Myla and Lila looked at each other and nodded.
“We think that’s a fantastic idea,” said Myla.
Rachel and Kirsty couldn’t help but laugh at their reaction.
“Can you read each other’s minds?” asked Kirsty.
“No,” said Lila with a grin. “But we are so close that often we just know what the other is thinking!”
Myla and Lila linked their little fingers and raised their wands at exactly the same time. Then they chanted the spell together:
“To stop Jack Frost
from causing trouble,
make each of us
the goblin’s double!”
A rush of icy wind ruffled the girls’ hair and made them shiver. Then their ears became pointy, their noses began to grow, and their skin turned a pale shade of green. Within a few seconds, they all looked exactly the same as the goblin in the clearing.
“Let me go first,” said Rachel. “I’m going to annoy him by copying everything he does.”
She crept closer to the goblin and waited until he was looking down. Then she moved right in front of him. The goblin stood up and then jumped. Rachel jumped, too.
“That’s funny,” he said to himself. “I don’t remember seeing a mirror here before.”
He moved his arms, and Rachel copied everything he did. Then Kirsty ran into the clearing and started to do a wild dance.
“Another mirror.” The goblin gasped. “But this one’s making me look silly! Stop it! I would never dance like that!”
Lila did a somersault into the clearing and then jumped up and made the craziest face she could manage.
“EEK!” squealed the goblin. “I don’t do somersaults, and I don’t look like that! I’m tall, green, and handsome! Take these mirrors away! I don’t like them!”
He started to back away, but he bumped into Myla.
“BOO!” she said when he turned around in surprise.
“Help!” squealed the goblin, waving his hands in the air.
All four copies started waving their hands in the air, too, and shouting “Help! Help!” just like him. Finally, the goblin flung the pendant down on the ground and kicked it away from him.
“I’ve had enough of this terrible twin magic!” he howled. “I’m leaving!”
With a final squeal of alarm, he ran back into the forest. Lila and Myla swished their wands and turned them all back into fairies. Then Lila fluttered down, picked up her half of the pendant, and fastened it around her neck.
“Hooray!” cheered Myla, hugging her twin. “Now Jack Frost can’t make any more copies of himself.”
Rachel and Kirsty clapped, and then they all held hands and danced into the air, twirling around in a glimmering fairy circle. It was lots of fun, but when they floated to the ground again, Lila looked serious.
“It’s wonderful that we got my pendant back, but we still need Myla’s half and the Gemini ring to be able to help twins again,” she said.
“Then we have to keep looking,” said Rachel in a determined voice. “Don’t worry, Myla. We’ll find your pendant and stop Jack Frost’s plans. I know we will!”
Myla looked hopefully at Rachel and Kirsty. “Thanks for your help, girls. I really need my pendant back!”
“We have to stop Jack Frost from causing any more problems,” said Kirsty.
“He’ll be planning all kinds of trouble now that he has his own twin,” Rachel added solemnly.
With a determined nod, Lila zoomed up through the dense trees.
“Come on!” she called over her shoulder. “If we go back to the Ice Castle, we might find a clue to where he’s hidden our other magic objects!”
The castle turrets were topped with snow, and gray clouds hovered overhead. But when the friends reached the courtyard, the huge crowd of goblins had disappeared. There were just a few goblin guards leaning against the courtyard wall, arguing. The fairies fluttered together and Rachel pointed to an opening on one side of the courtyard. A guard was standing next to it, yawning.
“That’s the way to the throne room,” Rachel whispered. “I remember from when we were here before.”
“But how are we going to get past the guard?” asked Kirsty.
“I have an idea,” said Lila with a twinkle in her eyes. “He looks a little sleepy, don’t you think?”
Myla giggled and raised her wand.
“Sometimes it really does seem like Lila and I can read each other’s minds,” she told the girls.
She waved her wand and cast a silent spell. A little stream of shimmering fairy dust coiled out of her wand and wound around the goblin guard’s head. He yawned and then slid down the wall, fast asleep. Rachel and Kirsty had to put their hands over their mouths to stifle their giggles!
“Lead the way to the throne room,” Lila whispered to them. “We have to find Jack Frost.”
Rachel and Kirsty zoomed into the dark entrance, followed by Lila and Myla. They fluttered through a maze of damp, smelly corridors, hearing only the steady drip of water.
At last they reached the door of the throne room. It was slightly ajar, and someone inside was shouting loudly.
“That’s Jack Frost,” Kirsty whispered.
“That’s all wrong!” he bellowed. “You’ll be in detention for a month if you don’t get this right! Now, you have one more chance. What do you do when you see a fairy?”
“Ask them if they’d like a cup of tea?” suggested a friendly voice.
“If you see a fairy, you steal her magic objects!” Jack Frost roared. “Repeat after me:
When you and I rule Fairyland,
all pesky fairies will be banned!”
Myla beckoned to the others and slipped through the opening into the throne room. Lila was close behind her, followed by Rachel and Kirsty. A wooden chair stood next to the door, and each of them hid behind one of its legs. Then they gazed around in amazement.
