He thought how different this wonderfully warm setting was from his beloved Norghana, and how far they were from their own country, as if they had sailed until they were lost in the immensity of the sea to reach this place. The arrival of the dolphins brought him out of his reverie and back to reality. They could be seen leaping out of the water on their way to Arrain’s canoe. The Shaman stood up and spread his arms wide, said something in his own language and then turned to the group of visitors.
“What is the wish of Uragh, Turquoise Queen of Life and Sea?” he translated.
The dolphins moved their flukes underwater, leaving half their bodies out of the water and nodded with affirmative whistles.
Lasgol was left breathless, and Astrid muffled a cry of surprise. Their friends’ faces were as astonished as theirs at what they were seeing.
“The Turquoise Queen permits us to enter her dwelling,” Arrain announced. “We will follow her guards.” He indicated the dolphins, which were already swimming toward the island. The turquoise savages began to row, and the canoes followed the beautiful sea creatures.
“How d’you think we’re going in?” Astrid asked Lasgol in a whisper.
“The dolphins are heading for the waterfall.”
“The force of the fall is tremendous. It’ll crush us if we go any closer.”
“That’s what I think too, but that’s where we’re heading.” He looked back. “And it’s only us going.”
And it was true: the other canoes that had escorted them were not moving. Only the canoes they themselves were in were moving, and they were doing so in the direction of the waterfall.
Ingrid and Viggo arched their eyebrows inquisitively, revealing the same concern Astrid and Lasgol were feeling. In the other boat nearby, Gerd’s face was as white as the Norghanian snow, and Nilsa’s as red as the restlessness she felt and the impossibility of moving in the small canoe. Lasgol signaled them to stay calm. They were going in somehow, of this he was sure, and he did not believe they would all die in the process. Although he could be wrong, but in that case the results would be catastrophic. They would die, and with them the hope of saving their kingdom. Norghana would fall into the hands of the Peoples of the Frozen Continent.
Arrain and Eicewald were in the leading canoe, apparently unconcerned that they were heading straight for the waterfall. The roaring of the water thundered in their ears, and the splashing of the waterfall as it broke reached them in the form of a damp mist which soaked them from head to foot.
“We’re going headlong,” Astrid said. She held fast to the edge of the canoe with both hands, because she was beginning to feel the strength of the turbulence from the fall, which was making her unsteady. Lasgol followed her example, and their friends did the same. The turquoise savages went on rowing toward the waterfall as if nothing were amiss.
Suddenly Arrain rose to his feet, as if he felt nothing of the movement of the canoe. He said something to one of his companions, who gave another call on his strange, enormous conch. Everybody waited expectantly, even the dolphins, which had not gone away and were waiting in front of the great waterfall.
Magic. Powerful, Camu warned Lasgol.
Where? Who?
But before Camu could reply, he was able to see it with his own eyes. The great waterfall emitted a strange blue flash first from the top, then down through the flow of water that broke below, as far as the sea: a great outburst of an intense sea-blue. An instant later the falling water parted in two, revealing a way through.
“Now that’s something I wasn’t expecting!” cried Astrid.
“Camu warned me of very powerful magic. It’s the Turquoise Queen.”
“If she’s capable of doing that …”
“… Then she’ll be able to do a lot more. So, we’d better tread carefully.”
Gerd was totally white from head to foot. Nilsa had folded her arms and was showing her anger in the form of a scowl because of the use of magic. Viggo looked impressed, and Ingrid’s eyes were half-closed. But she looked fearless, ready to face whatever might come next.
At Arrain’s order, the canoes set off again. The dolphins went into the pass which had opened up within the waterfall. As they came closer, they could see that behind the waterfall was a long tunnel, which led from one side of the wall to the other. When the canoes were all inside the tunnel there came another blue flash, and the flow of water closed again, shutting off the entrance.
“The dolphins came in through here, underwater, avoiding the waterfall,” said Astrid. She now understood how they had managed to enter the heart of the island.
Lasgol smiled, trying to lighten the tension they were all feeling as a result of all these strange events and landscapes. “I’m glad they didn’t make us dive like them.”
“Me too,” Astrid smiled back. “And I’m sure Camu and Ona are too.”
I dive very well.
Ona not so much.
True. And I haven’t seen you dive a lot. Can you really swim underwater?
Dive a little well.
Very well or a little well? It can’t be both.
A little well.
Yeah, you swim little and badly.
Not bad. Little and well.
Oh dear … Lasgol gave a snort and let the matter rest. Neither Ona nor Camu were made
