Fairy in Danger Read Free

him think that that’s exactly where he is,’ continued Mr Woodleaf, patting the badger’s chest. ‘Who’s good at casting glamours?’
    Glamours were a special kind of spell that made you see things that weren’t really there. ‘That would be you, Mosquito Nose!’ said Sooze, nudging the pointy-faced fairy with a grin.
    Mariella’s cheeks turned pink with pleasure as she stepped forward. It was true, thought Twink. Though lazy at most of her studies, Mariella was brilliant at Star Magic, the art of illusion. She could cast the most convincing glamours of any of them!
    Murmuring to herself and moving her hands about, Mariella quickly cast the spell. All at once everything went dark as the sunny glade seemed to turn into a snug underground hole. Peering around her, Twink’s eyes widened in admiration. Mariella had even thought to put roots in place, and the rich scent of the earth!

    Though all of the fairies could see through the glamour, the badger blinked in surprise to find himself suddenly transported underground. Sniffing deeply at the clammy air, he stretched out on the ground with a happy sigh.
    â€˜Good work!’ said Mr Woodleaf. ‘Now we can tend to his paw.’
    By the end of the lesson the badger was snoozing peacefully, his hurt paw neatly bandaged. Twink smiled in satisfaction as she and the other students fluttered back to school.
    â€˜Are you going to try and find your mystery branch now?’ asked Bimi.
    Twink nodded. ‘Definitely!’ She looked towards the top of the tree, trying to remember exactly where she had seen the strange branch. But though she saw lots of leaves, and even a bird’s nest or two, she couldn’t spot the little window.
    â€˜Well, I don’t think it’s there, but good luck anyway,’ laughed Bimi as they swooped into the school. ‘If you don’t find it, then come and join me in the library.’
    â€˜All right,’ agreed Twink, adjusting her petal bag over her shoulder. ‘But you’ll see, Bimi – there is something up there, I just know it!’
    Saying goodbye, she took off, spiralling further and further up the tree. The number of fairies dwindled, until at last she was the only one flying so high. She felt a thrill of excitement as she passed the entrance to the star-gazing platform. This was as far up the tree as she’d ever gone!
    She continued upwards. Soon the walls of the trunk began to narrow around her, and the air felt stale and dusty. Clearly, no one had ventured so high in ages.
    Finally the trunk became so slender that Twink could hardly stretch her wings to fly. Hovering awkwardly, she sighed in disappointment. Bimi must have been right after all – there couldn’t be a branch used by fairies up here!
    But then Twink looked up, and caught her breath. Starting just above her head were a series of tiny knotholes going up the trunk – almost like those things humans called stairs! Quickly folding her wings behind her back, she grabbed hold of them and began to climb.
    The narrow passageway took her higher and higher, twisting and turning. Just when Twink was beginning to wonder whether it was a dead end after all, she came to a dim, dusty ledge. She pulled herself on to it . . . and her heartbeat quickened.
    There, in the shadowy light, she could just make out a door! It was barely as tall as she was, with an arched top and wooden grooves that were thick with dust.
    Twink gazed down at its handle, feeling oddly shy. It didn’t seem right to just go barging in. Besides . . . what if someone was already inside? Her wings went clammy at the thought.
    Raising her hand, she knocked softly. ‘Hello?’ she called.
    Silence. Twink smiled in relief. Of course there wasn’t anyone in there – it was probably just an old storage branch! Shaking her head at herself, she reached for the handle and pushed.

    There was a faint click . . . and the