The throne room had been decorated to look like a classroom. There was a large desk in front of the throne, and Jack Frost was wearing a cap and gown. Jimmy Thaw sat at a small desk facing the throne. The goblins sat in neat rows on the floor behind him.
“What’s so bad about fairies?” asked Jimmy Thaw.
Jack Frost thumped the desk in front of him, and his cap slipped to one side.
“We’re not leaving this room until you agree to help me take over Fairyland!” he shouted.
The goblins started to complain.
“I’m hungry!” squawked one.
“The floor’s too hard!” cried another.
Jimmy Thaw turned to look at them. “Poor things,” he said. “Let’s stop for a snack and find some cushions for them to sit on.”
The goblins gazed at him with adoring eyes, but Jack Frost turned purple with fury.
“No snacks!” he shouted. “No cushions!”
Lila turned to the others, her eyes sparkling with fun.
“It looks like Jack Frost isn’t enjoying having a twin as much as he expected!” she whispered.
Jack Frost took a deep breath.
“Listen,” he said, “You’re not here to talk about cushions.”
“Of course not,” said Jimmy Thaw in a polite voice. “I’m glad to hear you say that, because there are a few other things I’d like to talk about.”
“Yes,” said Jack Frost, rubbing his hands together and snickering. “There’s lots of plotting and planning to be done.”
“I’m good at planning,” said Jimmy Thaw. “First, I think the whole castle needs a coat of paint. We should turn on the heat, too—it’s a little chilly.”
Jack Frost’s mouth dropped open, but his twin didn’t seem to notice.
“I’d also like to talk about raises for the goblins,” Jimmy Frost continued.
The goblins shuffled closer and closer to Jimmy Thaw. One very small goblin sat on his foot.
“I love you,” whispered the little goblin.
Jimmy Thaw patted him on the head and Jack Frost scowled, pulling at som
ething around his neck.
“I’m his twin,” the fairies heard Jack Frost mutter. “He should like me the best.”
“I think he’s jealous,” said Rachel.
“Look!” whispered Kirsty. “He’s taking off something from his neck.”
Myla gasped in excitement.
“It’s my half of the pendant!” she said.
Jack Frost held up the pendant and then put it around Jimmy Thaw’s neck.
“This is a present for you,” he said. “But you can never take it off, and must always keep it safe from the fairies.”
“Thank you very much!” said Jimmy Thaw.
Kirsty turned to the others.
“This is our chance,” she whispered. “Jimmy Thaw seems really nice. If we explain to him that the pendant is stolen, maybe he will return it.”
Rachel, Lila, and Myla nodded, but then Jack Frost spoke again.
“We’ll continue your meanness lessons later,” he said with a scowl. “Goblins, look after my twin and give him whatever he wants, OR ELSE!”
“He’s coming this way!” Myla squeaked excitedly.
As Jack Frost strode past the fairies’ hiding place, his flowing cloak caught Rachel’s wings and knocked her down. She tumbled out from under the chair—right into the middle of the room!
Luckily, no one seemed to see her. The goblins were all gazing at Jimmy Thaw, and he was looking at the pendant around his neck. Rachel was safe. She zoomed into the air, and the others flew up to join her.
“How are we going to talk to Jimmy Thaw in private?” asked Myla. “Those goblins don’t want to leave his side!”
They all peered down at the group below them. They had to come up with a plan—fast!
Just then, Jimmy Thaw stood up and yawned.
“I’m tired,” he said. “I think I’ll go to my room for a little snooze.”
The fairies looked around at one another hopefully.
“Maybe this could be our chance,” Lila whispered.
But the goblins stood up, too.
“We’ll come with you,” said the smallest goblin.
The procession set off though the castle. There were two goblins walking ahead of Jimmy Thaw, two next to him, and two behind him. The fairies fluttered along above their heads, trying to think of a way to speak to Jimmy Thaw alone.
After they followed the procession along three corridors and up two flights of stairs, Lila groaned.
“This is impossible!” she said. “The goblins are never going to leave him alone.”
“Maybe we can tempt them away from him somehow,” said Rachel.
“Good thinking, Rachel,” said Myla. “I’ve got an idea!”
She waved her wand, and two green yo-yos rolled out of the shadows toward the last goblins in the procession. They stopped and picked them up.
“I’m fantastic at yo-yoing,” said one.
“Not as good as me!” said the other.
Glaring at each other, the goblins started a yo-yo competition. They forgot all about following the others.
“That was great, Myla,” said Kirsty with a giggle.
“Watch this!” said Lila.
She waved her wand, and two delicious-smelling pastries appeared on a plate at the edge of the corridor. Lila sent the smell drifting toward the two goblins next to Jimmy Thaw in the procession. They stopped and sniffed the air.
“What’s that?” whispered one.
“Look!” said the other, pointing at the pastries. “Yummy!”
They scurried over to the pastries and started to gobble them up.
“Four down, two to go,” said Rachel. “What should we try next?”
“Lila, could you make me sound like Jack Frost?” Kirsty suggested. “I have an idea.”
Lila winked and waved her wand. “Did it work?” she asked.
“How do I sound?” whispered Kirsty.
The others giggled.
