by Megan Atwood
He walked up to the barn and heard people talking. He ran to the barn wall and stood up against it, hoping no one would see him. He heard Sheriff Hadley and Albert inside the doors. He couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he peeked around the corner. They walked to the far end of the barn where the other doors were and disappeared. Peter took a deep breath and snuck inside. He walked along the stalls. He saw the stall where Star had been, still empty. And then he spotted Sebastian.
He set his backpack down and went up to the horse.
“Hey, Sebastian,” he said, stroking the horse’s head. “Do you feel like working today?” Sebastian snorted and moved his head up and down, almost like a nod. Peter smiled. Almost exactly like Samson. “Okay. I’m going to put a saddle on you and a headstall. I think I remember from horseback-riding camp how to do that. But I’m wondering if you’ll take it a little easy on me? I rode a horse in Tiar, but it’s been a while here. But I want to help you find your friend.”
Sebastian nuzzled into Peter, and Peter hugged him. Then he went into the stall and thought back to what he’d learned about how to saddle a horse. He looked at all the equipment. A saddle pad . . . he remembered that. A saddle. Some strange straps. A brush.
A brush. He needed to brush Sebastian. That had been his favorite part at camp. He took the brush and, too gently at first, ran it over Sebastian. But then he got the hang of it, and soon Sebastian was almost leaning into him. Peter put the brush down and looked at the rest of the equipment.
He was lost. There was no way he’d remember how to put on a saddle. And it might hurt Sebastian if he did it wrong.
He took a deep breath and said to Sebastian, “Okay, buddy. I’m going to have to ride you bareback. Remember when I asked you to be gentle?”
Flashbacks from horseback-riding camp played in his head. They’d ridden bareback more than a few times, but it was extra-scary for Peter. He closed his eyes, squared his shoulders, and opened the stall door. Then he used the wall of the stall to climb up on Sebastian’s back, trying to control any fear he had.
Sebastian whinnied when Peter landed. Peter patted his neck and held on to his mane. Not so bad so far.
“Sebastian, can you take me to Star?”
The horse whinnied again and moved forward. The movement made Peter clench everything, and he remembered he had to relax to ride the horse. He remembered his instructor telling him to be relaxed but active. Whatever that meant.
He relaxed his legs, and Sebastian moved forward again. Peter held Sebastian’s mane tightly and had to force himself to release his fingers just a little bit. He took a deep breath, like Mariel in Tiar had told him to do, and let himself relax all over.
He found a way to be relaxed but active. Or at least he thought so. Sebastian walked slowly out of the barn, and Peter looked left and right. He didn’t see the sheriff or Albert, and he hoped it stayed that way. He had to get to the forest before they saw him, and he liked this pace.
Sebastian, as if he knew how nervous Peter was, walked slowly and deliberately. And without Peter having to tell him, he turned toward the path in the forest. When they’d reached the tree line, Peter sighed in relief. He’d made it without anyone seeing him. And he’d stayed on Sebastian. He leaned over to pat Sebastian’s neck. It turned out, Peter loved riding horses. Or at least, he loved riding Sebastian. Though he was pretty sure he wasn’t doing it right. It didn’t matter—as long as he was still on the horse, Peter was calling it a win.
“Let’s find Star, okay?” he said to Sebastian, his voice sounding loud in the quiet. Peter liked that. After a few minutes of walking, Sebastian veered off the path and into the forest. A part of the forest that Peter recognized because of the broken brush—this was where he and Sebastian had flown through. He was quiet for a moment, but then he wondered: Was Sebastian taking him to the cottage?
Peter held his breath as they moved through the trees. Sure enough, Sebastian seemed to be going the exact way they had that night. Peter could tell because of all the broken trees and the debris that looked like it had been run over by a sleigh. He was surprised that the sleigh had done that much damage. Riding in the forest was much different from riding on the path, though. Peter had to concentrate to hold on. He constantly felt like he was going to fall off. He stopped looking around and clung to Sebastian, forgetting to be relaxed but active.
