Secrets of the Magic Ring

by Karen McQuestion

  “There are worse things than that,” Henry said.

  Paul pulled the ring out of his pocket, put it on his finger, and studied it intently. “This thing is wicked. I can see why someone buried it underground.”

  “A little while ago you thought it was the best thing since sliced bread,” Henry said smugly.

  “I changed my mind.”

  Off in the distance they heard the sound of people and a dog approaching. “Paul? Paul?” It was Paul’s mother and Aunt Vicky, and they were accompanied by Clem, who took turns barking and howling, “Paaauuuullll,” as if the name had multiple syllables.

  “Now what?” Grammy said, sighing.

  “Did you tell them?” Henry asked, grabbing Paul’s arm because he was afraid of Clem.

  “No, I swear I didn’t say—” He wasn’t able to finish because the two women charged into the clearing, their faces red and breathing hard.

  “Oh,” Paul’s mother said. “Oh, thank goodness you’re all right, Paul. Your aunt gave me the scare of my life.” She gave him a hug, squishing him so tightly against her front that he had trouble breathing. “She said some strange force had dragged you off.” And then, noticing Celia’s grandmother, she said, “Hello, Mrs. Lovejoy.”

  Paul squirmed out of her grasp. “Let go, Mom. You’re squeezing me too hard.”

  “He gets so embarrassed when I hug him in public,” she said to the others. She reached over and ruffled his hair. “You know how boys are.” She turned to his aunt. “Vicky, you gave me such a fright. I think you’ve been spending too much time in the pool. The chlorine is affecting your eyesight.”

  “It’s not my eyesight,” Vicky said, sputtering. “I saw him get pulled into the air by something, I don’t know what. And didn’t you hear the dog calling his name?” They all looked at Clem, who sat down abruptly and took a sudden interest in his own butt. “The dog talks, I tell you,” Vicky said. “I heard it with my own ears. I’ve figured this whole thing out. It’s that ring you had before, the one you let me wear at the pool party. It’s magic, and it’s causing all kinds of problems.”

  “Oh Vicky, don’t be silly,” Mom said. “A magic ring? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds? Besides, that ring is lost, thanks to you, I might add.”

  “It’s not lost,” Vicky said. “Paul has it on his finger right now.”

  Paul stuck his hand behind his back, but it was too late. His mother couldn’t be fooled. “Paul,” she said sternly, “do you have that ring?”

  He hung his head but didn’t say anything. Henry and Grammy held their breath.

  “Paul,” his mother said again, “hand it over.” He slowly pulled it off his finger and set it in her outstretched hand. She put it on her finger. “I can’t believe you had it and didn’t tell me about it. I never thought my son would lie to me.”

  A wave of guilt washed over Paul. “I didn’t lie to you, Mom. I just didn’t tell you I found it again.”

  “Avoiding the truth is pretty much the same thing as lying,” she said sadly. “I don’t know if I can trust you ever again, Paul.” She blinked back tears. This was so much worse than if she’d gotten mad. He could handle yelling and being grounded, but seeing his mother cry was unbearable.

  “I’m sorry, Mom,” Paul said, on the verge of crying himself. He was sorrier than he’d ever been in his life, not that being sorry helped.

  “I was so excited when I found this ring,” she said, “but now the sight of it makes me sick. I’m not going to be keeping it, I can tell you that much. And I’m not giving it to anyone I know,” she said, turning to Aunt Vicky. “I want it gone.”

  The whole group was silent. Paul could hear Celia shuffling her feet anxiously, but luckily she didn’t say a word. What would happen to all of them if his mother sold the ring? If only there was a way to undo the whole thing. If only. Paul squinted and thought hard. And then an idea struck him. But he had to act quickly.

  “Mom,” he said, “if you could have any wish, any wish in the world, would you wish this ring never existed and that everything was back to the way it was originally?”

  “That’s exactly what I’d wish,” she said, taking a tissue offered by Celia’s grandmother and dabbing her eyes. “Darn ring. Nothing but trouble.”

