Daisy's Secret Read online

  Bella walked slowly across the sand to the river’s edge, watching where she put her feet.

  Daisy could hear from the girl’s thoughts that she was being careful not to step on any shells in case they were the home of a crab.

  Reaching down to slip off her shoes Bella dipped her bare feet in the river. Daisy shivered as she shared Bella’s feeling of the cold autumn water and the wet sand slipping between her toes.

  It’s such a lovely wild place, thought Bella. She glanced over the water to a white human house that nestled between the trees on the other side of the River Green. I can’t believe I’m so close to home! It feels so far away.

  Daisy felt a thrill of excitement as Bella looked in her direction.

  ‘I wonder,’ muttered Bella, ‘if there are crabs under the mangroves.’

  Behind Daisy, Pea let out a squeal of fright, quickly silenced by Cricket’s hand across her mouth as Bella picked up her shoes and started to walk towards them.

  ‘Here she comes,’ said Cricket, grinning as Bella moved closer and closer, stepping lightly across the sand.

  Pulling Cricket’s hand away from her mouth, Pea gave him an exasperated look. ‘How can you be so cheerful?’ Pea exclaimed. ‘She could be dangerous! And we’ll be in so much trouble with the other fairies if we let a human see us!’

  Cricket shook his head. ‘You worry too much, Pea. We’ll come up with something.’ He turned to Daisy. ‘The human was talking. What did she say?’

  Daisy glanced back at Bella who had stopped and bent down to inspect a piece of driftwood. Then she turned back to Cricket. ‘She’s going to look for crabs under the mangroves.’

  ‘We should ask some crabs to go over there,’ suggested Pea. ‘Then she won’t need to come near us.’

  ‘That’s a terrible idea,’ said Cricket, indignantly. ‘Weren’t you just saying that she might be dangerous? What if she’s looking for crabs so she can eat them?’

  Vu let out a squeak of alarm.

  ‘Bella doesn’t want to eat the crabs,’ said Daisy, rolling her eyes. ‘She only wants to see them.’

  ‘Bella?’ asked Pea. She looked at Daisy. ‘That girl isn’t our friend, Daisy. She’s a human. We don’t know what she wants.’

  I do, thought Daisy. I can hear what she’s thinking. Her face creased into a frown. Maybe I should tell them?

  ‘Watch out!’ said Cricket, pointing.

  Bella had reached the edge of the mangroves. Close enough now for Daisy to count the freckles on her face, she watched the girl from between the leaves.

  Daisy leaned forward. It was thrilling to be so close to a real human. Her mum, Nen, would faint if she knew the risk Daisy was taking but there was something about the little girl that she just couldn’t resist. Daisy listened hard to Bella’s thoughts, hoping that the little girl hadn’t seen them.

  Are those butterflies? thought Bella.

  Darn! thought Daisy. She quickly turned to warn her friends. ‘She’s seen us!’

  With a squeak of fright Pea took off, flying further into the mangroves. Cricket darted after her.

  Daisy hesitated, looking longingly at the little girl. With an exasperated chitter, Vu dug his claws into Daisy’s dress and tugged.

  ‘Okay, I’m coming,’ said Daisy. With a snap of her wings she raced after her friends.

  As soon as she was out of sight, Bella’s thoughts disappeared from Daisy’s mind. Trying to ignore her disappointment, Daisy focused on Pea and Cricket flying up ahead. In her panic, Pea seemed to have lost her new- found flying skills. She flew wildly, bumping into leaves and branches until Cricket grabbed her arm, pulling her along beside him.

  From behind Daisy came the sound of squelching sand. Branches clunked together as they were pushed aside.

  Bella was following!

  Daisy turned her head and caught a glimpse of the girl dodging around the mangroves as she chased after them. The sight of her brought Bella’s thoughts rushing back into Daisy’s head. They were full of excitement and eagerness to see the bright, fluttering creatures up close.

  The very real possibility of capture made Daisy realise how foolish she’d been. It wasn’t just her own safety that she’d been playing with but the safety of her friends and the whole fairy colony. If Bella discovered that fairies existed . . . Daisy didn’t want to think about what the consequences might be.

  She put on a burst of speed.