Suddenly, Sebastian stopped. Peter was thrown forward a little, and he squeezed his eyes shut, but then managed to regain his balance. When he opened his eyes, he saw the tree he’d hidden from the cold in. Excitement shot through him—the cottage. This was where the cottage was! Maybe he’d been wrong and Sebastian knew that this was where the other world was. Peter looked up excitedly, but all he saw was a clearing and . . .
Star.
Sebastian had taken him to Star.
CHAPTER 18
Just Like Magic
Peter could hardly believe his eyes. Was this really happening? Star shifted and snorted a little but then walked up to Sebastian and Peter as if she had nothing better to do and was saying hi.
“Star!” Peter said. “I’m so glad you’re okay!” But then Peter realized the problem. How would he get Star back to the orchard?
“Uh,” Peter said to Sebastian. “Let’s go back.” Since Star had come over to them, he hoped that meant she’d follow. Peter pulled Sebastian’s mane and applied some pressure with his legs. Sebastian responded and turned to face the direction they’d come from, walking at the same slow pace. Peter dared to look back as he tried to hold on. Sure enough—Star was following.
Elation shot through him. He might actually be able to make things right. Just as he had the thought, he heard his name.
“PETER!” he heard, then more voices calling his name. Sebastian and Peter and Star had gotten to the path again, and now they all emerged from the trees. What Peter saw made his heart both heavy and happy. He hadn’t realized so many emotions could exist at the same time.
Lizzie, Sarah, and Olive walked up the path toward him calling his name, only about fifty feet away. Olive was in front, looking frantically along the tree line. When she spotted him, she said, “YES!”
Lizzie, Sarah, and Olive started running to him. Sebastian sidestepped nervously, so Peter shouted out, “Whoa! I’ll come to you. Let’s not make the horses nervous.” He squeezed his legs and leaned forward, and Sebastian walked on. It wasn’t long before they had reached his friends and his sister.
Lizzie ran around them and hugged Star. Her voice full of tears, she said, “You found Star! How? We looked for her everywhere last night.”
Peter grinned and shrugged. “Magic, I guess.”
Lizzie laughed. “Hey, Sarah, give me a boost to get on Star.” Sarah laced her fingers together at Star’s side, and Olive stood on the other side to keep the horse still. Lizzie stepped into Sarah’s hands and swung her leg over Star. She hugged Star hard and told her she loved her.
“I didn’t know you were so good at riding horses, Peter. Riding bareback takes a lot of practice,” she said.
Olive and Peter laughed at the same time. “I didn’t know I was either,” Peter said.
Olive looked up at him where he sat on Sebastian. “I think there are a lot of cool things we’re going to find out about you,” she said.
“Why are you all here? I mean, don’t get me wrong—I’m glad. But how did you find me and why’d you come looking?” Peter asked.
Sarah answered, “Olive texted us and said you probably went to the orchard to find Star. So we came too! There’s no way we’d let you run out on us and get yourself into trouble. We’re all best friends. We get in trouble together.” She grinned at Peter and patted Sebastian.
Peter thought his heart would explode. He’d thought he didn’t belong, that they didn’t care about him that much. But here they were.
Sarah went on, “It must have been Olive’s extra-special twin power. You know—she just KNEW where you were. That’s so cool!”
&nbs
p; Olive grinned. “Yep! It was twin power!” she said. “Or I just tracked your phone.”
Peter cracked up, and so did Lizzie and Sarah. “But how did you know I was gone?” Peter asked.
Olive shrugged. “I went in to talk to you and you weren’t there. And your window was open, so I knew you snuck out. And then I did too!” Peter laughed hard at this.
Lizzie said, “You’ve been busy today, Peter. You snuck out, found my horse . . . and talked down a bully! I’ve never seen you so mad. It was kind of fun to hear you yell.” She laughed a little. “Anyway, I wanted to thank you for standing up for me like that. Not that I’m surprised. I knew you would.”
