eighteen

Queen Mab didn’t say a lot to Sylva about what was on her mind. She didn’t have to. Sylva could tell that the dollhouse had caused trouble with the queen’s friend, Nia. Sylva wondered who Nia was, and where she lived now. “You must miss each other so much,” she said to Queen Mab. “Maybe you two can be friends again. Just saying hello might be a good place to start.”

Sylva suddenly realized something. She could just say hello. Then she could tell her best friend that she had made a mistake and she was so, so sorry. Then Poppy and she could be friends again. Lucky could be Poppy’s cat, but they could both play with her. Sylva could show Poppy how to hold her kitten. And they could fly her back and forth between their two fairy houses. It would be so much fun!

“Oh, Queen Mab, please excuse me! I’ve got to go!”

Sylva put on a burst of speed and zipped over to the Flower sisters’ house. It made Sylva happy to see her friend’s house—it was so pretty in the springtime, its roof bursting with trillium and bunchberries. Just looking at their pretty blossoms made Sylva happy.

She flew right into Poppy’s house without even knocking on the door.

“Poppy! I’m back! I came to say—”

“Poppy’s not here, Sylva,” said Iris Flower.

“We wanted her to stay and help us mix our teas,” said Daisy Flower. She put a purple flower behind Sylva’s ear. “But she said she needed to see you. She left an hour ago. Maybe more.”

“I think she wanted to say sorry,” said Iris. “She took Lucky with her.”

“Oh no,” said Sylva. “I wanted to say sorry!”

“Check back at your fairy house, Sylva,” said Susan. “I’m sure she’s there, playing with Lucky.”

But when Sylva arrived at the Bell sisters’ fairy house, Poppy was not there.

“Well, they can’t be far,” said Clara when Sylva told her what was going on. “I think I even saw Poppy heading toward Lupine Pond when I was out running errands earlier today. I didn’t see Lucky with her, though.”

That made Sylva worry.

“Don’t fret, Sylva,” said Rosy. “They’re here somewhere. I’m not worried about Poppy. She’s safe anywhere on the island, especially as the trolls are still hibernating. But if Lucky’s not at the Flower sisters’ house, or in Poppy’s arms . . .”

“No! No! Don’t say it!” said Sylva, thinking of all the terrible things that could happen to a tiny little kitten on a big island. “She might have fallen into the water! Or a hawk could get her. She’s probably in danger right now. And it’s all my fault!”