Daisy's Secret Read online

  Contents

  1 The Tea-Tree House

  2 Old and New Friends

  3 The Gathering

  4 Good News and Bad

  5 Melaleuca

  6 The Secret Passage

  7 The Forbidden Book

  8 Secrets Revealed

  9 A Wild Ride

  10 First Glimpse

  11 A Better View

  12 Discovery!

  13 Difficult Decisions

  14 Back to the Beginning

  Across a meandering river,

  In a forest tall and green,

  Live the magical Wilderness Fairies

  And their wise Fairy Queen.

  Guided by their Callings,

  The Wilderness Fairies strive

  To use their magic wisely

  And help the forest thrive.

  But one fairy’s fate is hidden

  And even she can’t see

  Without the help of others

  What her Calling is to be.

  Daisy darted through the treetops, wings beating furiously. Above her, the sky blossomed apricot and pink, the air itself seeming to glow amber as the sun dipped below the horizon.

  Daisy barely noticed.

  ‘Was it always this far away?’ she muttered.

  The small, green beetle that flew beside her chuckled, chittering for Daisy to be patient.

  ‘Oh, Vu,’ said Daisy, turning to look at her friend. ‘How can I be patient on such an exciting day? It isn’t possible!’

  A twinkling of fairy lights sparkled below. With a squeal of delight, Daisy dived through the canopy, soaring towards them.

  Shaking his head, Vu followed.

  Daisy had only visited the Fairy Queen’s Tea-Tree House twice in her life. And then she had only seen it from the outside. This time she was to be an honoured guest and would be staying with Queen Jasmine for a whole week.

  All fairies, near the end of their childhood, were invited to visit Queen Jasmine. And something life-changing almost always happened while they were there. Daisy’s parents, Nen and Efa, had first met while staying with the Queen. Her sister, Maggie, had discovered a ladybird named Nelli, who was now her constant companion. And Aunt Acacia had realised that her Calling was to be a seamstress!

  As her feet touched down on the small wooden verandah that served as the visitors’ entrance, Daisy crossed her fingers and made a wish. ‘Please let me discover my Calling.’

  Vu chittered encouragement as he landed on Daisy’s shoulder, reminding her of how much she had grown up this summer, earning her wings and learning to fly and being an enormous help to her sister Maggie!

  ‘I have grown up, haven’t I, Vu?’ Daisy agreed. ‘I must be ready for my Calling.’

  The verandah darkened as the sun sank out of sight. Vu shivered in the chill autumn air.

  ‘Come on,’ said Daisy. ‘Let’s get you inside.’

  Before them was a door of honey-coloured wood, carved around the edges in an intricate pattern of wildflowers, butterflies and birds. Daisy brushed her fingers along the carvings, wondering if she was supposed to knock or if she should just step inside?

  There was no time to decide as the door was suddenly flung open and the verandah was enveloped in bright, yellow light. With a chitter of fright, Vu darted into Daisy’s hair to hide.

  Framed in the doorway was the dark shape of a tall fairy, his sharp-tipped wings casting pointed shadows through the golden light. Daisy gulped.

  With one swift movement, the fairy leaned out and down until his long pointed nose was almost touching Daisy’s and she could count the spikes of his dark beard. He stared searchingly into Daisy’s eyes and she got the uncomfortable feeling that he was peering inside her mind.

  For just a moment, his eyes widened in surprise, then he quickly pulled back.

  ‘State your name and purpose!’ The fairy barked the command.

  How rude! Daisy thought. This wasn’t the welcome she’d been expecting.

  ‘Quickly!’ The fairy demanded. ‘Don’t you know how to speak?’

  ‘I’m Daisy,’ she replied. ‘Queen Jasmine has invited me. And if you had any manners you might introduce yourself before you start barking like a sea lion.’

  For a moment the stern fairy seemed taken aback, then a small smile curled at the corner of his lips.

  ‘You’ve got spirit. I’ll give you that. You’re going to need it I think. I’m Keeper Raven, of Tea-Tree House security. Now hop to it, young fairy! Queen Jasmine has been expecting you and we don’t keep Her Majesty waiting.’

