Octavia Bloom and the Missing Key (Through The Fairy Door Book 1)

by Estelle Grace Tudor

  Out of the corner of her eye, Octavia could see Lyffy climbing up the pole that held one of the flaming torches. When he’d reached the top, he made a great leap and yelled, “Now!”

  Felicity grabbed her bow and arrow and aimed it at Nesrin, who narrowed her eyes; the arrow shot from the bow and ricocheted off the staff just as Lyffy landed on the queen’s head with a wet splat. She gave an outraged yell and put up both her hands, trying to claw off the toad. Her staff fell to the floor with a clatter. Octavia kicked it out of reach and went to help Lyffy, who was desperately trying to cling on.

  Nesrin stumbled blindly into Octavia and fell to the floor with a thud; she tried to scream for her raven, but one of Lyffy’s feet was in her mouth. She retched and spluttered furiously when she saw who her attacker was. “You!” she spat. “I thought I had dealt with you!”

  Lyffy sneered, “I have been waiting for my chance.”

  Now that the smoke had cleared, the bees had started to awaken. They buzzed angrily as they saw a groggy Gwenyn being supported by Ferren on the floor. Gwenyn, her black eyes half open, buzzed out a faint command. The bees surrounded Nesrin and lifted her up as she screamed in protest. They started to carry her off when Gwenyn let out a startled buzz.

  Octavia whipped around and was horrified to see Beatrice aiming Nesrin’s fallen staff at Gwenyn and Ferren. She was dressed in a long black gown, shot through with silver thread. A circlet of stars sat atop her loose blonde hair.

  “Bea!” Felicity shouted, as Octavia started forward toward her cousin. “What are you doing?”

  “Stay back, or I will hurt them! My queen has been giving me lessons in staff magic,” Beatrice said in a monotone voice.

  “She is starstruck – enchanted!” Lyffy croaked.

  “You will release the queen, take your creatures, and leave,” Beatrice told them, her eyes hazy.

  “We are not leaving you here!” Octavia shouted desperately. “Please, Bea, come back with us, back to Martha. Don’t you want to go home?” She took a tentative step toward Beatrice, who shuddered, her eyes flicking briefly to Octavia’s.

  “Go – please go! I do not want to hurt you.” Beatrice’s voice had taken on a strained tone, as if she was trying to fight an internal battle. Her hand trembled on the staff, but she didn’t release her grip.

  Felicity whispered to Octavia, “We can come back with help; we are out of our depth here.”

  Octavia shook her head violently. She couldn’t leave Beatrice here – she wouldn’t! She looked at Ferren, who twitched her whiskers helplessly.

  A small lightning bolt landed at Octavia and Felicity’s feet, where it sizzled on the black stone floor. Yelping in shock, Octavia jumped back. Devastated, she saw that Beatrice’s eyes were once again blank.

  “Go!” Beatrice shrieked, her tortured voice echoing around the room before it was sucked up and away into the starry sky.

  In the ensuing silence, Lyffy waddled over to Ferren and helped support Gwenyn, who was slowly regaining her strength. She buzzed to her bees, who placed a heavily stung Nesrin onto the floor and came over to her side. On Gwenyn’s request, they flew together, transforming into a platform.

  “Ztep on; they will tranzport you back to Caztle Enfyzzz,” Gwenyn told the girls weakly.

  With one last beseeching look at Beatrice, Octavia bent to pick up Ferren and Gwenyn, whom she gently cradled in her arms. Felicity took Octavia’s arm and helped her step onto the carpet of bees. Lyffy jumped onto Felicity’s quiver and clung on with his webbed hands and feet.

  A solitary tear tracked its way down Beatrice’s face as she watched the bees rise. Nearby, Nesrin struggled to her feet and put out her hand for her staff.

  “We will come back for you!” Octavia promised as they rose out of the castle and into the night sky, out of reach of Nesrin’s magic. Nesrin’s scream of fury followed them as they rose above the clouds.

  They flew so high, Octavia thought they were travelling amongst the stars. In spite of the beauty around her, she watched Castle Astra disappear with a heavy heart. Felicity squeezed her hand as they sat on the cushion of bees, their furry bodies softly vibrating.

  “You tried your bezt, but knowing when to retreat and regroup izzz nothing to be azhamed of,” Gwenyn told them quietly.

