Chapter 6
"I have an idea for a dust that could save Queen Clarion," Zarina told her friends. Tinker Bell, Rosetta, Silvermist, Iridessa, Vidia, Fawn, Clank, Bobble, and Terence were gathered around her on the small island in the middle of Havendish Stream. She had an empty satchel slung over one shoulder.
"Zarina, that's the best news we've heard all day," said Tink as the others cheered.
"But I'm going to need your help," she continued once everyone had quieted.
"Whatever it takes, Sugar," said Rosetta.
"Good." She told them the ingredients.
"The rainbow's an easy one," said Iridessa. "Come on, Sil." She rose into the air and grabbed hold of a ray of sunlight. Silvermist gathered a ball of water from the river into her arms. She flung this upward, shattering it into a fine mist. As Iridessa trailed the sun-ray through the water droplets, it burst into vivid iridescent colors. Everyone gasped.
Iridessa tore off a piece of the rainbow as if it were fine gauze, and placed it into Zarina's satchel.
"That's one," said Zarina, feeling a twinge of triumph. "But does anyone have any ideas on how to get the others?"
"Mermaids live underwater," said Silvermist. "But even we Water fairies can't swim."
"Yeah, but don't they come to the surface to sun themselves?" said Fawn.
"Let's head off to Mermaid Lagoon and see if we can find any," said Vidia. She took off, her long black hair trailing behind.
"You guys go on ahead," said Tink. "Clank, Bobble, and I will start working on the contraption to catch a neverbird."
"We've never built something like that before," Clank whispered, twisting his hands. "What if—"
"Quiet, worrywart!" Bobble elbowed him in the side. "We've got to. Queen Clarion's life depends on it."
"Don't worry," Tink said to Zarina with a forced smile. "We've got it under control. It'll be ready by the time you get back."
Zarina glanced toward the sun as she and the others sped above the trees to Mermaid Lagoon. The sun had shifted to late afternoon. Kyto's warning that Queen Clarion wouldn't make it past sunset stabbed at her mind. Was she asking her friends to do the impossible?
Vidia had already arrived and stood on the sandy shore. They landed beside her. Tiny waves lapped the white sand. "What took you guys so long?" Before anyone could answer, she pointed to the middle of the Lagoon.
A solitary mermaid knelt on a large rock. Zarina stared. She had only seen mermaids from a distance and never paid them much attention. The creature's silvery-white skin held a subtle glow like moonlight and her long hair was the same deep blue as the Lagoon. She preened as she gazed down at her reflection against the glass-smooth water.
"What do we do now?" said Iridessa. "Can we just go up and ask her?"
"No," said Silvermist. "Mermaids are really vain." She shyly pushed a lock of shiny black hair behind one pointed ear. "They refuse to talk to anyone, except other mermaids. The only way we can get their attention is by giving them compliments." Zarina gazed at her in surprise. Silvermist usually blurted out silly remarks but she seemed to know a lot about mermaids. Well, she was a Water talent after all.
"So y'all tell her how beautiful she is," said Rosetta, waving a pair of clippers, "while I sneak up behind and cut off a lock of her hair?" She shuddered at the suggestion and patted her own hair.
"Don't look at me," said Fawn. "My specialty is furry and feathered critters, not mermaids. Sil?"
"I may be a Water fairy but I don't think she'll talk to me. But maybe…" She looked at Terence.
"Me?" He ran a hand through his tousled blond hair.
"Yes, you." Zarina grabbed his arm and tugged him forward. "Go ahead. Pretend she's Tink."
"Tink…?" A red flush dappled his cheeks. "How do—?"
"Everyone knows how you feel about her, Terence." Zarina grinned and gave him a slight push. "Now go on. Give it all you've got."
"You distract the mermaid, Sweetpea," Rosetta said, pulling him into the air behind her. "And I'll do my part."
Terence took off his acorn cap and fiddled with it as he landed beside the mermaid. He was so tiny next to her. She didn't see him and continued running her fingers through her hair.
Terence cleared his throat. "Hello…ma'am." His voice was soft, nervous. Zarina could see, even at a distance, that his face still had a ruddy hue. "I just wanted to say that you're the most beautiful mermaid I've ever seen."