Her confidence in him made him teary. He looked down at the ground and gathered his courage. “Before we go back, I have to tell you something, Lizzie. You might not think I’m that great in a minute.”
Lizzie rode up to him on Star, and Peter looked her in the eye. He took a deep breath and said, “It was my fault Star ran away. I came here with Kai and he tried to ride her, but she ran away. I’m so sorry.”
He looked away. It had been harder to say than he’d thought. But it’d had to be done. After a beat, he heard a soft laugh. Lizzie said, “Peter. I know. I saw you leave school.”
Peter looked up in surprise. Sarah said, “Wait, what?”
Lizzie shrugged. “Who else would come to the orchard in the middle of the day, right around the same time you left school? I just figured you’d tell me if you wanted to.”
Peter gaped. “You’re not mad at me?”
Lizzie smiled. “Nah. I figured you’d tell me eventually. It’s just who you are. Plus, I knew you’d figure out pretty quick that Kai wasn’t very nice. And this is a bonus! You came to find my horse and you found her! How could I be mad?”
Peter’s face scrunched up, and he said, “I’m so sorry, Lizzie. And I’m sorry to all of you. I haven’t been a great friend lately, I know. But things will be better now. They really will be.” He’d doubted them for too long. And even knowing what a jerk he’d been, they’d showed up for him.
A person couldn’t belong more than that.
They’d reached the end of the path, and Peter heard a lot of voices. At the barn, a group of people were milling around, until someone spoke on a megaphone. “Okay, people of New Amity! We are looking for Star! And, it seems, Olive and Peter? John and David have tracked their cell phones to the barn, but they aren’t here, it seems? Come to think of it . . . we’re probably looking for Lizzie, too.”
A voice yelled out, “If Lizzie, then Sarah, too!”
“Right. So we’re looking for Star, Olive, Peter, Lizzie, and Sarah. If everyone could stand in a line here—”
Then the voice said, “Oh! Good job, everyone! You found them!” The voice belonged to Albert, and as they neared, they saw him pointing at them. People turned around, and everything happened in a flash.
Peter’s dads came over and helped him off Sebastian, then hugged him tightly. Tabitha and Albert corralled the horses into the barn. There was a flurry of activity and hugs, and Peter barely had a chance to think.
When he came up for air, he saw that almost the whole town of New Amity was there.
He saw Hakeem and Stella, Annabelle, Aaron and Rachel, Sheriff Hadley . . . basically everyone he’d seen in elf version in Tiar. When his dads were done hugging him, John asked, “Did we just see you riding bareback on a horse?”
David added, “And did you find Star?”
Peter nodded, suddenly very tired. “It’s a long story,” he said. “But I’ll tell you all of it tonight. And you can decide how long I’m grounded.”
John and David both smiled. John said, “Oh, yes. We’ll talk.”
Peter was still confused about something. “Why is everyone here? Is there a rehearsal for the solstice or something?”
David chuckled and squeezed him. “We take care of each other in New Amity. If one of us needs help, we all help.”
Peter leaned into his dad and felt warm all over. The sun had started to set, and the sky was streaked with pink and orange. When he looked up, he saw snow begin to fall.
It felt just like magic.
That night, Peter had a long talk with his dads. He told them everything and said he was sorry. His dads took away Elf Mirror, which made Peter incredibly happy. He didn’t think he wanted to see anything that reminded him of it for a long, long time. Finally, when Peter’s voice started getting hoarse, they let him go upstairs.
Peter wasn’t done yet, though.
He went to Olive’s room and knocked on the door. She opened it, then turned and didn’t say a word. Peter knew that meant “Come in.”
He walked in and sat on her bed. “I’m sorry” was all he said.
Olive sat across from him and sighed. “Why has everything been so weird with us?”