  Daisy followed Pea and Cricket deeper into the mangroves, hoping that Bella would give up and stop chasing them. But the little girl was fascinated by the strange butterflies and determined to get a closer look.

  What if we lead her so far away that she can’t find her way back? Daisy worried. Bella was only a little girl and if she was gone too long the others might come looking for her. Raven and the others couldn’t stop so many of them. There would be humans in the forest.

  And it would be all my fault! thought Daisy. We have to stop leading Bella further away and get her back to the beach!

  She looked at her friends up ahead. Pea was so scared she couldn’t fly straight. Cricket was busy keeping Pea from knocking herself out. They wouldn’t be any help.

  ‘Vu!’ said Daisy. ‘I need you to catch up to the others. Tell them I’ll meet them near the College after I lead Bella back to the beach.’

  Vu lifted his elytra and buzzed into the air. He chittered fiercely as he hovered before Daisy’s face.

  ‘I promise, I’ll be extra careful,’ replied Daisy. ‘Trust me.’

  Vu chittered that it wasn’t Daisy that he didn’t trust. But he nodded in agreement and flew off after the others.

  Daisy slowed to let her friends get further away. Then turned to check on Bella. The little girl had almost caught up.

  How will I get around her? worried Daisy. If I fly too close she’ll see that I’m a fairy. If I fly too far away, she won’t see me at all and will keep chasing after the others.

  For a moment, Daisy saw herself through Bella’s eyes, like a bright, fluttering butterfly. That’s it! she thought. The perfect disguise! She took out her wand and chanted, ‘Human eyes will only see a butterfly when they look at me.’

  Tiny, butterfly-shaped sparks shot from Daisy’s wand to settle on her clothes and skin.

  ‘Now for the hard part,’ breathed Daisy as she flew back towards Bella.

  The little girl smiled brightly as Daisy got closer. She stopped running and stood very still.

  Daisy could hear in the little girl’s thoughts that she was hoping the butterfly might land on her.

  Not this butterfly, thought Daisy, flying up and over Bella, heading back towards the beach.

  With a sigh of disappointment, the little girl chased after Daisy again. But this time she was closer than before and Daisy had to dodge through the highest leaves and branches of the mangroves to keep out of Bella’s reach.

  Then Bella squealed.

  The branches around Daisy shook violently, banging into her wings and knocking her out of the air. Daisy landed on her hands and knees with Bella sprawled out beside her. The little girl had tripped over a mangrove root and was lying face down on the sand.

  Daisy scrambled behind a nearby tree trunk as Bella pushed her hands into the ground to lift herself up. The little girl’s tears dotted the sand as she untangled her foot from under the tree root to sit with her legs stretched out before her. There was a long bleeding gash on one shin.

  Daisy felt a wave of dizziness as she looked at the gash. Injuries always made her queasy. Daisy’s mind filled with thoughts of pain and fear as Bella realised that she was alone and too hurt to walk. Black spots started to appear before Daisy’s eyes.

  I can’t help Bella if I faint, thought Daisy, quickly looking away. As Bella disappeared from view, her thoughts disappeared too. Daisy took a deep breath and was relieved to feel the dizziness subside.

  ‘Daddy! Help!’ cried Bella. But they were still too far away from the beach. The humans would never hear her.

 
; Could I capture Bella’s voice? Daisy wondered. And use it to lure the humans?

  Risking a look at Bella, she took out her wand and waited for her to call out again. As Bella opened her mouth to shout, Daisy chanted, ‘Hear and save this human sound to help the one who’s lost be found.’

  There were no sparks, no smoke, just a warm vibration of the wand in Daisy’s hand.

  Be brave, Bella, thought Daisy. Help is coming.

  Bella gasped in surprise. ‘Who said that? Is someone there?’

  Did Bella hear me? Daisy shook her head. It was too much to think about now. Hoping that her butterfly illusion was still in place Daisy took off into the air, flying as fast as she could towards the beach and the cliff. I hope they’re still at the bottom, thought Daisy, and not halfway up the cliff face.

  When Daisy arrived back at the beach the humans were thankfully still on the ground.

  Circling in the air above them were two magpies, Melody and Stormy, who were friends of her sister, Maggie.

