Unicorn Academy: Scarlett and Blaze E-Book

Julie Sykes

• Herausgeber: Nosy Crow
• Kategorie: Für Kinder und Jugendliche
• Serie: Unicorn Academy
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 61

Beschreibung

When your best friend is a unicorn, magical adventures are guaranteed! Imagine a school where you meet your own unicorn and have amazing adventures together! That's what happens for the girls at Unicorn Academy on beautiful Unicorn Island. Scarlett and Blaze love being at Unicorn Academy. It's the perfect place to have fun and be a bit naughty, too! But magical Sparkle Lake is starting to ice over and the school might have to close! Scarlett and Blaze can't bear to be parted, so they decide to find out who's behind the big freeze and put things right... With a glittery cover and beautifully illustrated throughout by Lucy Truman, Unicorn Academy is the perfect series for 7+ readers who love magic and adventure. Check out the other titles in this series: Sophia and Rainbow, Ava and Star, Isabel and Cloud and many more!

Leseprobe

Blaze and Scarlett finally reached the summit of the glacier. Below them, Unicorn Island stretched out far into the distance. Scarlett was filled with a mixture of wonder and pride. This was her home. She had to save it!

For April

CHAPTER ONE

“Higher!” said Scarlett.

Isabel, Scarlett’s best friend, raised the branch again, balancing it carefully between a bush and the gnarled trunk of an old tree. It was as high as her head now.

“I think that’s too big,” said Cloud, Isabel’s unicorn, giving the jump a doubtful look.

Scarlett pushed her long blonde hair back over her shoulders. Her blue eyes sparkled as she patted her own unicorn’s neck. Her cheeks were flushed from the icy breeze and snowflakes whirled around her.

“It’s not too big for us, is it, Blaze?”

“Definitely not. I can clear that easily!” Blaze whickered. The cheeky-looking unicorn with fiery red and gold swirls on her snow-white coat loved a challenge, just like Scarlett. “Watch this, Cloud!”

Blaze galloped eagerly at the makeshift jump. Scarlett sunk her hands deeper in Blaze’s silky mane as she took off, the crisp air making her eyes water. Scarlett loved the feeling of flying and then plunging back down to earth. As Blaze landed, a few orange sparks flickered up from her hooves and Scarlett caught a faint whiff of burnt sugar.

Isabel gasped, “That was incredible. You jumped so high I almost thought you were going to fly away!”

Scarlett’s heart skipped with hope – the huge jump, the sparks and the sweet smell. Could that mean that Blaze was about to discover her magic power? Every unicorn on Unicorn Island was born with a special magical power – it just took a while for that power to be revealed. Some unicorns could fly, others could turn invisible, some could create light or fire. Scarlett couldn’t wait for Blaze to discover her power and she really hoped it would be flying.

Scarlett was ten years old and had recently started at Unicorn Academy where she had been given her own special unicorn, just like all the other girls and boys who had joined at the same time. They were all in training to become fully fledged guardians of Unicorn Island, the wonderful land in which they all lived.

Scarlett knew she would only be able to graduate from the academy at the end of the year if Blaze had discovered her magical power and bonded with her. She let her hair fall forward, searching for a red-gold lock of hair to match Blaze’s mane that would show they had bonded. But there was no flame-coloured strand in her long blonde hair yet. Disappointed, Scarlett turned her attention back to the jump.

“Put it up even higher,” she called, hoping that if it was big enough Blaze might actually fly!

“I’ll put it up in a minute. It’s my turn first,” said Isabel, riding Cloud to face the jump. Cloud was a pretty unicorn with gentle brown eyes.

“I think it’s too big for me, Isabel,” said Cloud anxiously.

“No, it’s not,” said Isabel. “Blaze jumped it easily. Let’s try!”

“Wait, Isabel!” whispered Scarlett, as she spotted Ms Nettles, one of the teachers, cantering over on her unicorn, Thyme.