She lowered her hand and blinked down at him. A smile crept across her flawless face. "Really?" Her voice was a high-pitched squeal.
"It's working!" gasped Fawn as Rosetta fluttered behind the mermaid's head and reached for a lock of her hair.
The mermaid moved, sliding down onto her belly to be eye-level with Terence, and cupped her chin in her hands. She waved her shimmering blue tail, whacking Rosetta.
Zarina and the others gasped as the Garden fairy tumbled through the air but quickly righted herself. She gave them a thumbs-up with her free hand and fluttered back toward the mermaid.
"That was close!" breathed Iridessa.
"You're more beautiful than a…" Terence continued, still fidgeting with his cap, "than the finest pearl, than a sunset." A bright pink glow tinged the mermaid's cheeks.
Rosetta grabbed a lock of her hair and snipped. "I got it!" she called as the mermaid jolted back. "Oops!"
"My beautiful hair!" the mermaid howled as she tugged at her remaining locks. "What have you done? It's ruined." She splashed water at Rosetta and Terence. They slipped away just in time.
"Here you go." Rosetta handed the deep blue lock of hair to Zarina. "Now let's get out of here!"
By the time they made it back to Havendish Stream, Tink, Clank, and Bobble were putting the finishing touches on the neverbird trapper. It was a large cage, made of metal tubes, wires, and a fishing net. An enormous balloon woven from dandelion fluff was tethered to it.
"Nice job," said Zarina, admiring their handiwork. "Now we just have to find a neverbird."
"Leave it to me," said Vidia, dashing skyward. "I know where they live. I'll get one to chase me. Just have that contraption ready." She sped off.
They sprinkled the balloon with pixie dust and dragged it into the air. "I'll talk to the bird," said Fawn. "Comfort it while someone plucks a feather. Neverbirds don't do well caged up."
"We'll let it go once we have the feather," said Tink.
The air was shattered by a piercing scream. A blur of purple and black dashed toward them, followed by a colorful, human-sized bird. "Hurry!" yelled Vidia.
Tink and Bobble maneuvered the cage directly into the neverbird's path as Clank held the hinged door open. He slammed it shut as the bird was captured. It was almost too big for the enclosure, the netting pressing into its downy sides.
The neverbird was beautiful, each feather a different color. It had a curved beak, golden eyes, and curling tail feathers that rippled like a veil in the breeze.
The creature briefly reminded Zarina of Kyto, trapped. At least this was temporary for the bird.
Fawn gingerly stroked its head. "You'll be fine. We'll let you go in a second, if you promise not to eat us." The bird tipped its head in a slight nod. "We just need something from you."
The neverbird squawked as Tink yanked a bright yellow feather from its tail.
"Good boy," Fawn crooned. "You did well. Now we'll let you go." She looked at Clank. His hand was on the latch. "You'll remember your promise, right?"
The neverbird nodded. Clank released it. It shot away at a rapid speed, disappearing into the clouds.
"We did it!" Tink shouted, spinning in a circle and waving the feather. She handed it to Zarina. Everyone cheered. "Now you can make the dust to save Queen Clarion."
Twilight spilled a rich golden glow all over Pixie Hollow by the time they returned. Anxiety filled Zarina but she struggled not to let it show. Everyone crowded into her cottage and watched as she cut up the rainbow shred, mermaid hair, and feather, and added them to the gold dust in an acorn bowl. She stirred the mixture then used a pair of tweezers to pick up a grain of incandescent blue dust. "Here we go." She bit her lip as she dropped the speck in. The others waited, breathless.
Like a pebble dropped into a pond, a ripple of blinding colors transformed the gold dust. The intense glow filled Zarina's cottage with rainbow light.
"You did it!" Tink gave Zarina a firm hug as everyone shouted with joy.
"We have to hurry." Zarina poured the life-giving dust into the satchel and headed for the door. "There isn't much time."
The sun was a huge ball of orange as they flew toward the Pixie Dust Tree. Fear tightened Zarina's throat. What if they were they too late?