But Rachel and Kirsty didn’t stop. They dashed past the goblin, one on either side of him. The goblin was spun around like a top. He landed on his back in the snow.
“Oh!” he howled. “I’m frozen!”
“Come on, girls!” Stella urged. She had caught up with Rachel and Kirsty, and now she hovered over their heads as they ran down another path.
Kirsty was trying desperately to think of an escape plan. If Stella turns us into fairies, we can fly away! she thought, but then she realized that it wouldn’t work. The star was too big for a fairy to carry, and they couldn’t leave it behind.
Suddenly, she noticed that they were running back into the middle of the village. Both girls skidded to a stop by the Christmas tree.
“We ran around in a great big circle!” Rachel groaned.
“And here come the goblins!” Kirsty panted, her face pale.
The goblins were rushing toward them from all directions.
“Now we’ve got you!” one yelled, and the others cheered.
Kirsty turned to Stella. “Stella, if Rachel and I were fairy-size, do you think the three of us could carry the star together?” she asked urgently. “Each of us could hold a corner of it.”
“I don’t know,” Stella replied doubtfully. “It’s awfully heavy.”
“We’ll have to try!” Rachel gasped, laying the star carefully on the ground. “It’s our only chance!”
As the goblins surrounded them, Stella raised her wand.
“There’s the star!” one of the goblins shouted. “Grab it!”
But before the goblins could move, Stella’s magic fairy dust drifted over Rachel and Kirsty. Immediately, the goblin green faded away and the girls shrank down to fairy-size. Both girls couldn’t help shivering with fright as they gazed around at the angry goblins, getting closer and closer. They looked much bigger and scarier from a fairy’s point of view!
“Quick!” Kirsty shouted, as the circle of goblins began to close in on them. “Grab a corner of the star and fly up — as fast as you can!”
A moment later, Rachel, Kirsty, and Stella shot up into the sky, lifting the star with them.
“We did it!” Rachel cried joyfully.
The goblins couldn’t believe their eyes. They were so surprised, they couldn’t stop themselves from colliding with the Christmas tree — and each other — as they rushed forward. They all bumped their knobby knees and long noses, and fell into a tangled heap on the ground, groaning loudly.
“Watch out for the Christmas tree!” one of them shouted.
Hovering high above the ground, Stella, Rachel, and Kirsty watched as the huge Christmas tree tottered and swayed from side to side. Slowly, it toppled over.
There were shrieks of rage as some of the big goblins were covered with tree branches, tinsel, and other decorations. A group of goblin children who were watching laughed so hard that they fell over, too!
Stella turned to Rachel and Kirsty, a big smile on her face. “Let’s get back to Fairyland right away!” she said. “It’s almost dark, and Santa will want to start delivering his presents soon!”
Carrying the star, Stella, Rachel, and Kirsty flew to Fairyland as fast as their wings would take them. When they arrived, they found every single fairy in the land waiting for them around the Christmas tree, along with King Oberon and Queen Titania. All the fairies gasped with delight as they spotted Stella and the girls flying toward them with the magic star.
“The star!” the fairies shouted excitedly. “Christmas is saved!”
“You’re just in time,” King Oberon declared, beaming at Stella, Rachel, and Kirsty as they landed clutching the star. “Santa Claus is about to set off !”
“Thank you so much,” added Queen Titania gratefully. “Now, would you put the star back on the tree where it belongs?”
Stella, Rachel, and Kirsty flew to the top of the tree and carefully lowered the star into place.
The star immediately shot dazzling swirls of magical silver fairy dust from every point, as if it knew it was home again.
“Girls, we all thank you from the bottom of our hearts!” the king declared, as Rachel and Kirsty flew down to stand before him. “We can never repay you fully, but we can promise you an extra-special Christmas!”
All of the fairies laughed and clapped, and Kirsty and Rachel looked at each other in delight.
“Thank you for your help, girls,” Stella said, kissing them both lightly on the cheek. “I hope you get everything you want for Christmas!”
“Now, we mustn’t keep you any longer,” the queen added. “You have to be home in time to enjoy your own Christmas, after working so hard.”
“Merry Christmas, everybody!” Kirsty and Rachel called, as Stella lifted her wand to send them home.
