Near the end of Lucy's holiday, King Meriadoc gave her and Eden permission to stay overnight on the island in the middle of the lake, taking everything they needed in the boat.  After anchoring Boudicca in its little harbour, they spent the afternoon sailing, swimming, fishing, and playing that they were pirates. They were in agreement that having pirate battles, finding buried treasure, and walking the plank were much more fun when alone on an island.

Afterwards, they built a fire on the beach of Avalon Island. Eden cleaned the fish, then Lucy fried it in a pan with butter along with some sausages, and they had potatoes roasted in the coals. 

Lucy had never learned to cook before, but over the summer, she and Eden had had so many picnics together that she now considered herself quite experienced, and nobody really minds their food getting a little charred on a campfire.  

Their supper ended with lemon curd tarts, fresh peaches, and mint sweets from the castle's kitchen. Lucy made a cup of tea, because they had brought a kettle, and mugs, and milk and sugar, and they sat on the beach, drinking it and watching the sun go down.

Lucy could never get used to how beautiful the lake looked under the setting sun, the waters pink and gold and otherworldly. And this time she was in the middle of the lake, was part of the magic, and had sailed away to an island called Avalon.

"I always think I'm going to see fairies on the island, or mermaids in the lake," said Lucy softly, almost to herself.

"I once saw an enormous pike in the cove," Eden offered. "I tried to catch it, but it was too strong for me, and broke my fishing line."

"Oh, you always try to ruin the magic for me," said Lucy, giving Eden an affectionate shove. But somehow her arm slipped around her friend, and Eden didn't push it away. She only said:

"Aren't you glad we're dressed as pirates? It's much more fun than wearing frocks, which always get torn on brambles, or get wet, or stained, and then Nurse wants to know how it happened."

And Lucy had to agree that dressing as a pirate was far more practical.

That night they made beds for themselves with blankets and pillows on top of the bracken, and for a while Lucy was content to stare out at the stars, which glittered in masses far out into space. She tried to make out the constellations, and Eden spoke in a low voice about navigating by the stars, and how next summer they must try to sail the Boudicca at night, using the stars to find their way. 

Lucy was so happy that Eden already spoke about next summer that she dabbed her mouth against Eden's cheek. 

"Eth caru," she whispered. 

Eden touched her lips against Lucy's, saying, "Moi chalon."

And then the two girls fell asleep, their arms around each other for warmth and comfort, for it gets cold out on the lake at night, even in August.

In the deep waters of the lake, there was a ripple as something long and dark raised itself above the surface, but neither girl was awake to hear it.