  “Thank you for helping us, Queen Gwenyn,” Octavia said to the bee. “Your bees are very brave! Even knowing they would die, they still attacked and stung Nesrin.”

  “What do you mean?” Gwenyn replied, seeming confused.

  “Bees die when they sting someone, don’t they?”

  Gwenyn gave a little chuckle. “You forget – you’re in Fairy Land now. Thingzzz work a little differently here. It izzz all part of the magic. We are magical beingzzz, and something like uzing their ztingers will not kill my beezzz,” she said proudly.

  Octavia pondered this, before directing a question at Ferren. “If we shrink to fairy size when we come through the door, how are you animals all so small too? You are all mostly the size that you would be if I were to come across you in the woods at home.”

  “We are fairy creatures; our world is like a miniature version of yours, just with magic,” Ferren explained simply, echoing what Evony had said earlier. “But the companion magic will allow me to grow to the size of a normal animal in your world. After all, what good would I be as a companion if you could barely see me, let alone hear me?”

  Octavia nodded in understanding, eager to learn more about this magical realm.

  Ferren continued, “But when fairies visit your world, they stay their tiny size in order to move undetected through your world to do their nightly work.”

  The group fell silent as Octavia let all the information sink in.

  Lyffy stirred uncomfortably. “You can put me down outside the castle,” he croaked gruffly.

  “But I’m sure Queen Rhosyn will want to thank you for your help,” Felicity told him, puzzled.

  “The queen won’t want to see me,” he replied stubbornly, turning his back and watching the Middling Grounds far below.

  Octavia shrugged her shoulders as she gazed at the stars overhead. A shooting star arced across the sky, and she wished with all her heart that they would be able to save Beatrice and return home as a family.

  “I can’t wait to see Mum; I hope she is all right,” Felicity murmured after a while.

  Octavia looked down to see that they were flying over Rhosyn’s Woods. Castle Enfys was coming into view, shining like a beacon in the moonlight.

  “Me too,” she murmured back.

  There was a warning shout from the castle as the guards reacted to the cloud of bees heading their way.

  Octavia shouted out, “It is us – the Bloom girls!” She peered over the edge and saw Feargal on the platform. He recognised her immediately.

  “Guards, stand down,” he commanded.

  The swarm gently lowered the girls onto the platform and hovered over Gwenyn, who buzzed out a command. The bees gave a buzz of assent and flew off.

  “I have told them to find zome nectar and to rezt. I will call them back when I’m ztrong enough to go home,” she explained to the girls.

  “Please, will you take us to our mother?” Felicity asked Feargal, who was eyeing their dirty attire with a raised eyebrow.

  “That was some entrance,” he said sardonically, before bristling at them, paws on hips. “Do you know how worried everyone has been? The queen sent me on a rainbow to collect you from the marsh – you can imagine how I felt when you were nowhere to be found!”

  Octavia and Felicity looked down at their feet in shame, and Octavia said quietly, “We’re so sorry. We thought we would take a look at Castle Astra before waiting for the rainbow.”

  Feargal looked taken aback at this. “You went to Castle Astra! Come, I will take you to Queen Rhosyn; you can explain to her your serious lack of common sense.” He started walking, then paused. “You can come too,” he said, looking down his long snout at Lyffy, who was trying to s
lide out of view.

  They followed Feargal to the throne room, passing the grand hall, where fairies and creatures dressed in dazzling gowns and tunics eyed them curiously from within, the celebrations for the Late Summer Ceremony still going strong.

  Inside the throne room, Evony was anxiously pacing the floor but rushed to their side when they entered the room.

  “Octavia! Felicity! Where have you been? Did you complete the Quest – did you get the flower?” she asked breathlessly.

  “We did. I sent it back using the box. Felicity was amazing! She defeated the wyvern,” Octavia told her, but all she could feel was a sense of anti-climax and worry. They had come here to save one member of their family, but ended up risking three more.

  “Well done, girls. Oh, and don’t worry – Martha and Soren are fine. Hevva was able to heal them from the slumbershroom sleep. She got to them in time. Martha is sitting with your mother,” Evony added.

  Felicity sighed with relief, and Octavia felt hope blossom in her chest, but she couldn’t embrace it yet. There was still so much at stake.

