Chapter
ONE

“Bye, thanks for visiting! Hope we’ll see you again soon,” Jessie Starkling called politely as the last few kids and grown-ups climbed down from the carousel horses and wandered away across the fairground.

“That’s the way, Jess. Number one rule: Always leave the customers happy. That way, they’re sure to come back,” her dad said, smiling.

Jess smiled back at him. It had been a long day helping out on the merry-goround, and she was hot and tired. Tossing back her braid of glossy dark hair, she began flipping the controls that shut off the merry-go-round’s hundreds of lights.

Her dad was already counting the day’s earnings. He was the youngest of the three brothers who owned and ran the Starkling Brothers’ Circus.

“One day you’ll be running the fair, looking after all the rides, just like me,” Mr. Starkling said to his daughter.

“Yeah! In about a million years!” Jess’s fourteen-year-old cousin, Mai, teased. She was tall with the same chocolate-brown eyes and glossy dark hair as Jess, but Mai’s was shoulder length with bangs. Her dad was the oldest of the Starkling brothers. She often lent an extra hand with the merry-go-round at the busiest times on the fairground.

“Says you! I might only be nine, but everyone knows kids grow up quickly in the circus!” Jess countered, her eyes sparkling.

Her dad nodded agreement. “You certainly know all there is to know about this beauty,” he said, making a sweeping gesture with both arms at the beautiful merry-go-round.

Jess felt a surge of pride. She loved the carousel, which was well over a hundred years old. It had a double row of twenty-four galloping horses, and each part of it was covered with gilded carvings and tiny sparkling mirrors.

Jess adored every single one of the beautiful painted and gilded horses. She didn’t mind all the work it took to keep them shiny and bright. But she also had a secret that not even Mai knew about.

Her dearest wish in the whole world was to have a real pony of her own.

Jess swallowed a sigh as she unlocked a compartment in the central pillar and reached for the night covers to put on the rides. What was the point of wanting what you couldn’t have? The only horses allowed on-site were those in the bareback act, which was performed in the big top.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Mai said. “You’ve got that glassy-eyed look again. What are you thinking about?”

“Oh, nothing much,” Jess said evasively.

Her dad was locking the cash box. “I’m going to run now,” he told the girls. “There’s a meeting in the big top, after the evening performance. See you both later.”

“Okay,” Jess said. She was used to shutting the ride down for the night and could do it with her eyes closed. “Do you know what the meeting’s about?” she asked her cousin as her dad walked away.

Mai shrugged. “Probably about the new site for next summer. It’s all anyone’s talking about.”

Jess nodded. The news was all anyone was talking about around the circus. The site at Treen-on-Sea, which had been the summer home of the Starkling Brothers’ Circus for the last thirty-five years, was being sold so a new housing devlopment could be built on it. It had been a major shock to everyone, including Jess.

“Why don’t you go and find out what’s going on?” she suggested to her cousin.

“I’ll finish up here and then follow you.”

Mai looked tempted, but she hesitated. “Sure you’ll be okay by yourself?”

Jess widened her brown eyes and gave her cousin an “are you kidding?” look. She was related to virtually every person around here. There was nowhere on earth where she was safer!

Mai laughed and gave in. “All right then. Thanks, Jess. You’re a star!”

As soon as she was alone, Jess picked up a soft cloth and began happily wiping down the carousel horses. She did this every night, even when the horses didn’t need it. They were all so handsome, with their different-colored manes and tails and brightly painted saddles.

But one of them was Jess’s special favorite. It was a prancing white horse with black spots all over it like a Dalmatian. It had pricked ears, a particularly sweet face with realistic glass eyes, and blue-and-green trimmings with gold highlights.

Jess ran her hand over the high-arched wooden neck and flowing mane and tail. A stir of longing swept through her as she wished she could have a pony just like this one. On impulse she mounted it and then put her feet in the stirrups. Reaching forward, she patted the glossy wooden neck.

“Well, horsey. How would you like to go for a midnight ride? Just you and me,” she said softly, laughing at the very idea.

Suddenly there was a bright violet flash, and a thick glittering rainbow mist sparkling in the lights of the fairground.

“Oh!” She blinked, trying to see through the strange mist.

As it slowly cleared, Jess felt a tremor beneath her palm and the carousel horse shook its head. Swishing its tail, it straightened its legs and placed its four shining hooves firmly on the wooden platform.

“Hold tight, please!” it said in a velvety neigh.