Sister Secrets

by Titania Woods

  To Twink’s irritation, her little sister looked like she was about to burst out laughing.

  .

  .

  ‘It’s not funny!’ she snapped. ‘Teena, you really need to choose your friends better. I know you’d like Summer, if you just gave her a chance –’

  Teena groaned loudly. ‘Whatever you say, Sis! I’ve got to go now – Zuzu’s waiting for me.’ She flitted back towards the school in a flash of pink and white.

  Oh! Twink huffed out a breath. Teena always thought she was right, no matter what anyone said. Well, Twink certainly wasn’t going to try to help her again. Her little sister could find out about Zuzu on her own, the hard way!

  .

  Chapter Six

  ‘She did what?’ Summer’s surprised voice echoed through the first-year wash branch. A bit of moss she’d been using to scrub her arms lay forgotten in her hand as she stared at Teena.

  Teena nodded crossly. ‘She was trying to get us together, and make us be best friends! Can you believe it?’

  ‘Oh.’ Summer slowly started cleaning her arms again. ‘I – I thought she was showing me Fledge moves because she liked me.’

  Teena rolled her eyes. ‘She does like you,’ she pointed out. ‘She thinks you’d be the perfect best friend for me!’

  ‘And I’m the worst friend in the world, apparently,’ put in Zuzu dismally, combing her hair. Her lavender wings glinted in the steam. ‘Teena, I still can’t work out what I’ve done to make her hate me so much.’

  Teena squeezed her best friend’s arm. ‘Don’t worry about it. She’s got it in her head that you’re just like Sooze, and Sooze hurt her feelings once or something. I know you’re not like that.’

  Zuzu laughed suddenly. ‘She doesn’t seem to know you very well either, does she? Honestly – as if I’d ever be sneaking around the star-gazing platform!’

  Teena grinned, fluttering her wings. ‘Just wait – I will get you up there, and the others too, once I’ve worked out how to get in. It’ll be the most glimmery place in the world for a midnight feast!’

  ‘Well, what do we do in the meantime?’ demanded Summer. Her orange eyebrows were drawn together in a hurt frown. ‘I don’t fancy Twink using me like that again. She could have told me what she was up to instead of being so sneaky.’

  ‘I know,’ said Teena sympathetically. ‘She means well, but she still thinks I’m a baby who can’t make my own decisions! We need to do something to show her how silly she’s being about all three of us.’

  Summer’s eyes lit up. ‘A prank!’

  Teena felt a slow smile spread across her face. ‘Ooh, yes! But nothing too bad – it has to be something that she’ll laugh at afterwards. What do you think, Zu?’.

  .

  .

  Teena wasn’t surprised to see a worried look appear on Zuzu’s face. Though her twin could be outspoken and cheeky, deep down she was really a bit of a scaredy-fairy!

  ‘Well . . .’ said Zuzu, biting her lip.

  Teena put an arm around her shoulders. ‘Come on,’ she wheedled. ‘You hardly have to be involved at all. I think I’ve got an idea, and it’ll be brilliant!’

  Zuzu took a deep breath. ‘All right,’ she decided. ‘I’m in!’

  ‘And me,’ said Summer with a grin. The three fairies touched their wings together. ‘Let’s show Twink what a moss brain she’s being!’

  ‘Even though it’s underground, a tree’s root system is really its heart,’ said Miss Petal. She unrolled a large oak-leaf poster of the Glitterwings root system, pinning it up on the wall.

  ‘So when you’re working with trees, you must always take into account whether – Ivy!’ Miss Petal interrupted herself with an exasperated sigh. ‘Are you listening to a word I’m saying?’

  Ivy didn’t look up. Sitting at the desk next to her, Twink saw that the green-haired fairy was drawing an elaborate picture of a water sprite sitting on a lily pad.

  ‘Ivy,’ she whispered from behind her hand. ‘Miss Petal’s talking to you!’

  Ivy looked up dreamily. ‘Hmm?’

  ‘IVY!’ bellowed Miss Petal. The class jumped. ‘If you don’t stop drawing and PAY ATTENTION, I’ll send you out of this class!’

  Ivy’s eyes widened in surprise. ‘Oh! Sorry, Miss Petal.’ She calmly closed her sketch pad.