  Queen Rhosyn had risen from her throne at their arrival and slowly walked toward them, a frown marring her beautiful face. Octavia gulped before addressing her.

  “When we realised Castle Astra was so close, we – I mean I – decided we should investigate with the help of Lyffy the toad—”

  She broke off as Queen Rhosyn turned her violet gaze to the toad, who was still trying his best to hide. Queen Rhosyn’s eyes turned wide, and the colour drained from her cheeks.

  “I cannot believe it! All this time wondering where you had gone. We will talk later,” she told him softly as the toad shrank back.

  Curious, Octavia glanced from one to the other before continuing, “We got into the castle and rescued Queen Gwenyn here – she helped us get to the throne room. Nesrin came and we tried to get her to give Beatrice back to us, but she refused. Beatrice has been enchanted. She told us to go, and we managed to escape with the help of Gwenyn’s bees.”

  “Entering Nesrin’s castle was a foolish but brave move. Nevertheless, you should have waited for the rainbow.” Octavia nodded in shame at this statement from the queen. “If your cousin is enchanted, you will need a strong magic to counteract it. Your mother losing hope has affected the flowers in fairy land, causing an imbalance; my magic is losing power as a result.” Queen Rhosyn’s voice was grave. “If the balance is not restored, Nesrin will be able to defeat me and take over, and that will lead to dark times for both fairy and human alike. Imagine – no more good dreams, no more visits from the tooth fairy; children all over your world will become fearful and disheartened.”

  “We have found the last flower. If we get the cure made and Mum sees Otto, she will start to believe again, won’t she?” Octavia asked, hope colouring her tone.

  “I have faith that it will work. I will send you back to the human world; you must bring the cure back using the Fairy Door and key. I will send Haf with you. She will help make the cure, and Ferren can go with you this once, but she must come back to Fairy Land until your Key Keeper Ceremony.” Queen Rhosyn placed a comforting hand on Octavia’s shoulder. “So young, but so brave,” she murmured. “Our first step is to get your mother believing again so my power can be restored; then we can save your cousin.”

  “May I see Mum before I go back?”

  Queen Rhosyn looked at her compassionately. “Of course,” she said, and spoke to Evony. “Would you please take them to their mother, then bring Octavia to the portal chamber? But first – Briar, please refresh the Bloom daughters’ attire.”

  Briar rushed forward from her place at the foot of the throne. She looked askance at the girls’ messy appearance and quickly used her wand to change their clothes and clean their hair.

  Nodding gratefully at Briar and leaving Gwenyn and Lyffy with the queen, Felicity and Octavia followed Evony from the room. She took them up the winding stairs past the room where Otto still slept. Octavia glanced at it, feeling a sudden burst of happiness that soon her brother would be able to come home, but the feeling faded as rapidly as it had come when she thought of Beatrice. Ferren peeped out of her pocket and regarded her with sad eyes, as if sensing her swirling emotions.

  Evony was opening the door to the room above Otto’s, so Octavia hastened to catch up.

  Mum lay asleep upon a curtained bed, her pale face a sharp contrast to her bright hair. Martha sat on a chair underneath the window; she leapt up when she saw her cousins.

  “Beatrice?” she asked hopefully.

  Octavia shook her head sadly. “We tried to save her. We even risked entering Nesrin’s castle to do so, but she has been enchanted. If we get Mum believing again, Queen Rhosyn will be able to help us.”

  Martha’s shoulders slumped, but she met Octavia’s eyes and said, “I’m sorry for what I said in the Marsh – you are not to blame for this. I didn’t have to come through the door. I was just so scared seeing Beatrice get taken.” She held out her arms. Octavia ran gratefully into them and squeezed Martha back tightly.

  “If we all work together, we will get Bea back,” Octavia told her eldest cousin determinedly. Martha released her and nodded.

  Felicity had gone to stand next to their mother; she gently clasped her hand. “Mum, can you hear me?” she asked softly.

  Pan fluttered anxiously overhead. He chirped a quick hello to the girls before staring back down at Mum, whose eyes flickered open. She stared, unseeing, at the canopy above before turning her head. Seeing Felicity and Octavia, she gave a watery smile.

  “My girls,” she whispered huskily.