  The humans ducked, arms over their heads as Stormy swooped down towards them.

  Let’s hope my spell works, thought Daisy. Landing on the mangrove closest to the humans, Daisy waved her wand. ‘Magically borrowed human sound, into the air now be unbound.’

  At the sound of Bella’s voice the humans all stopped and turned around. The man who had been trying to climb the cliff dropped his gear and began running down the beach towards Daisy.

  ‘Yes!’ Daisy cheered. Then she took off into the mangroves.

  The man was a much faster runner than Bella. Daisy worried that she might not be able to keep ahead of him.

  Flying through the sheltering leaves of the mangroves Daisy waved her wand again and again, sending Bella’s voice ringing out behind her.

  The man crashed his way between the trees, calling out her name until the real Bella finally heard him and responded.

  Daisy watched from a branch above as Bella’s father bent down to gently scoop his daughter into his arms.

  As the little girl rested her head on her father’s chest, the love and relief in the two humans’ thoughts was almost overwhelming. It reminded Daisy of how her father had comforted her when she’d hurt her ankle while trying to fly when she’d first got her wings.

  Could it be that humans think and feel like fairies? Daisy wondered.

  Daisy closed her eyes and breathed deeply, sighing with relief that she had been able to help save Bella. The tree shook as Bella’s father pushed his way out through the mangroves.

  Exhausted and ready for just her own thoughts for a while, Daisy kept her eyes closed until she was sure that the humans were out of sight.

  Daisy landed on the branch of a gum tree. The humans had packed away their gear and were rowing their boats across the River Green. Echoes of their voices drifted back on the breeze but they were too far out for their thoughts to reach her.

  The branch bounced lightly beneath Daisy’s feet as something landed behind her. Then a heavy hand grasped her shoulder and a deep voice said, ‘I think an explanation is in order.’

  Daisy twitched in surprise, her heart pounding. Then let out a deep sigh and turned to face Raven. She opened her mouth to speak.

  ‘Not yet!’ Raven interrupted. ‘The others are waiting at Hakea College. You can do your explaining there.’

  As Daisy followed Raven back to the College a heavy weight settled in her chest. Queen Jasmine had trusted her to do the right thing and Daisy had done the exact opposite. Her curiosity had made her reckless and selfish and put the whole fairy colony in danger! Would Queen Jasmine ever trust her again?

  Hakea College was unlike anything that Daisy had seen before. They wound through a maze of sandstone corridors that seemed to follow a natural cave system within the cliff, the rough walls layered in yellows, oranges and reds.

  Dotted here and there were rough wooden doors and wide open archways through which Daisy glimpsed classes in progress. Now and then the corridors became crowded as a class ended and students piled out but mostly they were empty and silent.

  Music drifted through one open door. Daisy peered inside to see her sister, Maggie, standing before a class full of students, playing a complicated melody on her silver flute while Guardian Rhyme conducted.

  Daisy paused at the door, aching to be able to talk to her sister.

  ‘Come along,’ said Raven gruffly.

  He stopped beside a polished wooden door at the end of the next corridor. Behind the door Daisy could hear the murmur of voices. Raven rapped sharply on the wood with his knuckles and the door opened to reveal Melaleuca.

  ‘Come on in, Daisy,’ said Melaleuca. ‘We’ve been waiting for you.’

  The room was a combined sitting room and study and the most cluttered place that Daisy had ever seen. Every inch of wall space was covered with cupboards, shelves and racks, all overflowing with scrolls, tools and objects that Daisy could only guess the use of.

  On one side of the room was a giant desk, piled so high that there was little room for writing while on the other was a circle of couches and armchairs – perhaps for small groups of students to gather for lessons.

  Seated there now were Pea, Cricket and Queen Jasmine with the squat, bearded fairy that Daisy had seen in the forest.

  ‘Please take a seat, Daisy,’ said Queen Jasmine, her voice more serious than usual.

  Daisy gulped. Vu had been perched on the back of an armchair. He flew over now to land on Daisy’s shoulder, rubbing his head against her cheek and chittering quiet encouragement.

  ‘Thanks, Vu,’ Daisy whispered. She took a seat beside Pea, smiling gratefully when Pea reached over to squeeze her hand.

