* * * The Emerald Queen - Page 4

The girls all turned around to look at Rainbow and they were horrified at what they saw. First of all, it appeared so much less colorful, as if drained of its jewel-like luster. And every footprint they had taken over the moss now showed, like footsteps in snow. Horrible, clumsy tracks were everywhere! They really had damaged the beauty of Rainbow. 
	  
And when they looked at the crystal stream which had contained the shimmering golden shells, they were surprised to see that each plunging in of their hands had left an ugly, permanent hole into what had been, just hours before, a smooth perfect surface. This was real damage.

And beyond the main chamber, back in the smaller entry tunnel, all the piles of fallen crystal which they had shaken off the sides of the tunnel with their gleeful shouting and echoing was strewn on the ground in ugly shards of broken glass. 

The girls were speechless. The Queen shook with rage, and almost cried with justifiable grief as she spoke to the four shocked girls who stood solemnly before her. 

"You four will NEVER leave Rainbow."

The six of them exchanged glances between themselves. They didn't say anything, but their eyes communicated their shock. The question they silently exchanged was 'How will we ever get out of here?'

As if she understood them, the beautiful Queen of Emeralds repeated herself.

"You four will never leave Rainbow. And you two will leave now." She gestured for Maddie and Wolfinna to go at once.