  Octavia clasped her other hand. “We got it, Mum; we got the Arianthe flower! I sent it through to Grandmother,” she told her, trying to inject enthusiasm into her voice.

  Colour slowly bloomed in Mum’s cheeks. “You did? Oh, my clever girls.” Taking a deep breath, she struggled to sit up.

  Hevva started forward from the corner of the room. “You are still weak, Key Keeper. Silly humans, messing with fairy magic,” she muttered brusquely, adjusting the pillow behind Mum’s shoulders.

  Mum looked at the old fairy wryly. “I know, but I couldn’t sit back and leave all of my children and my nieces in danger,” she responded guiltily. Looking around the room, she smiled at Martha. “Where is Beatrice?”

  Martha opened her mouth to speak, but Evony cut across her with an almost imperceptible shake of her head. “She will be along soon,” she told her.

  “Mum, I have to go back to Castle Bloom and get the cure. When we wake Otto, that will help you heal too,” Octavia said, glossing over the details. Kissing her gently on the cheek, she murmured, “I’ll be back soon.”

  Mum frowned, but nodded. “Your father, aunt and uncle should be at Castle Bloom – they were on their way there when I got the crazy idea to try and come here using the dust. Pan did try to talk me out of it, but I wouldn’t listen. I couldn’t face your father and tell him we might have lost all of our children.” She looked down. “This shouldn’t have had to fall on you, but you have proven yourself many times, and I am proud of you – of all of you,” she sniffed.

  Octavia met Felicity’s eyes. “Look after her. I will be back with the cure,” she said in a determined voice.

  She walked past Martha and gently patted her arm. Martha gave a wobbly smile in return. Without a backward glance, Octavia followed Evony from the room.

  Chapter Twelve

  Many Hands Make Light Work

  Heavily guarded, the Portal Chamber sat deep in the castle dungeons. Evony guided Octavia through the low doorway, where Queen Rhosyn and Haf were waiting. Ordinarily Octavia would have been bursting with questions about how the portal worked, but she was so eager to get back home and make the cure that she barely took in the marble room, which was empty except for a crystal archway in the centre.

  The queen nodded at Octavia and touched her staff to the rainbow-coloured gem at the base of the arch. The gem glowed and flickered for a moment b
efore it winked out. Queen Rhosyn inspected her staff with a worried look and tried again. This time the gem stayed aglow, and beams of coloured light shot out to connect with matching stones all around the arch; the space between rippled with a fluid rainbow sheen.

  Ferren squeaked and buried herself deep in Octavia’s pocket, which Octavia patted reassuringly. Haf stepped up to stand next to Octavia.

  “Bring back the cure. Our world depends upon it,” Queen Rhosyn said as Octavia and Haf stepped through the archway together.

  The queen’s words ringing in her head, Octavia fell dizzily. Something fluttered past her face and she reached out to grab it, but it was just out of reach.

  With a thud, she landed heavily on dusty floorboards. A startled cry had her whirling to the window. Moonlight shone through it, illuminating a silhouette curled up on the window seat.

  “Octavia!” Grandmother cried, rushing to help her granddaughter to her feet.

  “Grandmother! Did you get the flower?” Octavia demanded breathlessly. The ‘something’ was still fluttering around her face, and she tried to swat it away when an indignant voice stopped her.

  “Key Keeper, it is me!”

  Octavia looked to see Haf fluttering beside her, now the size of a hummingbird.

  “Oh, Haf, I am so sorry,” she exclaimed, before turning back to her grandmother, whose eyes had widened with shock at the sight of the little fairy.

  She answered Octavia’s question readily. “Yes – it appeared outside the door a few hours ago. I gave it to your Great-Aunt Clara, who took it to your father – who is here, by the way, along with your aunt and uncle – I waited and waited, hoping you were all not far behind it. I have been so worried!” She ended on an accusatory note, frowning.

  Octavia gave a great sigh of relief. “I am sorry to have caused you worry, Grandmother, but we had to help save Otto. Does Dad have all of the other flowers? We need the cure now!” she said, brushing off her leggings, which were a tangible reminder of Fairy Land.

  “Yes, but what about the others?” Grandmother asked frantically, trying to keep up with Octavia as she headed out of the attic.