Peter looked away and gathered his thoughts. “I just . . . I started to feel like I wasn’t really a part of the group. And that no one would listen to me. You and Sarah are . . .” He borrowed a phrase he’d heard his dads use: “You have strong personalities. Sometimes it’s like you don’t even know I’m there. And you just talk for me sometimes.”
Olive bit her lip and looked down. She started to say something but stopped herself and pushed up her glasses. “I’m listening,” she said.
Peter smiled. “It seemed like you were better friends with Lizzie and Sarah and that I’m just an add-on. I started missing my old friends in Boston and then started to feel further and further away from you . . . So when I saw Kai, I thought I could make a friend on my own.”
Olive nodded, and Peter went on. “But what I didn’t realize is that I just misunderstood you. You were only trying to help me.”
Olive sighed. “Yes. But not in the right way, I think. I should let you talk and listen to what you say.”
Peter grinned. “And I should speak up.”
Olive grinned back. “Okay. So it’s a deal? I won’t speak for you anymore, and you’re going to speak up. Right?”
“RIGHT!” Peter practically yelled. Olive giggled.
He stood up, feeling lighter and better than he had since they’d moved to New Amity. “Oh, and if you feel yourself turning into a dragon, just come talk to me, okay?”
Olive’s eyebrows furrowed and she said, “What?”
Peter laughed. “Never mind. Best friends always?”
Olive smiled. “Best friends always.”
That night, Peter dreamed he was in Tiar again. He was on the plateau with the dragon, but Kai wasn’t there. It was Lithliel, Mariel, and him. And after he hugged the dragon, she transformed into a beautiful elf with glasses. And the four of them walked off the mountain, got onto their horses, and rode away, best friends forever.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
There are always too many people to thank because there are so many amazing people in this world—and I seem to know all of them. So, in no particular order:
My editor, Emma, is the most awesomest, amazingest, fantasticest editor there is. She really is. Thank you, Emma Sector, for your keen insight and encouragement. You’re the best!
And of course my agent, Ammi-Joan Paquette, must always be thanked because she is brilliant, hardworking, and a tireless champion of her authors, including me. And she’s also a brilliant author herself! I’m forever grateful she has let me join her team.
To my friends for their tireless support of me, including, but not at all limited to, Anne Ursu, Megan Vossler, Jenny Halstead, Natalie Harter, and Beth Brezenoff.
A huge thank-you to Sophie Kahnke, who helped me launch the first book in this series and who belongs to my forever-friend Sharon Kahnke. (Ella, you know you rocked it at the launch, right? Just wanted to mention that here.) Anyway, Sophie Kahnke—you are awesome and fantastic and please always let your light shine and be your amazing self!
Finally, always and forever a thank-you to my parents. They were and are the best parents there are. Dad, you are my rock. And Mom, I miss you always
and forever and love you both so much, it hurts.
Don’t miss Book 3:
A FALL FOR FRIENDSHIP
Olive doesn’t believe in ghosts, but she does admit that something weird is going on at the orchard. Find out what the gang is up to in the third Orchard Novel!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
MEGAN ATWOOD is a writer, editor, and professor in Minneapolis whose most recent books include the Dear Molly, Dear Olive series. When she’s not writing books for kids of all ages, she’s making new friends, going on zombie hayrides, and eating as much ice cream as she can. And, always, petting her two adorable cats, who “help” her write every book.
MC-ATWOOD.COM
DON’T MISS THE FIRST BOOK IN THE SERIES!
ALADDIN
Simon & Schuster, New York
VISIT US AT SIMONANDSCHUSTER.COM/KIDS
Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Megan-Atwood
Authors.SimonandSchuster.com/Natalie-Andrewson
Don’t miss the place where the adventures began!
ICE CREAM SUMMER
Or the adventures to come!
A FALL FOR FRIENDSHIP
This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real places are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and events are products of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or places or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
ALADDIN
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, New York 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
First Aladdin hardcover edition December 2017
Text copyright © 2017 by Simon & Schuster, Inc.
Illustrations copyright © 2017 by Natalie Andrewson
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.