TWENTY-SIX

THE BALLOON CARRIER was almost too heavy to fly. It couldn’t rise higher than a few inches, and sometimes it bumped over tree stumps and large rocks.

The day’s fairy dust ran out soon after the questers crossed the Wough River. Night had fallen, and Rani, who was giving orders quite naturally now, said they’d stop until morning.

A dusting of snow fell overnight. When Ree saw the snow, she was aghast. The island looked beautiful, but what would happen if two inches fell? Snow would be up to the fairies’ waists. Six inches, and they’d be buried.

In the underground home, Peter Pan’s blanket was halfway down his chest. He pulled it up and exposed his feet and ankles. He stood, and his head grazed the ceiling. He’d grown seven inches overnight.

Captain Hook ripped the leg off his stateroom table to use as a cane.

The Never bear wanted to go fishing, but he couldn’t remember where Havendish Stream was.

To Tink’s surprise, Mother Dove looked better, less tense around the eyes. She felt better, too. She felt cold and old, but not so ill.

She sensed that the egg was on its way to Kyto. Her body began to repair itself in anticipation of the egg’s return.

“I’m hungry.” Mother Dove hadn’t thought she’d ever be hungry again.

Tink wanted to hug Mother Dove, but she was afraid of hurting her. Instead, she said, “I’ll bring breakfast, lots of breakfast. It’ll be delicious.” She shouted to Nilsa, the scout hovering above them, “I’ll be back soon. With breakfast!”

Nilsa, who’d eaten only once since the hurricane, yelled, “Good.”

Tink ran-flew across the open beach, while keeping an eye out for hawks. She hurried to Fairy Haven. She expected to return in no time, but she didn’t realize that, without dust, the kitchen would be very slow.

When the questers awoke, they found themselves on the edge of a vast prairie. A small triangle on the horizon was Torth Mountain, where Kyto was imprisoned.

Rani sprinkled only a quarter cup of the final day’s dust on Vidia and Prilla, and none on herself, since she couldn’t fly.

Vidia was furious. “Give me a full ration, dearie.” She reached out for the satchel.

“No,” Rani said, backing away. “I’ll sprinkle on more if we run out before we get to Kyto. But if we make it, and he doesn’t fix the egg, we’ll walk home and save—”

Vidia lunged and got a hand on the satchel. Rani hung on. Prilla jumped up and down, not knowing what to do.

Rani caught Vidia’s eye and held it. “Ree made me leader, and I won’t let her down.”

After a tense minute, Vidia let go. “Honey lamb, whatever happens with Kyto, I’ll expect my share of dust. And, my sweet, I’ll get it.”

An hour went by before Tink left Fairy Haven with breakfast.

When she reached the beach, a fox was stalking Mother Dove.

Mother Dove was standing, swaying, and trying to back away.

Tink dropped the food and raced toward the fox, all the while wondering where that miserable scout Nilsa had gone.

Mother Dove called to Tink to get away and save herself. Tink yelled at the fox, telling him to leave, warning him not to hurt Mother Dove, promising him something else to eat.

He was too hungry to listen. He was five yards from Mother Dove.

She raised her broken wings.

Tink shouted, “Fly, Mother Dove! Fly!”

Mother Dove flapped her wings once.

Tink threw herself onto the fox’s right front leg. He snapped at her, but missed.

Mother Dove flapped her wings again. The fox advanced a yard.

Tink climbed up his leg, grasping fistfuls of fur.

He was three yards from Mother Dove.

Mother Dove rose an inch into the air.

Tink was almost at the fox’s shoulder.

Mother Dove collapsed in the sand. The fox was two yards away. Tink climbed onto his head.

One yard.

Tink drew out her dagger.

He reached Mother Dove.

Tink heard a snap.

Mother Dove screamed.

Tink stuck her legs into the fox’s ear and pushed down.

He yelped and shook his head.

Tink fell out and down, beating the air with her wings. It was a long drop. She broke a leg, but didn’t feel it.

The fox leaned down to finish her off. But before he could, she thrust her dagger deep into his neck. She saw blood, and he stumbled away, yowling with pain.

Mother Dove’s shoulder was bleeding heavily. “Nilsa died...” Mother Dove lost her breath.

“Why didn’t she fly out of reach?”

“… of disbelief.”

The scout had died before the fox had come. It had been terrible for Mother Dove to watch Nilsa’s anguished fading, unable to do a thing.

Why did I have to go for breakfast? Tink thought.

“Don’t blame yourself,” Mother Dove whispered. “You rescued me.” She tried to hold back a groan, but it got out.

Tink blamed herself nonetheless.

And now she was going to leave again, to find Beck, who might know how to stop Mother Dove’s bleeding. She hurried to Fairy Haven, almost at a full run, ignoring her broken leg.

But while she ran, she wondered if she should have stayed. What if Mother Dove died while she was gone—died all alone?