  Daisy stepped into the Tea-Tree House, the door swinging shut behind her. Near the doorway, magical flames floated along the floor and ceiling. Beyond them a wide, unlit hallway stretched into darkness. With a flap of his black-feathered wings Raven turned and flew down it. Fluttering her wings, Daisy hurried after him. The darkness receded around them as bobbing flames burst into life ahead of them and flickered out far behind.

  Daisy had a million questions but with no room to fly beside Raven, she contented herself to examining the Tea-Tree House as she followed along behind.

  ‘Look at all the alcoves and closed doors,’ Daisy whispered to Vu as he poked his head out from her hair. ‘I hope we get time to explore.’

  Many of the walls were adorned with exquisite carvings. Daisy trailed her hand along them, feeling the ridges and bumps beneath her fingers. Vu chittered in delight when they came to a carving that looked just like him.

  Raven turned his head at the sound. ‘It seems we have a stowaway,’ he said, eyebrows raised. ‘Our young Daisy is full of surprises.’

  They came to a corridor not wide enough for flying. Raven landed and walked stiffly, with a jerky movement that favoured one leg. Daisy wondered if he had been born like that or if it was from an injury?

  ‘Is it dangerous being in charge of security?’ Daisy asked.

  ‘Not usually,’ Raven answered.

  ‘What do you protect the Tea-Tree House from?’ Daisy persisted.

  ‘Whatever could harm our Queen,’ Raven replied.

  Daisy shook her head in frustration. ‘Are you being vague on purpose?’

  Raven gave Daisy a serious look. ‘Be careful about the knowledge you seek. You may not be ready for what you find.’

  Daisy wondered what he meant by that and was about to ask when suddenly they stopped beside a large, round door.

  ‘Here we are,’ he said.

  ‘Now, don’t pester Her Majesty with endless questions,’ Raven instructed. ‘And be respectful!’

  When Daisy didn’t answer immediately, Vu came to her defence, chittering that Daisy was always polite to fairies who were polite to her.

  Satisfied that Daisy would behave herself, Raven pushed open the door to Queen Jasmine’s library.

  The room was completely circular, with warm red walls, layered with shelves of books and musical instruments. Vases of large, yellow goodenia flowers were dotted here and there. Across from the door, a cheery fire burned within a large, cone-shaped fireplace set partway up the wall. Spread across the entire floor was a thick cushion, patterned like leaf litter in brown and green.

  Beside the fireplace, snuggled amidst a bunch of smaller cushions, Queen Jasmine sat reading a book. Beside her, a familiar young fairy with pink and yellow ponytails was playing on a wooden flute while trying to ignore the red-haired fairy boy who was leaning across with a feather to tickle her foot.

  At the sound of the door, Queen Jasmine looked up from her book. ‘At last, you’ve arrived!’ She smiled warmly. ‘Welcome, Daisy, come join us.’

  Daisy fluttered through the doorway as the fairy with the flute jumped to her feet.

  ‘Daisy!’ Pea squealed, bounding over to grab her f
riend in a fierce hug. ‘I knew there was one more fairy coming but I never dreamed it would be you!’

  Vu chittered indignantly at being jostled about as Pea danced Daisy around the room. He flew off Daisy’s shoulder, landing on a goodenia flower just as Pea’s ankle hooked around Daisy’s.

  The dancing fairies tumbled to the floor, Daisy landing in the lap of the red-haired fairy boy who grinned at her cheekily as her cheeks blushed pink. Embarrassed, Daisy scrambled back onto her feet.

  ‘Excuse me, Your Majesty,’ said Raven from the doorway, scowling at the young fairies. ‘If I could have a word in private?’

  ‘Of course.’ Queen Jasmine rose gracefully to her feet. ‘Pea, you can do the introductions since you seem to know everyone. I’ll be back in a moment.’ She fluttered into the hallway, Raven closing the door firmly behind them.

  ‘I wonder what that was about?’ said the fairy boy.

  After her less than graceful entrance Daisy just hoped it wasn’t about her.

  ‘Come on,’ said the boy. ‘Let’s listen at the door!’ He went to stand up but Pea pushed him back into the cushions.

  ‘Daisy, meet Cricket, the most painful fairy in the Tea-Tree House.’

