Ella hurried down the barn, calling to Summer as loudly as she dared. Summer poked her head out of the henhouse.
“Molly’s coming,” hissed Ella. “We’ve got to do something!”
“I’ll go this way.” Summer pointed to the back door. “I’ll find Lottie and we’ll meet you back at Seahorse Tower.”
Ella nodded. Through the window, she could see Molly getting closer. She dashed out of the main door and ran along the side of the barn until she came to a wooden bench. She crouched down behind it, hoping that Molly hadn’t spotted her running from the barn.
Daisy wriggled in her arms. Ella stroked the rabbit’s soft ears. In her panic about Molly, she’d almost forgotten that she was holding the little bunny.
Molly marched straight inside without looking in the direction of the bench. Ella got up from her hiding place and tiptoed back to the barn door. Molly was leaning over the rabbit pen, counting the number of baby rabbits. Then she sat down on a hay bale and folded her arms.
She’s waiting till I come back, thought Ella.
Nervously, she pushed a black curl behind her ear and wondered what to do. She had to talk to the others. They would have some ideas for a ninja move. With one last look at the barn, she rushed across the garden, darting behind the privet statues and hoping she wouldn’t be seen.
Luckily, the castle entrance was empty. Ella hurried towards the stairs, stopping when she heard Lady Eggley’s voice drifting down from the balcony. “There’s such a terrible draught in this castle! Why must the princesses always leave the front door wide open? I shall close it myself!”
Ella’s eyes widened. If a teacher caught her bringing a rabbit into the castle, she’d be in big trouble. And Lady Eggley was the very last teacher she wanted to be caught by! Looking left and right, Ella darted through the nearest open door into the Throne Room.
She heard Lady Eggley’s high-heeled shoes tapping on the stone floor outside. Where could she hide? The room was quite bare, with just a strip of red carpet leading to the magnificent golden throne. Pictures of kings and queens hung on the walls and the shelves had rows of silver trophies.
Ella spotted a small door in the corner of the room. She thought it must be a store cupboard. She ran to it and pulled the handle. It was locked. Quickly, she ducked down behind the golden throne before she was seen. Her heart thumped and she hugged Daisy tightly.
“Lady Eggley, I have some bad news.” Molly’s voice rang out clearly.
Ella peeked round the throne and looked through the open doorway. She saw Molly standing next to the teacher in the hallway outside. She watched the older girl curtsy perfectly. Ella stifled a sigh. Why couldn’t she curtsy like that?
“What is it, Molly?” said Lady Eggley. “Nothing serious I hope.”
“I’ve just seen a new girl bring a rabbit into the castle,” said Molly in a shocked voice. “Her name is Ella. I’m afraid that as a captain in her tower I find her very badly behaved.”
Lady Eggley’s eyebrows rose and she tutted.
“And her fingernails are really dirty,” added Molly.
Ella looked at her fingernails. She had to admit they were quite grubby.
“Well, there is no excuse for that!” declared Lady Eggley. “Find her and bring her straight to me. I shall wait here.”
Ella peered round the edge of the golden throne again. She could still see Lady Eggley standing in the hallway outside. The teacher frowned and smoothed her perfect hair.
Ella shifted uncomfortably. Her legs were aching and Daisy was wriggling, but she knew if she stood up she’d be seen. She hoped that Lady Eggley would get tired of waiting in one place and walk off, giving her the chance to escape.
Summer and Lottie came running through the front door into the hallway.
“Princesses! You must not run inside the Academy,” said Lady Eggley.
“Sorry!” Summer dropped a curtsy.
“Have either of you seen a princess named Ella and a runaway rabbit?” demanded Lady Eggley.
“No, sorry!” said Lottie. “We don’t know where she is.”
“Well, if you see her please send her to me. I shall not permit animals and princesses to run wild!” said the teacher. Then she muttered to herself, “This is what comes of turning Harebell Castle into a pet club.”
Ella heard Lottie and Summer walk away but Lady Eggley remained in the hallway, tapping one high-heeled shoe. Ella looked down at Daisy and saw that she’d fallen asleep.
To try and take her mind off her aching legs, Ella gazed at the ornate carvings on the golden throne. Being so close, she could see every shape and swirl. Little red rubies sparkled along the throne’s arms and green emeralds glistened on the top. A red velvet cloth wrapped around the lower part of the throne and reached down to the floor.
Ella gazed at the small shells carved into the back of the throne. They were so beautiful! One shell gleamed more brightly than the others and she traced her finger across its fan-like shape.
Then, suddenly, the shell moved.
Ella paused; surely she must have imagined it! Slowly, she touched the golden shell again and pushed it.
The shell moved smoothly to the side. There was a muffled clunk from the corner, and the door of the cupboard swung slightly open.
Ella turned and stared. Golden light poured through the crack in the door. It couldn’t be a cupboard… But then, what was it? And how had this golden shell unlocked it?
A tingle ran down her back.
“What’s that noise?” said Lady Eggley.
Ella peered over the top of the throne. The teacher was looking all around the hall. She must have heard the clunking noise as the door opened! What if she came into the Throne Room? Ella’s heart thumped and she pushed the shell again. She had to close the door quickly.But the door wouldn’t move.
Ella tried again. She put Daisy down on the floor so that she could use both hands. The little rabbit woke up and twitched her nose. Ella pushed the shell with all her strength.
This time it moved a little. The door swung back until it was almost shut and only a tiny glint of light could be seen. Ella was just about to reach across and close the door completely when Lady Eggley marched into the room.
“Who’s there?” said the teacher. “I demand that you come out at once.”
Ella’s heart sank. Quickly, she hid Daisy underneath the red cloth that circled the bottom of the throne. Then she took a deep breath and stood up. “Hello, Lady Eggley.” She gave a wobbly curtsy. “It’s me, Princess Ella.”