Chapter 9

“She must have showed up during the storm last night.”

Maggie woke and rubbed her eyes. At first she didn’t know where she was. She didn’t remember until she heard Leonard’s voice as he continued speaking. “She’s in the stall next to Patrick and Marsden.”

Maggie sat up. She was pulling hay from her hair when Bob peeked in the stall. “Good morning, Maggie. You spent the night here?” he asked.

Maggie nodded. “I’m sorry. I promise I didn’t touch or hurt anything. And I tried not to use much hay.”

“I’m not worried about that!” said Bob. “Just tell me what happened. Why are you here?”

As she told Bob about everything that her stepmother had said, Maggie’s eyes filled with tears again. She didn’t want to cry in front of him, but she couldn’t seem to help it. She felt so alone and missed her father terribly.

“Your stepmother kicked you out of your home during the storm last night?” said Bob. “That weather wasn’t fit for anyone—human or beast!”

Maggie nodded again.

“I can’t believe you walked all that way in this terrible weather!” said Bob.

“I walked only part of the way,” Maggie told him. “I hid in the ruins for a while, but I left after the goblins found me. I scared them off with my own piece of unicorn horn. You won’t believe it, but the silver unicorn came along and gave me a ride here!”

“Goblins! I’m glad you had that piece of horn with you. And to think the unicorn came by just then! It sounds as if you’ve made a good friend,” Bob said.

“Do you really think so?” Maggie asked, her eyes shining through her tears. “When he first showed up, I couldn’t believe that a unicorn had come to help me.”

“Unicorns don’t help just anyone,” said Bob. “He must think you’re very special. Don’t you worry, Maggie. You’re welcome to stay here for as long as you want!”

“Thank you!” Maggie told him. She coughed. A moment later, she coughed again.

“Are you all right?” asked Bob. He knelt down to feel her forehead. “You have a fever! No wonder, being out in a storm like that. I’ll be right back. Stay here while I get something for your fever.”

Maggie lay down again. She wasn’t feeling very well. Then Maggie realized that she must have dozed off, because a few minutes later she opened her eyes and Bob was back.

“Drink this. It’s my own recipe,” he said, spooning medicine into her mouth. He handed her a cup of hot tea.

Maggie drank the tea, listening to Bob go from stall to stall as he fed the magical animals. She wanted to help, but she didn’t have the strength to get up and offer. Instead, she fell asleep again. While she slept, she dreamed of flying pigs. They smeared mud all over row after row of clean laundry hanging on clotheslines. When Zelia appeared in the dream, the pigs smeared mud all over her, too.

Maggie woke as Bob came back with a bowl of chicken soup. She was eating the soup when an older woman entered the stall. The woman took one look at Maggie and said, “This won’t do at all!”

“I’m sorry,” Maggie said as she started to get up. “I didn’t mean to trouble anyone. I’ll leave now.”

“You most certainly will not!” said the woman. “I’m Nora, Bob’s wife. He told me what happened. Sending a young girl like you out into a storm! It’s disgraceful! And now you’re sick. Listen, we have an extra bed in our cottage and you’re welcome to it. I just got everything ready for you. Come inside right now, young lady. We’ll get you better in no time!”