“You know, with how much you enjoy the treasure hunt, it is a wonder that you have so rarely joined in with them.” Natalie pointed out as they searched the orangery for a clue. “Why have you not joined in before?”
Emily took a deep breath, willing her hammering heart to slow down. “I would have paired with Jane, and she is not very competitive. When we are on such a team, we are almost guaranteed to fight.”
It was not entirely untrue. She would have partnered with Jane, because Jane would have quite happily read the clues, and then they would have fought.
“You could have chosen another partner.” Natalie pointed out.
“Perhaps.”But they would have wondered why I never read the clues.Emily shrugged. “In the early days, everyone had set teams. You were younger then, it is only really recently that we have become such good friends.”
“I suppose that is true.” Natalie gave grinned at her. “So what you are saying is you just needed the right teammate.”
“And that is you.” Emily embraced Natalie. “Now, enough of me flattering your sensibilities. We need to find the next clue.”
“Aha!” Natalie procured a small pouch and a slip of paper hidden in some of the roots of an orange tree.
As she emptied the coins into their own purse, Emily took the slip of paper and unfolded it.
“Half my answer lies in what I am. The other half in where I hide.” Emily read.Rose definitely wrote this one.“When one person has me, I am safe. When I am shared, I cease to exist. For all your toil and trouble, I hide in a place, where there is no need for flame nor fire to bubble.”
“Well the first part is easy, that is a secret.” Natalie said, pointing to the first few lines of the clue.
“Which means that we are looking for a secret something or other.” Emily agreed. “Something that bubbles.”
“Perhaps a kettle?”
“That would need a fire.”
“Oh, yes. A brook?”
“But that is more babbling.”
“They may be taking poetic license.”
“Do you know of a secret brook?”
“Not a secret brook, more like a place we used to keep secrets.” Natalie flushed slightly. “We would write our secret wishes in a bottle and release them into the brook.”
“That could be it.” Emily frowned and remembered something she had found on one of her early visits to the castle. “There is a spring in the forest, Rose used to call it a secret spring because of how hard it was to find the entrance.”
“I think I know which one you are talking about.” Natalie frowned. “Which one should we choose?”
The bells rang out. There was only an hour left.
“Perhaps we should split up?” Emily suggested. “We can each check the location and then perhaps we can meet at the maze and move on to the next clue.”
“Who should take the pouch?” Natalie asked.
“Why don’t you take it?” Emily handed Natalie the bag. “That way if I am delayed, you can still get to the entrance hall.”
“You do have further to go, it is true. But we should still aim to meet at the maze.” Natalie said.
“Of course.” Emily embraced Natalie. “I am sure we will see each other soon.”
They headed off in different directions, Natalie running towards the brook while Emily made her way towards the forest. The trees were thick, and the ground uneven.
“Running will probably get my ankle twisted.” Emily muttered to herself as she began to wind her way through the trees.
The air was cool beneath the canopy of leaves, and there was a soft crunch of leaves underfoot as she picked her way towards the spring.
