By eleven o’clock the next morning the area around the ice rink was crowded with ice sylphs. They had arrived on sledges and sleighs pulled by reindeer and huskies. There was a buzz of excited chatter as they settled into their seats and as the teachers took their places behind a long table.
Unlike the other skating competitions, where the three skating teachers had been the only judges, for this final competition all the teachers who taught at the school were involved.
Emily and the others waited in the changing area. They were allowed to wear make-up for the competitions so Emily had put on some glittering silver eyeshadow and mascara to darken her eyelashes. Hannah had helped her fix her hair back in a bun and then Emily had put in some sparkling white clips.
She went to the barrier. The surface of the ice was shining. No one would ever have been able to guess there had been a midnight feast the night before!
‘I can’t believe this is our last competition here,’ said Molly, coming over. ‘I wish we could come back.’
Emily nodded. Her chest felt tight as if she couldn’t really breathe. This is it, she thought. This is what we’ve been waiting for, for six weeks. The Ice Princess is going to be chosen!
She thought about everything they had done since coming to the Land of Ice and Winter, the lessons they had been to, the tricks Molly had played, the fun and excitement they’d had. There was the time they had rescued Alice from the ice monster; the scavenger hunt when they had been out in the land; there was the week Emily had looked after Molly after she’d hurt her ankle; and then the time Emily had had to stop an out-of-control sledge pulled by huskies. So many things had happened to her!
Madame Letsworth stood up and a hush fell. ‘Welcome, everybody! As you know, today we will choose the Ice Princess. For this final competition, all the girls will skate the Lulling Dance. First to go will be Zoe Hunter!’
‘Good luck!’ the girls whispered to Zoe as she stepped on to the ice. Even Camilla and the other Snow Foxes joined in. After the night before, they had been much friendlier and right now they all seemed just as nervous as each other.
Zoe skated towards the centre of the rink, took her position and the music started.
It was a brilliant opening dance. Zoe was a really good skater, but she didn’t have the natural elegance of Hannah or Camilla or the drama of Molly and Amanda. However, this time she threw herself into it – her jumps and spins keeping in perfect time to the music. When she finished, she was beaming.
She skated off to loud applause and collapsed on to the bench, looking very relieved as the others crowded round to congratulate her.
One after the other, the girls went on to the ice. Some, like Tilda, Helena and Alice, fell or stumbled. Heather fell twice with nerves. Others, like Zoe and Amanda, hardly made a single mistake. No matter how they did though, there were always girls waiting to crowd round them and hug them and tell them they had been brilliant. Everyone’s differences seemed to have been forgotten in the excitement of the day.
Emily could hardly bear to watch when it was Molly and Hannah’s turns. But she needn’t have worried. They both did really well. Molly whizzed around the ice with her usual dash and sparkle, leaping higher than anyone else had, and Hannah skated beautifully, getting a particularly loud round of applause as she finished.
‘That was brilliant!’ cried Emily as Hannah came off. ‘Oh, help – it’s me next!’ Her heart was beating fast.
‘You can do it, Em!’ called Molly.
‘And now we have Emily Walker!’ Madame Letsworth announced.
Emily stepped on to the ice and glided to her starting position. She crossed one leg behind the other. The music started and she was off! First the circle of backward crossovers and then the double loop. She landed it perfectly and skated on.
Move followed move until she reached the double combination. She spun over the ice in her double flip, but, as she lifted off for the double lutz, Emily knew she hadn’t got enough height. She landed off balance. Her arms flailed and the next moment she was falling onto the ice, her hip banging into the cold, hard surface.
She’d fallen!
But even while she was thinking it, she was getting to her feet. The music was carrying on and she knew she had to as well. Trying to put the fall behind her, Emily began the glide and then turned into the final spin. She twirled round and round and then stopped on beat with the music, her hands down.
Smile, she told herself fiercely. And she managed to, although she could feel the tears prickling at the back of her eyes. She’d fallen over. She was never going to be the Ice Princess now. But Emily wouldn’t let herself cry on the ice. She bowed to the audience and then skated off, her head held high, her smile never wavering.
‘Oh, Em!’ Molly said, hugging her as Emily stepped off the ice and suddenly gave way to the tears.
‘It doesn’t matter,’ said Hannah, stroking her back as Emily sobbed.
‘You were brilliant. It was just one fall,’ said Amanda.
‘I fell twice,’ Heather put in.
Emily fought back her tears. She knew how upset her friends were to see her crying. Scrubbing her hands over her face, she swallowed hard. But whatever they said, she knew the truth. She’d fallen and now she wouldn’t get to be the Ice Princess. Lots of people had skated perfectly.
Camilla, the last person to go, skated on. Emily watched numbly as Camilla performed the routine with her usual confidence. As she came off, Emily forced herself to congratulate her. ‘That was a fantastic routine. Well done!’
‘Thanks!’ Camilla said, her eyes glowing. ‘I’m sorry you fell.’ And for once she sounded like she genuinely meant it. Emily gave a small smile and turned away.
The judges got together to discuss who should be on the shortlist. Everyone waited nervously. Zoe bit her nails and Amanda fiddled with her hair. Camilla paced up and down while Emily gripped Molly and Hannah’s hands. She hoped they would be chosen even if she wouldn’t be now.
Finally all the judges sat back down, leaving Madame Letsworth standing. Emily held her breath. Who was going to be on the shortlist to be the Ice Princess?