CHAPTER FOUR

From the tips of her antennae to the bottom edges of her wings, Shimmer Leaf’s entire body was shaking with fear.

Addie hated being frightened, but not as much as she hated seeing other creatures scared. She put on a big, warm smile and tried to make her voice as soft and soothing as possible. “Hi, Shimmer Leaf. I’m Addie.”

Shimmer Leaf peered down at her, then jumped back and squealed. “You’re huge!” she cried. “You’re a monster!”

Addie tried not to take that personally. She kept smiling. “I’m just human. I’m also a friend, who’s here to help you.”

“Don’t come near me!” wailed Shimmer Leaf, who then flew to the highest branch of the Changing Tree.

Sky Dance flitted over to Addie’s shoulder. “Let me try,” she said to Addie, then looked up at Shimmer Leaf. “Shimmer,” she cooed. “We went over this earlier. Don’t you remember me? I used to come to the caterpillar nursery to sing you songs and read you stories. I’m your big sister!”

“What’s a caterpillar?” asked Shimmer Leaf with a trembling voice. “What’s a sister?”

“See what I mean?” said Sky Dance. She sounded like she was about to cry. “We just don’t know what to do.”

Addie stared long and hard at Shimmer Leaf, filled with sympathy for the butterfly. She wanted so badly to help her, but she’d never seen herself as a saving-the-day kind of girl.

It can’t be fun, she thought, to have no idea who you are, or where you are, or WHY you are. As she was thinking, her fingers absentmindedly found the bracelet on her wrist. The feel of the smooth, gold chain, and the memory of how wonderful it felt to have a wish come true, sparked an idea.

“Can you tell me more about this ‘first wish’ thing?” she asked Sky Dance. “You said she has to find a human child who needs a wish granted. Does she have to find the child herself, or can the child find her?”

Sky Dance thought for a moment. “I don’t think it matters. They just have to come together.”

A picture was forming in Addie’s head, getting clearer by the second. It was a picture of her sister, Clara, as she had watched Addie with Pepper that morning. Clara’s face, filled with jealousy, sadness, and loneliness. The face of someone who could really, really use a wish.

“I know what we have to do,” said Addie to Sky Dance. “Now it’s time to show you my home.”

As Addie and Sky Dance crossed Silk Meadow, Addie grew anxious about Pepper. She scanned the distance but didn’t see him in the spot where she’d left him. If he’d gotten away, she’d have to choose between searching for him and getting Clara to Wishing Wing Grove. It was a choice she didn’t want to make.

Suddenly, two little black triangles poked up from the grass. Pepper’s ears! Addie laughed with relief.

When she and Sky Dance drew closer, the two butterflies who were standing guard flew to meet them.

“No problems here,” said one. “He’s kind of sweet and harmless, as dogs go.”

“I still don’t like them,” said the other. “It’s that breath. Ugh!”

Addie laughed again, and when Pepper heard her, he jumped up and started barking.

“Yes, yes. Good boy!” she said as she ran to him and started rubbing his neck. Sky Dance thanked her friends and they headed back toward Wishing Wing Grove.

After she unhooked Pepper’s leash from the tree, Addie paused, trying to figure out which way to go from there. She took a step in a certain direction, and it felt right. She took a few more steps, more confident now. “I’m pretty sure this is the way to my house,” Addie told Sky Dance as they started walking. “I guess I did know all along.”

“Well, actually, you didn’t,” said Sky Dance with a giggle. “But you do now, because I know.” When Addie turned to give her a confused look, Sky Dance flew in a little circle. “Yep. Because I granted you a wish, I’m officially your Wishing Wing. We’re connected forever. If we’re not too far away from each other, I can send you thoughts and you can send them back!”

“A magic butterfly hotline!” Addie exclaimed.

“Exactly! I can’t give you any more wishes, but I can help you in other ways, when you need it.”

Something bright and fast in the distance caught Addie’s eye. It flitted in and out of the trees. It took Addie a few moments to realize what it was.

A white butterfly.

Addie had always loved these. She’d thought they were just as beautiful as the butterflies who had colors and patterns on their wings, but in a pure and simple way. She felt a tickle on her arm. Sky Dance had landed there to watch the white butterfly too, and Addie was overcome with the worried, nervous thoughts Sky Dance was sending her.

“Oh,” said Addie. “That was once a New Bloom, right? It wasn’t able to earn its magic and become a Wishing Wing.”