  Twink shook her head in bewilderment. How could this be the same fairy who – just this morning in Creature Kindness – had argued with Pix about the care of moles, and won? It was as if Ivy lived on her own planet half the time, but could be the brainiest fairy in the school when she felt like it!

  Glancing over at Pix, Twink saw the red-haired fairy gritting her teeth. Ivy’s occasional bursts of brilliance must be driving her mad. Pix was used to being the cleverest fairy in their year – it had to be annoying to be shown up by a scatterbrain like Ivy.

  The magpie’s call echoed through the school, signalling the end of lessons for the day. Twink gathered her things together. Beside her, Ivy was packing up her petal bag, humming to herself.

  ‘Ivy, wait!’ called Twink as they flitted from the classroom. She caught up with the green-haired fairy and cleared her throat. ‘I just wanted to ask you – I mean . . .’

  ‘What?’ Ivy’s eyes were wide and innocent, but there was a faint spark of mischief in them, too. Suddenly Twink wondered whether Ivy was quite as dreamy as she sometimes made out!

  She smiled despite herself. ‘Well . . . it’s just that sometimes you seem . . .’

  Twink broke off as Summer came flying up, panting and out of breath. ‘Twink! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,’ she cried. ‘I need to talk to you – it’s really important.’

  ‘I’ll go and find Jade, then. See you later, Twink!’ said Ivy.

  After Ivy had fluttered off, Twink quickly drew Summer to a small window seat set high up in the tree’s trunk. ‘Is something wrong?’ she asked anxiously.

  Summer nodded her orange head. ‘Twink, remember when I said that we sometimes tease Zuzu and Teena about plotting something?’

  Dread shivered across Twink’s wings. ‘Yes – what about it?’

  Summer’s hands twisted in her lap. ‘Well, it turns out it wasn’t a joke, at least not about Zuzu. Oh, Twink, I found out that she’s been plotting an awful, awful prank – and Teena refused to believe me! She thinks Zuzu’s just perfect.’

  Summer quickly told Twink what Zuzu was planning. Twink gasped in alarm. ‘But she can’t! You could all get into real trouble for that.’

  Summer looked close to tears. ‘I know! The rest of us have tried to talk her out of it, but she just won’t listen. Can’t you stop her, Twink? Please? You’re the only one I can ask.’

  ‘I’ll go and have a word with her right now,’ said Twink. Her jaw felt stiff and angry. Oh, that Zuzu! Twink had known she was trouble, but nothing like this. Why, the Snowdrop Branch fairies could all get expelled!

  ‘No, don’t!’ burst out Summer. ‘I mean – I mean, she’d be furious if she knew I’d told you. Can’t you catch her in the act, somehow?’

  Twink considered it, tapping her wings together. ‘Maybe that would be better,’ she said. ‘I could really frighten her, so that she won’t do it again.’

  Relief shone on Summer’s face. ‘Oh, good! That’s the best way, I’m sure of it. Zuzu’s planning on getting the fairy dust tonight, after glow-worms out.’

  ‘Well, she won’t get very far – I’ll be waiting for her!’ said Twink. She felt a twist of satisfaction. It would be glimmery to actually catch Zuzu out, and prove to Teena how right she’d been about her new best friend. Maybe now Teena would actually listen to her!

  That night Twink sat on her mossy bed in her cobweb nightgown, polishing her lavender wings until they gleamed. On the bed beside her, Bimi was studyi
ng her Creature Kindness book as she combed her dark blue hair.

  Twink sighed. She wanted so much to tell Bimi about Zuzu’s scheme, but she knew her best friend still wasn’t convinced that Sooze’s cousin was really that bad. Wouldn’t it be better to wait until she had the evidence, and then tell Bimi everything?

  Looking up, Bimi caught the expression on her face. ‘Twink, something is wrong, isn’t it?’ she asked, closing her book.

  Twink hesitated as she put her wing polish away. ‘Not really,’ she said. ‘I mean . . . well, there is something, but I’ll tell you later.’

  Bimi’s pretty face creased in concern. ‘Are you sure? Why can’t you tell me now?’

  ‘I just can’t,’ said Twink. ‘Trust me, Bimi – I’ll have loads to tell you tomorrow!’

  After glow-worms out, Twink waited until she heard slow, steady breathing all around her. Carefully, she slipped out of bed. Pulling on her dressing gown, she glided down to the main floor of the branch.