  Raven and Melaleuca sat opposite them.

  ‘Guardian Hide,’ said Queen Jasmine. ‘Would you like to begin?’

  Daisy’s heart pounded in her chest as she got her first proper look at the fairy who might have been her Guardian if she hadn’t been so irresponsible.

  Short and squat like a mushroom, he had a long, tangled beard, entwined with dozens of tiny brown feathers, twigs and leaves. His voice, when he spoke, was rough and gravelly like pebbles crunching together.

  ‘The impetuous actions of these fairies today has resulted in a grave breach of fairy security,’ said Guardian Hide, pausing to give the young fairies a stern look.

  Pea stared into her lap and even Cricket gulped. Daisy gripped Pea’s hand tighter.

  ‘This,’ Guardian Hide continued, ‘is a very serious matter. Before we decide your fate you’ll have one opportunity to explain yourselves. I advise you to be truthful and accurate.’

  ‘Please don’t punish Pea and Cricket,’ Daisy pleaded. ‘It was really all my fault. I listened in on Queen Jasmine’s meeting with Melaleuca and I read Guardian Hide’s – your book, sir – on humans. Pea and Cricket would have still been at the Tea-Tree House if it wasn’t for me.’

  ‘It isn’t just Daisy’s fault,’ said Pea.

  ‘We all chose to come,’ said Cricket.

  ‘I think we need to hear the full story,’ said Queen Jasmine. ‘Go on, Daisy. Start from the beginning.’

  Daisy took a deep breath. ‘I suppose it began in the library, when I saw you reading Encounters with Humans . . .’

  ‘. . . And then Raven found me and brought me to you.’

  For a moment, everyone was silent. Then Guardian Hide leaned forward. ‘So what you are telling us, Daisy, is that not only can you understand human speech but you can hear their thoughts as well?’

  Daisy took a deep breath. ‘Yes.’

  ‘It’s unprecedented!’ exclaimed Melaleuca. ‘Think of how useful a gift like that could be.’

  ‘Useful, yes, but dangerous too,’ insisted Raven. ‘She’s only a child. And she almost got captured. She shouldn’t be anywhere near humans.’

  Queen Jasmine made a shushing motion with her hands. ‘Before we plan for her future we need to decide what the consequences will be for Daisy’s actions today.’ She turned to Gua
rdian Hide.

  ‘I think it’s obvious,’ said Guardian Hide. ‘Daisy showed a lack of control when choosing to put herself and her friends in the way of humans.’

  Daisy felt tears start to well up in her eyes. Determined not to cry, she blinked them away.

  ‘However,’ Guardian Hide went on, ‘when the situation grew more serious she proved herself to be brave, resourceful and clear-headed. These qualities, combined with her unique gift and uncontrollable urge to be near humans leads me to only one conclusion.’

  Daisy held her breath, afraid to breathe.

  ‘Daisy was drawn to the humans because . . . to communicate with them is her Calling.’

  Pea squealed, reaching over to give Daisy a quick hug. ‘I don’t know if I’m happy or scared for you.’

  Cricket grinned. ‘That’s an impressive Calling, Daisy.’

  ‘I knew you were one of us,’ beamed Melaleuca. ‘And he won’t admit it, but Raven thought so too.’

  Queen Jasmine laughed at Raven’s look of consternation.

  ‘I think Daisy should start her studies at the College,’ said Guardian Hide. ‘Not full time, she’s too young for that yet. A few sessions a week should do it. I’d like to help you learn more about your gift, Daisy, and teach you how to be safe around humans. What do you think?’

  I have a Calling! thought Daisy. I’m going to learn about humans! It was the most exciting thing that Daisy had ever been told. Nen and Efa would be so proud. And she’d get to be with her sister again.

  ‘It’s my dream come true,’ said Daisy. ‘I can’t wait to begin!’

  Where is the prettiest place for a Fairy Queen to live? A Tea-Tree House of course!

  Tea-trees are part of the myrtle family. There are between 80 and 90 species. Most are shrubs that only grow up to 2m tall. But some species are trees that can reach 8 or even 20m. Queen Jasmine’s Tea-tree is fully grown at only 4m high.