“Listen up, everyone!” Kirsty’s mom called just then. “While the grown-ups get the grill started, there’s going to be a treasure hunt. There’s real treasure at the end, in an actual treasure chest!”
The goblins looked at one another in horror. “What . . . what does the treasure chest look like?” the pirate goblin croaked after a moment.
“It’s a small gold box,” Mrs. Tate replied.
The goblins all looked completely dismayed about something. Rachel elbowed Kirsty. “I bet they hid the bracelet in the treasure chest!” she guessed. “That’s why they look so worried!”
“I think you’re right,” Kirsty said excitedly. “So we have to find the treasure chest before they do!”
“Here’s the first clue,” Mrs. Tate told the group. “Use two sticks to tap on my top, I make a bang — but I’m quiet if you stop!”
Kirsty solved the clue very quickly. “Two sticks to tap on my top . . . It’s a drum,” she whispered to Rachel. “It must be the drum that the band used. Come on!”
Kirsty and Rachel began running toward the hall.
“We have to get to the treasure chest first, so we can take the bracelet out before anyone else sees it,” Rachel said, panting as they ran. “But how are we going to do that?”
“By flying, of course,” Florence said, popping her head out of Rachel’s bag. “Find somewhere quiet, and I’ll turn you both into fairies!”
Kirsty veered away from the stage and ducked into the bathroom, with Rachel close behind. Florence waved her wand, sending more of her glittering fairy dust spinning all around them. Seconds later, they were fairies! The girls fluttered their wings and flew back into the hall just in time to hear a boy reading the second clue aloud.
“We’re bright and colorful, and filled with air. Tied to a string, the next clue is there. . . .” he said, frowning.
“Bright and colorful? Sounds like flowers,” one girl said eagerly.
Kirsty, Rachel, and Florence, who were perched on one of the ceiling beams, exchanged smiles. “Balloons!” they all said together. “Quick, let’s go!”
They soared out into the yard. There was a big bunch of balloons tied to a tree, and they swooped down to land in the middle of them. The third clue was attached to the string of one of the balloons!
This clue led them to the front door of the hall. There, they spotted a large metal mailbox attached to the inside of the door — and what was that, poking out of it?
“It’s the treasure chest!” Rachel cheered in excitement.
Kirsty opened the mailbox flap, then opened the gold chest. Sure enough, lying on top of a pile of chocolate coins, was a second friendship bracelet! This one had RACHEL embroidered on it.
“It’s beautiful,” Rachel exclaimed, taking the bracelet out. “Thank you, Florence!”
“My pleasure,” Florence replied, waving her wand and returning the girls to human-size. The bracelet magically tied itself around Rachel’s wrist.
Suddenly, they heard footsteps approaching. “Sounds like everyone else is on their way — quick, out the front door!” Florence urged.
Kirsty closed the treasure chest. She and Rachel ran in a loop around the building and back through the hall, with Florence hiding in Rachel’s bag. They couldn’t let anyone know that they’d found the treasure first!
They reached the front porch again just in time to hear cheers from the other kids, who were gathered by the front door. “Chocolate coins!” someone whooped. “Yum!”
Rachel had assumed that since she’d gotten her bracelet, everyone would go back to being friends, but that wasn’t the case.
The kids by the door — and the goblins! — were pushing and shoving one another in order to snatch up chocolate coins, even though there were plenty to go around.
“Do you remember how I said that I added some special wishing magic to your bracelets when I made them?” Florence said quietly. “Well, now you can make your wish.”
Kirsty’s eyes lit up with excitement. Rachel’s did, too. What should they wish for?
“Since these are friendship bracelets, maybe we should make a friendship wish?” Rachel said after a moment.
“Yes, for everyone here,” Kirsty suggested.
Florence beamed. “I couldn’t have said it better myself,” she said.
Kirsty and Rachel held hands. “We wish that everyone could be friends again!” they said together.
Both girls felt their wrists tingle as sparkly magic flew up into the air. And then . . .
“Sorry I wasn’t very nice to you earlier,” one boy said to another. “It’s cool that we like different sports — it doesn’t mean we can’t be friends.”
“I like pink and purple,” one girl said to the girl next to her. “But I like being friends with you much more than any color!”
“That’s more like it,” Florence said happily.
Just then, one of the adults shouted that the cookout was ready, and the kids all ran outside, laughing and joking. Only the goblins stayed behind — and they didn’t look happy.
“Cheer up,” Florence told them. “Here, let me make you your own friendship bracelets.” She waved her wand and three bracelets appeared on the goblins’ wrists. They weren’t quite as magical-looking as Rachel’s and Kirsty’s bracelets, but the goblins looked very excited.
