Chapter 4

Leonard and Bob gave Maggie a ride home. Maggie told them about seeing the manticores, but they didn’t see any new magical creatures.

“You can drop me off here,” Maggie said when she spotted the path leading to her cottage. “I don’t want you to waste any more time!”

“Are you sure?” asked Bob. “It isn’t that much farther to your cottage.”

“I’m sure,” said Maggie as she slipped off Leonard’s back. “I’ll be fine.”

“See you around, short stuff,” said Leonard, and started off at a trot.

Maggie hurried down the path toward home. Her stomach grumbled, reminding her that she was very hungry. When she came across wild raspberry bushes, she stopped to pick some and filled her basket with berries.

After eating her fill and picking enough for everyone in the family, she started walking again. It was still early morning.

Maybe her stepmother wouldn’t be too mad that she’d left without asking. Maybe she hadn’t even noticed that Maggie was gone!

When Maggie reached the cottage, Zelia was taking fresh bread out of the oven. “Where have you been?” she asked when Maggie stepped inside.

“I was out picking raspberries for everyone,” said Maggie. She dumped the berries into a bowl. When her stepmother wasn’t looking, Maggie borrowed her bright red shawl. Maggie couldn’t wait to try out the tips about chasing away flying pigs that she’d learned from Bob’s journal. She also wanted to prove to Zelia that she wasn’t lying.

Maggie went behind the cottage to the spot where she and Zelia usually did the laundry. Hoping to attract the pigs, she poured water on the dirt, turning it into mud. When Maggie heard the whoosh of wings, she grabbed the red shawl and flapped it at the flying pigs.

“Stepmother, come here!” she cried. “The flying pigs are back. I want you to see them.”

Zelia walked outside, but the flying pigs were already gone.

“This nonsense again? And what are you doing with my shawl, young lady?” cried Zelia.

“I borrowed it to chase away the flying pigs,” Maggie told her.

“There are no flying pigs!” shouted Zelia. “And borrowing without asking is stealing, which makes you a liar and a thief. No supper for you tonight, Maggie!”

“But I wasn’t stealing! I didn’t lie!” Maggie cried. “Why won’t you listen to me?”

“I don’t listen to liars!” Zelia said and stormed off.

Maggie’s throat felt tight as she held back tears. She’d never felt so alone before.