  Sooze slept there, and Twink glanced at her sleeping figure, wondering what she’d say when she found out about Zuzu’s scheme. It should really be Sooze stopping her cousin, realised Twink suddenly. Why had Summer asked her to do it?

  Twink’s pink eyebrows drew together, and then she shrugged. It must just be that Summer didn’t know Sooze. In any event, Sooze would be furious when she found out. Even she wouldn’t attempt a prank as daft as the one Zuzu was planning!

  Twink fluttered up to unhook a glow-worm lantern from the ceiling, and then tiptoed on to the ledge and shut the door softly behind her. It was so dark! But she couldn’t use her lantern yet; Zuzu might see her.

  Taking a deep breath, Twink dived off the ledge and skimmed downwards, towards the bottom of the tree. When she reached the supplies branch, she crouched under the shadowy ledge, keeping out of sight.

  Nothing happened for what seemed like ages. Twink bit her lip worriedly. Had she missed Zuzu somehow? But then she heard the faint stirring of wings. She peeked out, her heart thumping hard.

  Even in the dim light, Twink could see that the fairy landing on the ledge had long pink hair pulled back in a clasp, and wore a Snowdrop dressing gown. As Twink watched, Zuzu eased open the door to the supplies branch and vanished inside.

  Twink waited for several moments, trembling with expectation. Now! she thought, and swooped into the supplies branch. ‘Glow-worms on!’ she shouted. ‘Stop right there, Zuzu!’

  The pink-haired fairy was standing near a bag of fairy dust, her back to Twink. To Twink’s surprise, she didn’t spin around to see who had spoken – instead, she quickly grabbed up some fairy dust and rushed to the window.

  .

  .

  ‘Hey, wait!’ called Twink. ‘Where do you think you’re going?’

  Zuzu didn’t bother to answer. Deftly, the cheeky little fairy undid the catch and shot outside!

  Jetting across the branch, Twink squirmed through the window after her. She could just see the outline of a fairy soaring upwards through the night, heading for Snowdrop Branch.

  Twink sped after her, but Zuzu had had too much of a head start. Twink clenched her fists as she watched the younger fairy do a barrel roll. A taunting giggle floated through the air.

  Oh! Just wait until she got her hands on her – Zuzu wouldn’t be laughing then! Twink raced even faster, whipping past leaves and branches. Still chortling, Zuzu dived towards Snowdrop Branch and disappeared through an open window.

  Ha! I’ve got her now! thought Twink. She zoomed towards the branch, already planning exactly what she was going to say to the wayward fairy. She could hardly wait!

  ‘WHAT do you think you’re doing?’ boomed a voice.

  ‘Aargh!’ cried Twink, skidding to a mid-air halt. Whirling about, her eyes widened in horror. Hovering just above her was Mrs Lightwing, the first-year head!

  The teacher flew slowly forward until she was only a wing’s length from Twink. Her face was stormy. ‘Good evening, Twink. Can you explain what you’re doing out here in the middle of the night?’

  ‘I – um –’ Twink glanced desperately at Snowdrop Branch, several branches above them. Its windows were dark.

  ‘I’m waiting, Twink.’ When she didn’t reply, Mrs Lightwing shook her head. ‘I would have thought that you’re a bit old to be playing pranks now, my girl! If you can’t explain yourself, then –’

  ‘But it wasn’t me, it was Zuzu!’ burst out Twink. Then she caught her breath in alarm. What had she done? It was an unwritten rule at Glitterwings that one should never be a tell-tale.

  ‘Zuzu?’ Mrs Lightwing stared at her. ‘What are you talking about?’

  Twink gulped miserably. But having said this much, she knew she might as well say the rest. ‘I – well – you see, she was planning this terrible prank, and I was just trying to stop her.’

  ‘Go on,’ said Mrs Lightwing, raising one sky-blue eyebrow.

  Twink cringed. To be honest, she was a bit frightened to even tell Mrs Lightwing what Zuzu had been plotting. ‘Well – she stole some fairy dust, and then she was going to sneak into your room while you were asleep, and – and put a power spell on you, so that you had to do everything she said.’

  Mrs Lightwing gaped at her. ‘A power spell? On me?’

  Twink nodded. ‘She – she sneaked into the restricted section of the library to find out how to do it. She thought it would be funny.’