Isabel ignored her. “Don’t be boring, Cloud! Come on. Have a go!”

“Isabel!” insisted Scarlett. “Behind you!” Of all the teachers to catch them jumping, Ms Nettles was the worst. She was very strict with a fierce temper.

“Isabel!” Ms Nettles’ sharp voice rang out, giving Isabel a shock. “I hope that you were not about to jump that!” Ms Nettles’ glasses rattled on her bony nose as her unicorn halted.

“Of … of course not, Ms Nettles,” Isabel said quickly. “We were just making jumps, not jumping them.”

“Definitely not jumping them,” said Scarlett, shaking her head.

Ms Nettles gave them a suspicious look. “You’d better be telling the truth, girls. You know the rules. First years are not allowed to jump without a teacher to supervise.”

Thyme, her unicorn, nodded, his green and yellow tail swishing in time with his head.

Scarlett swallowed back a giggle.

“It’s for your own safety so please abide by the rule. Now, it’s almost dinner time,” Ms Nettles continued. “Ride back to school with me.”

“Yes, Miss,” the girls sighed.

Scarlett felt bad that Isabel hadn’t got her turn at the jump. “Sorry,” she mouthed.

“Next time,” Isabel whispered back. They gave each other a thumbs-up behind the teacher’s back. Scarlett felt a rush of happiness. She and Isabel had been friends since day one. They both loved riding fast and jumping high, although Isabel was much more competitive than Scarlett – she loved to win whereas Scarlett didn’t care who won just so long as she was having fun.

The February sun was almost on the horizon as they neared the school building. The wintry rays lit up the magnificent pink marble and coloured glass building, making it glow as if it was on fire.

“Unicorn Academy,” Scarlett sighed happily. “It’s so beautiful, especially now it’s snowing.”

Her eyes moved from the grandness of the tall towers to the graceful curve of the domed roofs, then across the huge lawn to the multicoloured lake with a tall fountain glittering at the centre. The magical waters of Sparkle Lake flowed up from the centre of the earth through the fountain, before rivers took it all over Unicorn Island. Every unicorn on the island drank its waters every day to strengthen their magic and stay healthy.

“Unicorn Academy is the best school ever,” agreed Isabel proudly. She shivered. “Brrrr, it’s soooo cold. Look at the snowflakes landing on the lake. It must be freezing over.”

“Imagine the fun we’ll have if the lake does freeze,” said Scarlett. “We can go ice skating.”

Ms Nettles’ head whipped round. “Don’t talk nonsense, girls! Sparkle Lake has never frozen over in the history of Unicorn Academy. It will take more than a cold snap to freeze its waters.”

Isabel screwed up her eyes against the low winter sun. “But it’s so cold at the moment. Isn’t there a tiny chance it could freeze?”

“It is unusually cold, I agree,” said Ms Nettles. “But I am sure the lake will withstand the temperature drop. If Sparkle Lake did freeze, it would mean the unicorns would be unable to drink the water they need, and that would be a disaster for the island. You would certainly not be allowed to ice skate! You’re here to learn how to protect it – not to play on it! Now, stop chattering and take your unicorns into the stables and feed them. Be quick. If you’re late for dinner you shall clean my riding boots as punishment. Go on!”

As Ms Nettles rode away towards the lake, Scarlett saw her pull a little bottle from her pocket and the corners of the teacher’s mouth quirked up into a smile.

“What’s she up to?” Scarlett wondered aloud. “She never smiles!”

“Who cares?” said Isabel. “How about a race?”

Scarlett immediately forgot about Ms Nettles and grinned. “Why not! Ms N said to be quick. Last one back is a slowcoach slug!”

“It won’t be us!” shouted Isabel. She and Cloud galloped full speed towards the stables.

“Go, Blaze!” Blaze’s breath spurted out clouds in the icy air as they gave chase but they couldn’t quite catch Cloud with her head start.

“We won!” said Isabel, punching the air in triumph. “Go us!”