  “Could you say it?” Paul said.

  “Say what?” She blew her nose.

  “What I just said. Could you say it yourself?”

  “What a good idea to wish the ring never existed,” Grammy said, and Henry nodded, his eyes bright. “I wish I’d thought of that.”

  “I don’t know what difference it would make,” Mom said. “What’s done is done.”

  “Words have power,” Grammy said, “even when you don’t think they do. It would probably make us all feel better if you’d just repeat what he said.”

  “Please, Mom, would you?” Paul said. “Say: I wish this ring never existed and that everything was back to normal, the way it’s supposed to be.”

  His mother looked around at the group, shrugged, and then gave in. “Okay, if it will make you happy. I wish this ring never existed and that everything was back to normal, the way it’s supposed to be.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  Nothing rumbled or roared. There was no whoosh or sparkles flying through the air. Paul felt exactly the same, but in the space of time it took to wink, Celia appeared next to her grandmother and Henry disappeared. Aunt Vicky was gone too, leaving Celia, her grandmother, Paul, and his mother standing under the shade of the Triple Trees. Celia looked down at her feet and happily examined her hands. She gave Paul a wide smile. It worked!

  Paul’s mother was confused. “What was I just saying?” she asked, looking to Grammy for help.

  “Celia and I were just heading back to our house,” Grammy said, “and you were asking Paul to come home because his friend Alex will be arriving soon.”

  “Oh yes,” Mom said, smiling. “That’s exactly it. I’m so forgetful lately. I think I’d lose my head if it weren’t attached.”

  “We all go through that,” Grammy said. “Don’t worry about it.” She put her arm around Celia’s shoulders. “Time to go. Your mother will be looking for us.”

  After they’d left, Paul asked, “Where’s Aunt Vicky?”

  “At home, I would assume,” Mom replied. “Why do you ask?”

  “I thought she was here.” His forehead scrunched in confusion.

  “Here? Why would she be here?”

  “Because she came to swim this morning,” Paul said.

  “Vicky? Oh, don’t be silly. You know she doesn’t swim.” She reached over and ruffled his hair. “Why would you say such a thing?”

  “I don’t know,” Paul said. “I just thought she might have changed her mind.”

  “That’s never going to happen, believe me. No, you boys will have the pool to yourselves today.”

  Henry found himself standing in front of his house dressed exactly as he was the day he made the wish. But of course, there was no wish, because the ring had never existed. He stood with the nagging feeling something had happened, but he couldn’t quite remember what it was. Funny, it seemed significant, but no matter how hard he tried, nothing came to mind. It was like the wisp of a dream that faded within moments of awakening.

  Huh.

  His mother came out of the house, a broom in hand. “Henry? Why are you standing there, boy? Are you already done with your chores?”

  Ah yes, his chores. He still had to do them. “No, Ma, I haven’t even started them yet.”

  She frowned. “Get a move on then. The eggs aren’t magically going to collect themselves, you know. You have to do the work.”

  “I know, I know.”

  His mother began sweeping the porch. Determination lit her face as she concentrated on her task. Henry felt a surge of affection. She worked so hard, but never complained. “Ma?” he said.

  She paused. “Yes?”

  “I love you.”

  His mother smiled broadly
. “I love you too, my son.” She waved the broom in his direction. “But you still have to do your chores.”

  “I know. I just wanted to tell you.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

  Jasmine and Boyd watched the scene from the tops of the Triple Trees. Mira had ordered Boyd to accompany Jasmine on this mission. “Let him see how a good fairy does the job,” she’d said. Boyd had grumbled at having to go on this field trip, but his interest perked up when Celia became invisible, and he held his breath when Paul’s mother repeated the words that fixed everything. When all four of the humans had left, he’d high-fived Jasmine and clapped enthusiastically.

  “What a surprise. There’s no way you could have seen that coming,” Boyd said.