  Cricket shook his head, a look of remorse on his face. ‘I’m sorry. Did I upset you, Pea? Couldn’t we start again?’ He held out his hand. Warily, Pea reached to shake it, rolling her eyes as Cricket snatched it back again. ‘Too slow! You are so gullible, Pea!’

  Pea turned to Daisy with a sigh. ‘See what I mean?’

  ‘Really though,’ said Cricket. ‘Don’t you want to know what they’re saying?’ Leaping up, he dodged past Pea and Daisy and pushed his ear to the door.

  ‘That’s none of your business,’ said Daisy.

  ‘Shush,’ whispered Cricket. ‘One of them just said “Daisy”.’

  A shiver went up Daisy’s back. Forgetting her protest, she leaned forward eagerly. ‘What are they saying?’

  Cricket scrunched his face in concentration. ‘I can’t make out much. They’re talking too softly. Something about a Guardian . . . and . . . a message?’

  Suddenly, Cricket dived across the room, landing beside the goodenia flower where Vu had made his perch just as the door began to open.

  ‘And what’s your name?’ Cricket asked Vu, leaning nonchalantly against the shelves. ‘You’re a marvellous green. I’ve never seen a beetle quite like you.’

  Vu chittered his name, lifting his elytra to better display his flying wings.

  Daisy wasn’t paying attention. Her mind flitted from thought to thought, like a dragonfly skimming over water. Why would Raven and the Queen be talking about her? Who was the Guardian they mentioned? And what was the message?

  ‘Nice to meet you, Vu,’ Cricket said, tickling him under the chin. ‘Aren’t you magnificent!’

  The little beetle preened under the compliment.

  Queen Jasmine entered, surveying the room with a knowing smile. Behind her the hallway was empty. ‘Now that we’re all acquainted,’ she said, ‘let’s have a talk about what I have planned for you.’

  Daisy sat stiffly amongst a pile of cushions embroidered with wattle blossoms. She hoped she looked calm on the outside because inside she was shaking. She wanted to ask Queen Jasmine about her conversation but couldn’t without dobbing in Cricket. Raven’s advice had her worried too. Was she ready for the answers to her questions?

  Pea seemed to have no such worries. Eyes bright with excitement, she curled up next to Daisy as Queen Jasmine resumed her spot beside the fire. The Queen picked up the book she had been reading and placed it on the shelf behind her head. Daisy noted with surprise that the title was Encounters with Humans.

  Most fairies knew very little about humans and didn’t care to know any more. But Daisy’s Aunt Acacia had seen them sometimes while travelling between fairy settlements. Her stories had made Daisy curious to see for herself what humans were really like. But humans never came this far into the forest so it didn’t seem likely she would ever get to find out.

  ‘You’ll have to be sneaky if you want to read it,’ whispered Cricket, leaning over to Daisy. ‘When I asked Queen Jasmine about that book, she was quite insistent that it was totally off limits.’

  ‘I never said I wanted to read it!’ Daisy protested.

  ‘You do though, don’t you?’ said Cricket with a wink.

  ‘For most fairies,’ said Queen Jasmine, ‘their stay at the Tea-Tree House is a time of discovery. I hope you will all feel at home here and be open to new experiences. There will be planned activities and free time too, which I hope you’ll spend with each other.’

  ‘Free time with each other,’ Pea whispered, squeezing Daisy’s arm.

  Cricket rolled his eyes and sighed.

  ‘That’s enough of that, Cricket,’ said Queen Jasmine. ‘I think even you will be excited about what I have planned for tomorrow.’

  Daisy woke the next morning to the sound of sweet music. She and Pea had been given a cosy room to share with twin armchairs beside a pot-bellied fireplace and lovely flower-shaped beds.

  Pea was curled up in an armchair, once again playing softly on the wooden flute that Guardian Rhyme had given her.

  ‘Finally,’ she groaned, as Daisy sat up. ‘I can’t believe you slept in! Aren’t you curious about Queen Jasmine’s plans for us?’

  Poking his head out from under the blankets, Vu chittered that he was still trying to sleep.

  ‘What time is it?’ asked Daisy.

  Pea’s tummy grumbled. ‘Breakfast time,’ she said, laughing.

  The mention of food had Vu instantly awake. Chittering that he would find his own breakfast, he lifted the elytra that covered his flying wings and flew out the open window.

