Forest.'
Half an hour later when she and the other two climbed to the top of the highest sand dune they saw the boys, with their boots off, chasing each other along the wet sand of a vast sea, as if they didn't have a problem or a worry or even a hunger pain between them.
That night they slept in a nest of sea grass. This time Lyla divided the watch between Celeste, Lem and herself so the younger two could sleep. Next morning they all had rumbling stomachs and dry throats and there wasn't a berry or a leaf in sight.
Thinking that there might be something they could eat in the sea, perhaps like the mussels, cockles or edible seaweed they'd read in their books, Celeste suggested they go for a swim. Chad and Swift raced into the waves before the others had pulled off their boots and Celeste could hide Splash in her shirt. Lyla yelled for them to watch out for things that could hurt them, but they were already shouting and rolling in the lacy froth of the incoming waves so they didn't hear her.
Lyla, Lem and Celeste entered the sea more warily. Having bathed, fished and gathered shellfish in the river, they could swim well, but the waves buffeted them and dragged them out into deeper water. So although they could see Chad and Swift enjoying themselves in the shallows they were more worried about what lurked beneath their kicking feet.
Celeste had just dived under to see what she could find when Swift started yelling and hopping around on one foot. Lyla asked Lem to wait for Celeste, then swam to shore as fast as she could.
She discovered that Swift had trodden on a black ball of spikes which had punctured his foot and was very painful. She stroked Swift's swelling foot, told him he'd be fine and glanced back to where her brother and cousin were swimming. Lem waving frantically. She couldn't see Celeste.
`Chad! Cut open the sting. Squeeze out the poison until the wound bleeds. Then bandage his foot with your scarf.'
Lyla ran back down the beach and splashed into the water, swimming towards Lem.
`Celeste has been under for ages,' he yelled.
They dived repeatedly, each time searching deeper and having to kick harder to come up from the chilly depths to gulp in air. After awhile they were too exhausted to do anything more than tread water.
`She's gone,' yelled Lem, searching the waves for any sign of Celeste's long blonde braids. `She's been washed away.'
Lyla angrily slapped the surface of the sea. `No. She hasn't!'
As if her slapping had been a magical command Celeste's head rose above a wave and she waved at them.
With eyes full of righteous anger they swam towards her. `Where have you been?' demanded Lem. `We thought you'd drowned.'
`We've been looking for you for ages,' accused Lyla.
Celeste flicked her fringe off her face. `Sorry. I couldn't help it. I was taken out by a current and couldn't get back until I found a returning one.'
Lem's green eyes glared at her unforgivingly. `But you were under for ages.'
`That's what I want to tell you. I can't …'
`Tell us back on shore,' interrupted Lyla, already swimming towards the beach. `Swift stood on something poisonous and he really needs our help.'
Chad was bandaging Swift's foot when Lyla flopped down beside them. He grinned at her. `He squealed like a wild pig when I squeezed out the poison.'
Swift punched his arm, `I did not! He nearly cut off my foot, Lyla!'
Lyla gave them both a hug as she stared along the beach searching for help. There was no one to see except Celeste and Lem running up the sand.
Celeste dropped down beside her. `Lyla, I'm sorry I didn't mean to frighten you. I didn't realise how long I was under.'
Lyla was still too angry to look at her. `We thought you were drowned.'
`But that's it. I can't be. I can stay underwater as long as I like. I think it's my magical gift.'
This time Lyla did look at her. `Don't be stupid! Cel! No one can stay under water as long as they like.'
`I can. Ask Lem.'
Lem nodded. `She swam all the way to shore without coming up.' Then he made a face at Celeste. `Not that it's much of a gift if we are nowhere near water.'
`It's as useful as talking to animals,' retorted Celeste, pushing him back onto the sand.
`Is there any food under the sea?' demanded Chad, who was equally unimpressed with the gift of swimming without breathing, unless it brought him something to eat.
Celeste shook her head. `No. Just lots of fish too quick for me to catch.'
`In that case Swift and I have the best gift. At least trees grow nuts and berries. Right Swift?'
`Right.'
`Enough!' said Lyla, pulling Swift to his feet with a yelp from the wounded boy. `We have to find someone who knows what to do about your foot.'
With Lyla and Lem helping Swift to hobble, Chad and Celeste carrying the bags, and Celeste still annoyed at Lem for belittling her gift, the trek along the beach seemed to last forever. By evening they were ready to drop where they stood and sleep where they fell.
`I can't go any further,' complained Swift.
`Me neither,' agreed Chad.
`Just a bit more,' cajoled Celeste. `Just as far as that jetty.' Then her eyes widened. `Lyla! How do I know it's a jetty?'
`Maybe you remember it from when you were little. Before we were put in the Forest. I think I remember it. It had a pavilion at the end with curtains and cushions and there was harp music and dancing.'
On reaching the jetty they discovered it to be a skeleton of poles and crooked pylons stuck into the sea bottom.
`Can we sleep here?' whined Swift.
Lyla shook her head and pointed to a stone path leading into the dunes. `There's nothing here. Maybe there is something on the other side of those dunes.'
The path ran between two massive sand hills. On reaching the gap the children discovered two enormous, wind-pocked statues facing each other, each holding back a sand dune. One statue was of a man, the other of a woman. Both wore crowns and were sitting on gigantic thrones balanced on the backs of enormous, thick maned lions, and both had stone tears running down their cheeks.
`Do you think they're our grandparents, Lyla?' whispered Swift, the pain in his foot forgotten as he stared up at the crying statues.
But Lyla wasn't looking at the statues. She was looking at a building on the other side of the dunes.
It was the palace of her dreams. Painted a burnished gold by the rays of the setting sun, with sparkling, stained glass windows and gold-tipped, silver towers and cupolas, it reminded her of an enormous treasure chest.
But, as the others joined her and the sun sank behind the dunes, the palace's golden walls, silver domes and blue-tiled cupolas disappeared, and in its place was a windowless ruin.