  Jasmine sat down on the branch and leaned against the tree trunk. “What do you mean?”

  “I mean, it was nice the way the human boy, Paul, figured out a solution on his own.”

  Jasmine tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’d hardly say he figured it out on his own.” She raised one eyebrow. “He had some help.”

  “You mean this was all your idea?” Boyd couldn’t hide his look of astonishment. “You thought of this? Absolutely brilliant.”

  “It was nothing,” Jasmine said with a wave of her hand. “Any fairy could have thought of it.” Secretly, though, she knew she’d done something exceptional. She simply didn’t want to make a big deal of it. It was just her job. Human beings could hardly function on their own. Without fairy guidance, who knew what might happen?

  “Well played, Miss J.,” Boyd said, nodding approvingly. “I’m proud to know you.”

  Jasmine beamed. She didn’t know this yet, but Boyd was a blabbermouth, and her victory today would be the talk of the Watchful Woods fairies for years to come. The fledglings would seek out her advice when they were in a tough spot, and she would be lauded for her good counsel. For today, though, all she had was the satisfaction of a job well done.

  And that was plenty.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  One sunny afternoon, Celia and Paul sat in the shade of the Triple Trees eating a picnic lunch.

  Paul’s mother had put together a feast of sandwiches, grapes, and cookies, along with a thermos of lemonade. “Did you ever notice that food always tastes better when you eat it outside?” Celia asked.

  Paul said, “It tastes the same to me.” He looked around. “Hey, Celia, remember the other day when we were here with my mom and your Grammy?” She nodded. “Do you remember how we got here in the first place?”

  Celia took a sip from her cup. “We walked, I guess.”

  “I know we walked, but I don’t remember what happened before that.”

  “Nothing happened before that.”

  “Are you sure?” Paul scratched his head. “It seems like there was something. I just can’t remember what it was.”

  “You invited Alex over to swim, remember?”

  “Oh yeah. That must be it.” They sat in silence, eating their peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Grape jelly, just the way Paul liked. His mother had a knack for remembering his favorites. When they were done eating, they cleaned up, putting everything in a bag she’d sent for that purpose. Leave a place as clean as you found it was his mother’s motto.

  Paul stood up and looked around the trees. “Celia, you know what would be cool? If we built a tree house around here. It could be our fort.”

  Celia brightened. “I bet my dad would help us build it.”

  “We could make a ladder to get up, and we could hang a rope off one of the branches and swing really high. Like flying.” Paul waved his arms excitedly.

  “If we were up in the tree house and no one knew we were up there, we could spy on anyone who came by. It would be like we were invisible,” Celia said.

  “It would be so cool,” Paul said. “I don’t know why we didn’t think of this before.” He loved this place, with the trees standing guard around them. He used to think living in his friend Alex’s neighborhood would be better, but he’d changed his mind. When you lived in a house near the woods, there was no end to the possibilities.

  THE END

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  Greg McQuestion, 2010

  Karen McQuestion grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the second of four girls. As the daughter of two schoolteachers, she was required to get good grades and stay out of trouble, which she did—for the most part. Later she got a really cool last name when she married Greg McQuestion. When they first met, she was intrigued by the fact that he danced like Steve Martin and looked like Harrison Ford in the Indiana Jones movies. Today he looks less like Harrison Ford except for his smile—a mysterious smirk. The dancing is the same. Now she writes books for both adults and kids, and is a bestselling author in Kindle. Two of her novels placed in the top 100 Customer Kindle books for 2010, based on sales and reader reviews. McQuestion lives in Hartland, Wisconsin, with her husband and three kids.

  More from Karen McQuestion

  When ten-year-old Celia learns that her grandmother’s entertaining tales of fairies are actually true, she finds herself drawn into their world. Chosen by a fairy named Mira, she must embark on a dangerous quest to save the fairies’ home—and her own—from complete destruction. This magical story combines heart-pounding adventure with an underlying message about the power of ordinary kindness.