The final bell rang, signaling the end of classes for the day. Students poured out of the tower, eager to enjoy the rest of their day. However, for Celeste and Cleo, the day had just taken a turn. 

Punishment awaited them.

As they stepped back into the main building of the school, a small figure stood before them, blocking their path. Celeste noticed him first, though something about him felt... off. Cleo stared at the boy, a strange sense of dread creeping over her.

The boy was no older than five, his messy blonde hair falling into his large, round blue eyes. His expression was serious as he looked up at Celeste, but something was wrong. His mouth remained slightly open as words began to echo from him, though his lips did not move.

“Celeste Rathmore? Please go to the lakeside to begin your punishment,” the boy said in a voice far too deep for his small frame.

Before either of the girls could react, the boy vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving only a faint scent of lavender in the air.

Celeste let out a heavy sigh, shoulders slumping. “Of course...” she muttered. The weight of her punishment had begun to sink in. 

Lily and Ophelia, who had been standing nearby, offered silent support. They placed comforting hands on her shoulders.

“I know exactly how you feel,” Lily said with a tired smile as her own punishment loomed overhead. “See you later for dinner?”

Celeste managed a faint grin, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Maybe. Depends on how badly Cleo and I smell after this...”

Ophelia chuckled softly. “It might not be as bad as you think. Honestly, I’ve heard just being around unicorns brings you luck. I’m kind of jealous.”

Celeste gave her a dubious look as she cracked a teasing smile. “Only you would be jealous of someone who has to scoop unicorn poop for a whole week,” she said, her voice light despite the situation.

Ophelia blushed, her face turning crimson. “I-I wasn’t talking about that part!” she stammered, her cheeks puffing out in embarrassment.

Lily and Celeste laughed, the sound soothing Cleo’s own nerves. It was good to see Celeste smile, even in the face of punishment.

“Alright,” Celeste said, turning to Cleo with a soft smile, “Let’s get this over with.”

As the group broke apart, with Lily and Ophelia heading towards the library, Celeste and Cleo began their walk toward the lakeside. 

As Cleo moved closer to the lake, her thoughts kept drifting to the Vargulf. The idea of it—of something so monstrous lurking in the waters—terrified her beyond measure.

When the two reached the edge of the lake, the sound of waves lapping gently against the shore greeted their ears. 

A small rowboat appeared, gliding across the surface of the water. At the helm was a strange sight—a leprechaun-like man. 

He was no taller than three or four feet, with large, bright green eyes, a long red beard that cascaded to his knees, and hair that curled outwards like horns. 

He looked almost comical, yet there was a warmth in his expression that made Cleo feel oddly at ease.

‘If he has a golden tooth, I might just scream,’ Cleo thought, eyeing the leprechaun warily as the boat slowed to a halt beside the dock.

The little man beamed up at Celeste. “Ah, Miss Rathmore, yes? Helion told me I finally had an assistant to help me! Ooh, so exciting!”

Celeste blinked, a bit thrown off by his sudden enthusiasm. “Uh... yes, sir. That’s me.” She hesitated before adding, “I hope I can do well enough to be of help to you, Professor Notham.”

Professor Notham’s eyes sparkled with glee. “Mhm! I’m sure you’ll do splendidly enough. The girls may even like you more than me once you're done, I dare say!” 

He clapped his hands together, eager to get going. “Now, hop in! Spud can only entertain the girls for so long!”

Cleo exchanged a wary glance with Celeste before they both carefully climbed into the boat. Notham tapped the oars, a peculiar glint in his eyes.

“Svinilah Voh,” he murmured, and before either of the girls could react, the boat began to glide forward—the oars were moving on their own.

“Whoa!” Celeste exclaimed, staring at the boat’s sudden motion. Cleo, also shocked, mirrored her sentiment.

As the boat moved, Cleo noticed the lack of pressure from the water encapsulating the bottom of the boat. 

‘Wait, are we—?’ Cleo hopped up on the edge of the boat, carefully peering over it. She whimpered in confusion. ‘We’re floating?’

Celeste leaned over the side and followed Cleo’s gaze. Sure enough, the boat was floating above the surface of the lake, skimming through the air rather than gliding through the water.

“Why are we floating over the lake, Professor Notham?” Celeste asked, her voice tinged with astonishment and confusion.

Notham chuckled, the sound light and airy. 

“Ah, don’t be alarmed. ‘Tis only a flotation spell, of course. It’s quite convenient, isn’t it? Otherwise, the Vargulf would detect even the slightest disturbance from the water’s depths and attack us. Fortunately, this spell allows us to travel above it and avoid it entirely.”

Celeste and Cleo exchanged a look, both taking in the absurdity of the situation.

“Is this how you've had to get around every time?” Celeste asked, her brow furrowed in curiosity.

“Oh yes, indeed,” Notham replied, grinning. “It's been of great help to me in avoiding the Vargulf’s keen senses. It’s been a bit of a hassle lately, to be blunt with you. But as long as we stay above the surface, we should be fine!”

As the boat sailed further, the girls’ attention was drawn to a sudden neigh in the distance. Notham’s face lit up, and he turned around, looking out over the lake.

“Ah! There they are!” he exclaimed with glee. 

‘No golden tooth... good!’ Cleo peeked around him, eyes widening in amazement as a group of unicorns appeared along the shoreline of a small island. 

Their coats were pure snow-white, their manes and tails gleaming with every color of the rainbow. Golden horns and hooves sparkled as they pranced along the beach. 

Celeste and Cleo stared, stunned into silence at their beauty.

“Who’s that so eager to see me?” Notham called out, his voice filled with affection. “Dahlia? Rosemary? No, wait... Violet, right?”

The unicorns seemed to laugh as one, the sound light and musical, before one of them, presumably the one named Violet, dipped her head in embarrassment.

“I couldn’t help it, Hubert,” came a voice from the island, soft but clear. “You make my heart sing in joy with merely your presence alone.”

Celeste and Cleo almost mirrored one another with their shocked expressions. 

Unicorns could talk?! 

The realization hit both of them at once, leaving their jaws hanging open in disbelief.

To be continued...