  Daisy leapt out of bed and ran after him to the window. ‘Don’t go too far,’ she called, shaking her head when Vu didn’t answer.

  ‘He’ll be fine,’ insisted Pea, dragging Daisy to the shelf beside her bed. On the shelf lay Daisy’s wand, the belt and sheath that she wore around her waist and the silver locket, shaped like a bandanna bag, that Daisy had first created for the Fairy Quest and now was always with her.

  Daisy picked up the locket and opened it. Inside was everything she’d packed for her visit, made very small by magic so they were easy to carry. Daisy sorted through the objects until she found a shirt, dress and leggings.

  With her clothes in one hand, she snapped the locket shut with the other, looped the chain around her neck and reached for her wand. Holding it against the clothes, Daisy commanded, ‘Undo!’

  The clothes grew bigger until they were the perfect size for Daisy. Wriggling out of her nightie, she quickly got dressed.

  ‘Are you ready?’ asked Pea.

  ‘Almost,’ Daisy replied.

  She folded up her nightie and tucked it under her pillow, fastened the belt around her waist and was just sliding her wand into its sheath when the door to their bedroom swung open.

  Cricket strode into the room. ‘There’s only so long I can wait in the hallway. Time to get moving, you two!’

  Daisy and Pea followed Cricket down a series of hallways until they arrived at the ornate set of double doors where Queen Jasmine was waiting for them.

  ‘I’m so sorry we’re late, Your Majesty,’ said Daisy. ‘I’ve never slept in a proper bed before. It was so comfy I think I didn’t want to wake up.’

  ‘Not to worry,’ Queen Jasmine smiled. ‘I’ve only just arrived myself. Shall we go inside?’

  At Queen Jasmine’s touch the heavy doors swung inwards and Daisy got her first glimpse of the imposing room beyond.

  ‘This is The Gathering,’ said Queen Jasmine, ‘where I grant audiences to fairies who come seeking my advice, meet with The Guardian Council and every now and then, hold glorious parties.’ She winked.

  ‘Must be some parties,’ said Cricket, as they stepped into the now empty room. ‘You could fit every fairy in the forest in here!’

  Daisy stared wide-eyed at the
walls around them. They were carved into the forms of tree trunks stretching to a canopy ceiling high above.

  Queen Jasmine led them across a large empty floor. ‘Perfect for dancing,’ she explained, doing a graceful twirl in the air. ‘I do still love to dance.’

  To their right and left were long tables, surrounded by bright, red mushroom stools. Daisy imagined hundreds of party guests, laughing gaily as they chatted, feasted and danced in this amazing space.

  Flying across to the far side of the room, the Queen fluttered up onto a raised platform on which was a long, narrow table with chairs that faced out to the rest of The Gathering.

  ‘Please, come and join me,’ said Queen Jasmine, taking a seat at the centre of the table.

  Pea squealed with delight when she saw that the table had been set for breakfast. ‘Thank goodness,’ she giggled to Daisy. ‘I’ve never been so hungry in my life.’

  ‘We’d better start eating then,’ Queen Jasmine laughed. ‘I can’t have my guests going hungry.’

  Pea blushed sheepishly as she sat next to the Queen. Daisy took a seat beside Pea. The sight and smell of the delicious food made Daisy realise just how hungry she was.

  At each setting, five small round bowls had been placed in a circle, like the petals of a flower. The closest was filled with slices of apple berry fruit. Daisy scooped up the slices with her wooden fork, popping in another before the last was finished until her mouth was full of fruit and the juice dribbled down her chin.

  ‘Delicious,’ Daisy said eagerly, quickly dabbing her chin with an embroidered napkin.

  Cricket had already begun his second bowl – roasted nuts drizzled with honey. ‘Wait until you try this,’ he mumbled around a mouthful.

  Daisy dug into the crunchy sweetness, sighing with pleasure as the first spoonful reached her lips.

  ‘The hollow feeling in my belly has just about disappeared,’ said Pea as she dipped a chunk of damper into her bowl of melted, wombat cheese.

  ‘I’m so glad,’ said Queen Jasmine, sipping from a glass of nectar. ‘Eat up everyone. You have a very busy day ahead of you and will need all your energy.’