Sky Dance nodded sadly. “Mama says that if we can’t break the enchantment and the New Blooms lose their magic, all Wishing Wing magic will get weaker. It might even fade forever.”

That was too terrible a thought. “I’ll do my best to keep that from happening,” said Addie. “I promise.”

They watched the white butterfly disappear, and then continued walking.

At last, there was the fence of trees, and on the other side of it, the bright yellow wood of Addie’s house. Even though it had only been her house for a few days, she was super-glad to see it.

As they crossed into the backyard, Addie told Sky Dance, “Since my mom’s home, it’s better if Clara comes out here. She won’t want to, but I’m an expert at getting her to do things she doesn’t want to.” She smiled at Sky Dance. “That’s part of a big sister’s job. You’ll find out for yourself soon enough.”

Sky Dance landed on the railing of the back deck and said, “I hope so.”

Addie put Pepper inside the house, then closed the door and stepped onto the deck again. She found a spot directly underneath Clara’s window. It was open, thankfully.

“Clara!” she yelled.

Nothing.

“Hey, Clara!” Addie shouted again.

A few moments passed. Then, a grumpy “What do you want?” came floating down from the open window.

“I have a surprise for you!”

“Nice try. I’m not falling for that trick.”

“It’s not a trick, cross my heart and pinky promise!”

A pause. “Is it gummy worms?” called Clara.

“Nope. It’s better!” replied Addie.

Another pause. “I really don’t believe you.”

“Look, if you see it and don’t think it’s better than gummy worms, I’ll give you anything you want from my jewelry box. That’s a guarantee.”

Now a face appeared in the window, peering down at Addie. Addie hid her hands behind her back and opened her palm. She didn’t need to say anything. Sky Dance knew to fly over and land on it.

Clara let out a loud sigh, then her face disappeared. Addie and Sky Dance waited a very long few moments. Was she coming? What would Addie do next if she wasn’t coming?

Finally, the back door opened and Clara stepped out, still clutching Squish under one arm.

“I’m here,” said Clara. “Show me.”

Slowly, Addie brought her hand forward from behind her back. She held up Sky Dance as if the butterfly were sitting on a pedestal, and resisted the urge to shout “Ta-da!”

Clara’s eyes grew wide when she saw Sky Dance, and Addie could see the wonder and delight flickering behind them.

“Is this not the most amazing butterfly you’ve ever seen?” Addie asked her.

Clara was silent as she stared, stunned, at Sky Dance. Addie kept waiting for her sister to finally smile. But instead, Clara scrunched her face into a frown.

“You always find the good things,” she said, pouting.

“Oh, Clara,” sighed Addie, and that familiar sisterly tension filled the air between them.

They were quiet for a few moments until a high voice crashed through the silence.

“Hey!” Sky Dance snapped at them. “Not everything is a competition, you know. You’re two different people, so it’s okay to actually be different!”

Clara’s jaw dropped open and she took a step back.

“I know,” said Addie. “She talks. Also, she has magic. And she needs—we need—your help.”

Clara shook her head hard. “No way. You are tricking me. Stop it!”

Addie whispered to Sky Dance, “Remember how seeing is believing?”

Sky Dance nodded, then took flight, flitting back and forth over the backyard, searching for something. When she landed, Addie knew she was supposed to bring Clara over. She beckoned to her sister, and fortunately her sister followed.

Sky Dance was sitting on an acorn that was lying in the grass.

“Are you watching, Clara?” asked Addie. Clara shrugged.

Sky Dance fluttered up and flew three circles around the acorn, leaving her personal pink, turquoise, and white rainbow ribboning behind her. As the colors dissolved into sparkling dust, Clara and Addie both gasped at what had happened.

The acorn was now a tiny seedling with green leaves, just a few inches high.

“Give it ten or fifteen years,” said Sky Dance proudly. “That oak tree will be as tall as your house!”

Clara dropped Squish and sank down onto the grass. “Whoa,” was all she said.

“Clara,” said Addie, kneeling down across from her. “I’ve discovered something wonderful. And I want to share it with you. Will you let me?”

Maybe it was the word “wonderful,” or maybe it was the word “share,” but Clara lit up in a way Addie hadn’t seen since before their parents had told them they were moving.

“You said something about needing my help?” asked Clara.

Addie and Sky Dance nodded.

“Count me in.”