“You sound exactly like Jack Frost!” said Lila.
“Except we’re not used to hearing Jack Frost whisper,” Rachel added.
Kirsty grinned and fluttered down until she was flying along next to the ear of one of the goblins. It was so dark in the corridor that he didn’t see her.
“You, goblin!” she said in Jack Frost’s voice. “Get back to the throne room and polish my desk!”
The goblin jumped and scurried back toward the throne room. Kirsty flew back to join the others, smiling, and Lila returned her voice to normal. Jimmy Thaw and his goblin companion walked straight ahead to the door of a turret bedroom.
“This is my room,” said Jimmy Thaw. “Time for a little nap.”
The fairies followed Jimmy Thaw and the goblin into the bedroom. Jimmy Thaw sat on the end of the bed, and Myla groaned. The goblin wasn’t going to leave him alone!
“Can you girls try to distract the goblin so we can talk to Jimmy Thaw?” asked Lila.
“We’ll do our best!” whispered Rachel.
While Jimmy Thaw stretched and plumped up his pillows, the goblin yawned and sank into an uncomfortable-looking chair next to the window. Rachel and Kirsty hid in a fold of the curtain behind him.
“He’s not taking his eyes off Jimmy Thaw,” said Rachel.
“Do you remember the sleeping spell that Myla cast earlier?” Kirsty whispered. “Maybe we could try that.”
“But we can’t do magic,” said Rachel.
“No,” agreed Kirsty, “but maybe he’ll drop off to sleep if we sing him a lullaby!”
From behind the curtain, the girls began to sing in soft voices. The goblin’s eyelids drooped, flickered, and drooped again. Rachel and Kirsty kept singing, and at last the goblin’s eyes closed.
“He’s asleep!” said Rachel.
Together with Lila and Myla, they fluttered out in front of Jimmy Thaw, who was just settling back onto his pillows.
“Why, hello!” he exclaimed. “Are you fairies?”
“Yes,” said Lila. “We’re the Twins Fairies, and these are our friends Rachel and Kirsty. We’ve come to ask you to return something that belongs to us.”
Quickly, the fairies told Jimmy Thaw how Jack Frost had stolen their magic objects. Jimmy Thaw’s eyes opened very wide and he touched the pendant around his neck.
“You’re saying that this necklace is stolen?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Rachel. “It belongs to Myla. Lila has the other half—look.”
Lila showed him her half of the pendant.
“Well, if this belongs to you, then of course you can have it back,” he said at once. “But I think there must be some sort of misunderstanding. I can’t believe my twin would take something that didn’t belong to him.”
“He’s done it before, and so have his goblins,” said Kirsty.
“There’s only one thing we can do,” said Jimmy Thaw, standing up. “We’re going to find Jack and ask him for an explanation!”
“Please don’t go to Jack Frost!” cried Rachel. “He can’t know we’re here!”
“He’ll try to capture us!” said Myla.
“No, no,” said Jimmy Thaw, waving his hand. “He’s just joking when he says things like that. Don’t worry, we’ll soon get this cleared up and then we’ll all have a nice cup of hot cocoa.”
He marched out of the room, and the fairies darted after him. They sped through the corridors and down the stairs, pleading with him to stop. But when he reached the throne room door, he pushed it open and strode inside.
Jack Frost was sitting on his throne, but he jumped to his feet when he saw his twin and the fairies.
“What’s going on?” he bellowed.
“There seems to have been a little mix-up,” said Jimmy Thaw. “These fairies say that the pendant you gave me belongs to them. I’m sure you can explain everything.”
Jack Frost clenched his fists. “Of course I can explain!” he yelled. “I took it, so it’s MINE!”
Jimmy Thaw stared at him in shock.
“But stealing is wrong,” he sa
id.
He took the pendant from around his neck and held it out to Myla. Jack Frost let out a howl of anger as Myla took it and placed it around her neck.
“You might have it now, but you won’t keep it!” said Jack Frost, glaring at the fairies. “Goblins, don’t let any of them out of this room!”
Myla looked over at her twin in alarm. How were they going to get home?
Some of the goblins raced across the room to block the doorway, while others leaped into the air to try to catch the fairies. Rachel, Kirsty, Lila, and Myla fluttered out of their reach.
“Try the windows!” called Lila.
They zoomed around the room, but all the windows were closed. Fluttering above the goblins’ grasping hands, they looked at each other, worried.
“We can’t get out,” said Rachel. “What are we going to do?”
Jack Frost looked up at them, and a mean smile spread across his face.
“I’ll make you a deal,” he said. “I’ll let you go if you give me the pendant.”
“Never!” squeaked Myla.
“No way!” added her twin, folding her arms across her chest.
“Then you’ll never leave my throne room!” Jack Frost yelled. “Goblins, get that pendant!”
The goblins climbed on each other’s shoulders, creating living ladders that swayed across the room. The fairies were forced to press themselves against the ceiling, but the goblins just kept climbing and making more ladders. The room was filling up with them.
“There’s no escape!” cried Kirsty.
“Goblins,” said a gentle voice. “Dear goblins, please listen to me.”
Lila and Myla the Twins Fairies Page 2