“And here’s one to take home to Jack Frost, too,” Florence said, creating a silver bracelet and handing it to the nearest goblin. “Hopefully this will help him become a good friend to others. Maybe even to the fairies!”
The goblins thanked her politely and went off, all being extra-nice to one another. “You’re the ugliest goblin I’ve ever seen,” the pirate goblin said sweetly to the wizard goblin.
“Oh, thank you!” the wizard goblin replied, blushing. “But you definitely have the pointiest nose!”
Rachel and Kirsty tried their hardest not to burst out laughing. They’d never seen the goblins being so friendly — even if their compliments were strange!
“It’s been so nice to meet you,” Florence said. “Thank you for all your help! I’d better return to Fairyland now. I’m sure the rest of your party will be lots of fun, now that everyone is friends again.”
“Thanks, Florence,” Kirsty said. “I love my bracelet — and I love being friends with the fairies!”
“Me, too,” Rachel said. “See you soon, I hope.”
Florence blew them a kiss and fluttered away. Once she’d gone, Kirsty and Rachel rejoined the party. Everyone was in a great mood, and there was lots of laughter and happy conversation.
“Hooray for friends,” Kirsty said, slipping her arm through Rachel’s.
Kirsty smiled. “And hooray for fairies, too!” she said. “I hope we have lots more adventures together!”
Don't miss any of Rachel and Kirsty's other fairy adventures!
Check out this magical sneak peek of
Lindsay
the Luck Fairy!
“I’m so glad you could come with us,” Rachel Walker said to her best friend, Kirsty Tate. “I always have more fun when we’re together.”
“Me, too,” Kirsty said. She grabbed Rachel’s hand in the backseat of the car and smiled. The girls always shared such amazing adventures!
This time, they were headed to Toberton, a small village several hours from Rachel’s house. Mrs. Walker was going to a convention in the Toberton Hotel over the weekend for work, and everyone else was coming along to enjoy the country air.
“You’ll find a lot to do around Toberton, girls,” Mrs. Walker said from the front seat. “When I was little, I stayed in a cottage there with my family. It’s beautiful.”
“That’s not what you said when you first read the invitation to the convention. You said Toberton was spooky!” Mr. Walker said with a laugh.
&nb
sp; “That’s not exactly true,” Mrs. Walker corrected him, smiling. She turned and looked into the backseat. “My brothers, who were much older, told me the woods were haunted with fairies, goblins, and leprechauns. I was so young that I believed them. I even imagined seeing green shadows hiding in the trees. It’s silly, I know.”
Rachel and Kirsty didn’t think it sounded silly at all! The two girls knew that fairies and other magical creatures were real. In fact, they were friends with the fairies! The girls had assisted the fairies on many occasions. Whenever Jack Frost and his naughty goblins had evil plans, the king and queen of Fairyland asked Rachel and Kirsty for help.
“While Mom is in her meetings, we can explore the town and the nearby landmarks,” Mr. Walker said from the driver’s seat. “I’ll bet there are some great wildflowers in the woods, too.”
Kirsty and Rachel smiled at each other. Mr. Walker really liked flowers and wildlife.
“Don’t forget that I have tomorrow afternoon off,” Mrs. Walker added. “And if everything goes as planned with my speech, I can join you for the festival on Sunday.”
Today was only Friday, but Sunday was St. Patrick’s Day, and there would be a festival in the center of town to celebrate. The girls couldn’t wait!
“It sounds like we’ll be busy,” Kirsty said, grinning with excitement.
“How long until we get there?” Rachel asked.
“Well, we would be there already, if we hadn’t had to turn around,” said Mrs. Walker.
“Don’t worry, dear. We should still make it on time,” Mr. Walker said.
Rachel bit her lip. Her mom had lost her glasses, and they’d had to go back home to get her other pair. Then they had run into a lot of traffic. Now they were really running late. What bad luck!
As soon as they pulled into the hotel’s circular driveway, Mrs. Walker jumped out of the car and rushed inside. Mr. Walker opened the trunk and handed each girl her own duffel bag. Then he grabbed the bag that he and Mrs. Walker shared. As he slammed the trunk closed, Rachel thought she saw something flash by in a shimmery glow.
“Did you see that?” Rachel whispered to Kirsty.
Kirsty looked around and shook her head. “No,” she answered.
Rachel frowned. “It was probably nothing.”
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e-ISBN 978-0-545-54941-7
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First Scholastic printing, December 2012
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Florence the Friendship Fairy Page 4