  For a moment, Twink actually thought the first-year head was trying not to smile. Then her eyes narrowed. ‘Are you saying that you were trying to stop Zuzu just now?’

  Twink hesitated, wondering why Mrs Lightwing looked so suspicious. ‘Yes, she had just come out of the supplies branch, and –’

  ‘Stop right there!’ ordered Mrs Lightwing. ‘Twink, Zuzu is in the infirmary tonight with a bruised wing – I’ve just come from checking on her. There is no way that you could have been following her.’

  ‘But I was! I saw her!’ cried Twink.

  .

  .

  ‘Enough,’ said Mrs Lightwing crossly. ‘I’ve heard through the grapevine that you don’t like Zuzu, but I wouldn’t have thought this of you, Twink – trying to get a younger student into trouble! Now, if you can’t explain why you’re really out here, then I’ll have no choice but to punish you.’

  ‘But . . . that is why I’m out here,’ whispered Twink. Hot tears pricked at her eyes. ‘Mrs Lightwing, I promise I saw Zuzu – just go into Snowdrop Branch and see for yourself!’

  ‘I’ll do better than that!’ snapped Mrs Lightwing. ‘Come with me, Twink.’

  Grimly, Mrs Lightwing led the way back into Glitterwings, using the teachers’ entrance midway up the tree. A few moments later, she was holding up a lantern in the infirmary. Twink stared down in confusion at Zuzu’s sleeping form.

  ‘But – but it was her,’ she repeated miserably once they were outside the infirmary again. ‘I don’t know how she did it – maybe she doubled back really quickly, or –’

  Mrs Lightwing’s eyes flashed in the lantern-light. ‘Quiet!’ she barked. ‘I’ve heard more than enough, Twink. Get back to bed this instant! And tomorrow you’re to do a hundred lines for me: I must not sneak about and tell lies!’

  .

  Chapter Seven

  ‘But if it wasn’t Zuzu –’ started Bimi.

  ‘It was!’ said Twink hotly, putting down her snail-trail pen. The two friends were sitting in the library as Twink did her lines. High above, students skimmed about the tall shelves like hummingbirds.

  ‘Bimi, I saw her!’ insisted Twink. Glancing at Mrs Stamen, she lowered her voice. ‘She was right there, plain as day. Why, she probably had the whole thing planned, just to get me into trouble.’

  Bimi made a face. ‘Why would she do that?’

  ‘Because she kn
ows I don’t like her!’ Twink stopped short, staring at Bimi. ‘You don’t believe me, do you?’

  Bimi rubbed her wing against Twink’s. ‘It’s not that! It’s just – well, I wonder if there could be some mistake.’

  ‘What mistake?’ said Twink in exasperation. ‘Summer told me what Zuzu was going to do, and then later on that night there she was, doing it!’

  ‘Only it wasn’t her,’ pointed out Bimi.

  ‘It was! I saw her.’ Twink propped her chin on her hand, her thoughts spinning in angry circles. She knew it had been Zuzu – and yet somehow it hadn’t been! Was she going mad?

  ‘Saw who?’ asked a voice. Looking around, Twink saw Ivy hovering nearby. The green-haired fairy flitted over and sat down at their table, tucking her wings behind her back.

  ‘Who did you see?’ she asked again, glancing from Bimi to Twink.

  Twink shrugged. She liked Ivy, but she didn’t know her very well yet – and it seemed a bit pushy of her to sit down with them uninvited!

  Ivy put her hand on Twink’s arm. ‘Please tell me,’ she said. ‘I overheard a bit, and – well, I have a reason for asking! Just trust me, all right?’

  And all at once, Twink found that she did trust her. Taking a deep breath, she related the whole story – from her first meeting with Zuzu to the disastrous events of the night before.

  To her amazement, Ivy burst out laughing. ‘Oh, they got you!’

  ‘What do you mean?’ demanded Twink. What was so funny? Beside her, Bimi looked just as confused as she felt.

  Ivy smiled. ‘Well, they call each other twins, don’t they? And they look alike, you said so yourself! It’s easy – they just switched places. Jade and I do it all the time.’

  ‘Switched places?’ Twink gaped at her. ‘But –’

  ‘Of course!’ Ivy fluttered her green and white wings. ‘Why, you almost guessed the other day about me and Jade. We swap lessons sometimes. It’s easy! We just meet up beforehand, switch our dresses, and there you go.’