“Merry Christmas!” the fairies replied. They all waved their wands in farewell. Kirsty and Rachel were swept gently off their feet in a whirl of sparkling magic.
As the mist of fairy dust faded away, the girls found themselves back in Kirsty’s snowy backyard. It was getting dark, and the lights were on in the Tates’ house.
“Look!” Rachel pointed up at the sky. “The stars are out!”
Kirsty glanced up and saw that the stars were twinkling brightly, like tiny diamonds. “What’s that over there?” she asked, pointing at a large shape moving swiftly across the sky.
Rachel squinted and tried to make out what the shape could be. “It looks like a … sleigh,” she said slowly.
Kirsty’s eyes opened wide. “It’s Santa Claus!” she gasped.
The two girls watched in wonder as Santa’s sleigh, pulled by his magic reindeer, zoomed across the sky, leaving a trail of golden sparks behind it.
“Oh!” Kirsty cried suddenly. “The sparks behind the sleigh spell out a message!”
Rachel caught her breath, her heart pounding with excitement. She and Kirsty stared up at the dark sky. There, against the inky blackness, they could clearly read the words, ‘Merry Christmas, Rachel and Kirsty!’ written in dazzling golden sparks.
As he passed over the Tates’ house, Santa Claus looked down and gave the girls a friendly wave, grinning cheerfully at them. Then the sleigh picked up speed and disappeared behind a cloud.
“He waved to us!” Kirsty laughed.
“That was amazing!” Rachel agreed, her eyes shining as she watched the golden letters fade away into the darkness.
“Girls!” Mrs. Tate called from inside the house. “Rachel’s parents are here to pick her up.”
“I think it’s going to be a very merry Christmas, Rachel,” Kirsty said with a grin, as she and Rachel ran toward the house.
“Yes. Merry Christmas, Kirsty!” laughed Rachel. “And a merry Christmas to everyone in Fairyland!”
Coming soon!
Here’s a sneak peek at the first book,
“I think the Fairy Garden must be through here,” Rachel Walker said, pointing to a wrought iron gate. She and her friend, Kirsty Tate, were exploring the grounds of Blossom Hall, an old hotel where their families were staying over spring break. Both girls had been interested to hear the owner of Blossom Hall, Mrs. Forrest, mention the Fairy Garden. After all, Kirsty and Rachel knew a lot about fairies: they were friends with them!
“It’s known as the Fairy Garden because there is a perfect ring of tulips growing in the middle of it,” Mrs. Forrest had explained. “We call it the Blossom Fairy Ring.”
As soon as they’d finished their breakfast, Rachel and Kirsty had asked their parents if it was all right for them to go exploring. They were eager to look around during the sunny morning. From what they could see through the windows, the gardens were very pretty, with their pink and white flowering cherry trees, long rolling lawns, and masses of cheerful flowers.
“Of course you can explore,” Mr. Tate had said. “Just make sure you stay inside the grounds of Blossom Hall.”
Now Rachel eagerly lifted the latch of the gate. “Here we are!” she said, pushing it open.
&nbs
p; The girls stepped into the walled garden together. “It’s beautiful!” Kirsty exclaimed, taking in the rambling roses that climbed the walls and the old stone fountain in one corner.
“It’s the kind of place you can imagine a real fairy visiting,” Rachel said, smiling. “And that must be the Blossom Fairy Ring!” she added, pointing to a circle of yellow and orange tulips.
“How pretty!” Kirsty said, going over for a closer look. She noticed that some of the tulips were wilting. But then she stopped and listened carefully. “Rachel, can you hear someone crying?” she asked in a whisper.
Rachel stood still, listening hard, then nodded. “I can’t see anyone else here, though,” she whispered, gazing around. “Who could it be?”
The girls looked around the small garden, but it wasn’t big enough to have many hiding places. The crying was definitely louder near the fairy ring. It seemed to be coming from the tulips!
Kirsty looked inside the nearest tulip — and gasped. Sitting at the bottom of the flower, with her face in her hands, was a tiny fairy!
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e-ISBN 978-0-545-28691-6
Copyright © 2005 by Rainbow Magic Limited.
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First Scholastic printing, September 2008
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Stella the Star Fairy Page 4