the escape tunnel, with Ivy right behind them. Evie and Sunshine were the last. Looking round, Sienna gasped. The walls had reached them, touching Sunshine's sides. They weren't going to make it! Evie shrieked. "Help! We're going to be crushed!"