Pan's Realm Read Free Page A

“Ghosts don’t build green palaces in the middle of the forest.”
    â€œDid you notice that we didn’t see a thing until we drank the water?” Adam said.
    â€œDo you think it was poisoned?” Sally asked, glancing at the fountain.
    â€œIt could have had something in it besides poison,” Watch said. “Wait a second. Something’s happening.”
    The ghostly figures vanished as the sky darkened more. It took on a purple color now. The whistling abruptly stopped, and an eerie silence filled the courtyard. They anxiously waited for something dreadful to happen.
    They didn’t have long to wait.
    A figure appeared at the doorway of the courtyard, at the same place they had entered. It wore a dark-hooded robe, which hung low over its head and cast a shadow across its face. The figure was tall, thin, and in its right hand it carried a glowing green crystal.
    â€œOh no,” Sally moaned.
    It walked toward them.

4
    T he gang waited. There seemed to be no point in running, no place to hide. The figure moved stiffly as if there were only bones under that dark robe. Yet after it stopped in front of them and threw back its hood, they found themselves staring up at a beautiful woman. Her hair was blond, with red highlights, and her eyes were so green they seemed to sparkle with the light from the crystal she held. For a long time she stared down at them, her expression serious but not frightening. She didn’t smile, nor welcome them in any way. When she finally did speak, her voice was little more than a whisper, not unlike the sound the wind makes as it moves through the leaves.
    â€œWhy have you entered our home?” she asked.
    â€œWe’re sorry,” Adam said quickly. “We were just looking for the leprechauns who stole our bikes.”
    â€œThere are no leprechauns here,” the woman said.
    â€œThat’s fine,” Sally replied, trying to edge her way to the doorway. “We’ll just be on our way.” She grabbed Adam’s shirt sleeve. “Come on, let’s go.”
    â€œWait,” the woman said. “You drank our water.”
    â€œJust a little,” Adam said, following Sally and the ­others as they slowly made their way around the woman. “We were thirsty. We’re sorry if that’s a problem.”
    â€œHumans should not drink fairy water,” the woman said.
    Adam stopped. “Is that what you are? A fairy?”
    â€œWhat did you think I was?” the woman asked.
    Watch shrugged. “You look like a woman to us.”
    At that the woman’s face darkened. “A fairy never likes to be compared to a human. It annoys us and it’s rude, especially to say such a thing in our own house.”
    â€œWe’re sorry,” Adam said for what felt like the third time. “We meant you no harm. We’ll be on our way now and we won’t bother you again.”
    With his friends, Adam turned to leave. But just then the fairy woman held up the hand that held the green crystal and the light of the object began to increase­dramatically. Pretty soon all they could see was green light, and they were stumbling over one another as they tried to get to the exit. Adam had to shut his eyes—the light was that blinding.
    Then it stopped. A switch could have been thrown, it was that sudden. For a full minute Adam blinked his eyes to focus them. The sky had returned to its familiar blue, and the fairy had disappeared. Everything appeared perfectly normal, but Adam should have known better. He was dealing with a fairy, after all.
    It took him another moment to realize his friends were gone.
    Or were they?
    â€œSally?” he called. “Watch? Cindy?”
    â€œAdam?” Watch called. “Where are you?”
    â€œI’m right here. Where are you?”
    â€œI’m right here,” Watch said. “But you and the others must be invisible.”
    â€œI’m not invisible,”