Jade and the Surprise Party Read Free Page B

Jade was dancing with all her heart. As she sank into the final position, with her arms softly crossed at the wrists, sheheard a noise from outside the window. A flapping of wings.
    “You’ve done it! They’re here!” cried the White Cat.
    Jade looked up and gasped. A white swan had alighted on the stone window ledge. And against the blue sky she could see the beating wings of another swan just behind.
    “Sabrina! Sahara!” the White Cat called. “We’re in here!”

The ride on the back of the swans was magical. Jade was on Sahara’s back, and the White Cat was on Sabrina’s. The Land of Enchantia lay beneath them like a patchwork quilt as the two swans glided smoothly through the bright sky.
    The church clock was just striking five as they were set down outside Red Riding Hood’s cottage. Jade and the White Cat thanked the swans and waved them off as they flew back to their distant lake.

    The White Cat was staring around. “It’s very quiet,” he said, his brow furrowed.
    Jade’s heart fluttered with worry when she thought about what the Wicked Fairycould have done. What if Red Riding Hood and all the guests were statues? She looked at the White Cat’s grave face and guessed he was thinking the same thing.
    Without a word they made for the front door. But they’d hardly taken a step when a loud noise pierced the silence.
    They turned round to see a black carriage, pulled by two rats, hurtling round the bend.
    “Quick!” cried the White Cat. “Don’t let her see you!”
    He pulled Jade down behind the fence around Red Riding Hood’s cottage and seconds later the carriage thundered past.Jade couldn’t help peeping over the top and caught a glimpse of the Wicked Fairy’s scrawny neck and pointed chin. Her face was screwed up in a look of triumph. “Ha! My work here is done! Take me home, Rats. I can’t wait to tell my prisoners!”
    Jade felt a shiver run down her spine as she and the White Cat slowly straightened up and looked at each other despairingly.
    “What do you think she meant about her work being done?” Jade asked in a small voice, although she knew the answer already. “She’s turned everyone into a statue, hasn’t she?”
    The White Cat nodded glumly, but then suddenly sprang into action. “We have to find the Lilac Fairy. It’s our last hope. She’s the only one with enough magical powers to bring the statues back to life.”
    “Right,” said Jade, catching some of her friend’s energy.
    Together they hurried to Lila’s cottage.

    But there was no sign of her.
    Of course! thought Jade, She’ll be in the Land of Sweets, getting ready for the party. But how I can tell the White Cat that without giving the game away?
    “Er… actually,” she began hesitantly, “I think I remember Lila saying something about visiting the Land of Sweets this afternoon.”
    A spark of hope came into the White Cat’s eyes. “In that case,” he replied, “get ready to jump into the magic ring!”
    He swished his tail in a glittering circle and it lifted them both up in a billow of sparkles.
    A moment later they were standing in the Land of Sweets.

    Now where is the Marshmallow Palace?
Jade thought. She needed the White Cat’s help. She didn’t want to give anything away, but this was more important.
    “Er, Lila mentioned a palace or a grand mansion or something. I’m afraid I can’t remember the name of it, though.”
    “Oh, right,” said the White Cat, knitting his eyebrows. “Let me see, was it the Grand Palace?”
    Jade shook her head.
    “The Chocolate Palace?”
    “No…”
    “The Marzipan Mansion?”
    “I don’t think so…”
    “The
Marshmallow Palace?”
    Jade detected a glint in the White Cat’s eye. “Yes, that was it! The Marshmallow Palace!” she said.
    “My favourite,” he said, whipping his tail around smartly. “Let’s be on our way!”
    They were set down only seconds later right outside the Marshmallow Palace. And now Jade had another problem. If the