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don’t know what else to do!” She picked up the opal and held it closer to the little koala’s chest.
    Custard opened his little eyes wide and watched the jewel change colour.
    “Please get better, Custard!” said Maya softly.
    Custard gazed steadily at the rainbow opal. Then suddenly he leaned forward and licked it.
    Summer gasped. “Custard! You funny little thing!”

Chapter Ten
The Perfect Photo
    Soon after Custard licked the rainbow opal, its glowing light began to fade. It grew dimmer and dimmer until it looked just like an ordinary opal again.
    Custard seemed to have more energy. He lifted his head off Maya’s arm and looked around. Then he wriggled and wriggled. Rosalind tried him with the bottle of milk and he drank the whole lot! The girls grinned at each other. Kanga gave a squawk and hopped up and downon the windowsill.
    Summer undid the necklace from Custard’s neck and put it back around her own. “It looks like the magic of the opal worked after all!” She kissed the top of Custard’s furry head.
    “But who would have guessed he needed to lick it?” said Rosalind. “Lottie is never going to believe it!”
    The door burst open and Lottie staggered in with the torch in her hand. Her pyjamas were covered in smears of mud and there were leaves in her hair.
    “Lottie!” said Summer. “Well done for finding your way back over the bridge.”
    “I’m so tired,” Lottie panted. “How’s Custard?”
    “He’s much better now,” said Maya, smiling. “The rainbow jewel was amazing!”
    They told Lottie everything that hadhappened. Then, as they all felt quite sleepy after the night’s adventures, they settled down to rest for a few minutes. Maya and Summer lay across Summer’s bed, while Rosalind curled up on the soft rug and Lottie lay back in an armchair. Kanga fluffed up his feathers and tucked his beak under his wing.
    When they opened their eyes again, sunlight was pouring through the curtains. Maya’s mum stood in the doorway looking at them all.
    “Well, I didn’t expect to find you all asleep together! I hope you didn’t stay up too late,” said the queen. “How’s the little koala this morning?”
    Summer picked up Custard and gave him a cuddle. “He seems much hungrier and I think that’s a good sign.”
    “That
is
a good sign,” said her mum. “That medicine the vet gave us must havedone the trick.”
    Lottie’s stomach rumbled. “Actually, I’m pretty hungry too!”
    “Breakfast will be ready very soon,” said the queen, smiling. “There’ll be toast, fried eggs, and bacon sandwiches.”
    “Mmm!” Lottie’s eyes grew round. “I’m going to get dressed!”
    After a hearty breakfast, the princesses took Custard outside. They sat on the palace steps and took turns at feeding him a bottle of milk.
    The king came outside too and looked at them thoughtfully over the top of his glasses. “You’ve done a great job looking after that little koala. It seems that the medicine was more useful than we thought.”
    “Yes, it must have been,” replied Summer, her cheeks growing pink. Would her dad believe her if she told him aboutthe opal’s magic? He smiled at her and winked. Her dad probably would believe her, Summer decided. But for now the magical opal was a Rescue Princesses’ secret!
    Custard finished his milk and Summer was just about to suggest that they went down to the woods, when she heard her mum calling.
    “Summer! Time for your photo!” said the queen.
    “Rats!” said Summer. “I’d forgotten about that.”
    “But at least you don’t have to wear that awful dress,” said Lottie. “The frilly bit got turned into our fishing net.”
    “That’s true!” said Summer. “I hope my mum will let me wear something nicer.”

    Summer hurried into the drawing room wearing her favourite red dress anda tiara that was sprinkled with little flowers. The other girls had also got dressed. Rosalind came in behind her in a dark-blue dress and a crown made from