The Fae Princess (The Pacific Princesses Book 2) by Ektaa Bali (books to improve english .txt) 📗

you’d remember that one,” she said smoothly. “The power to create your own plant? I’ve been wondering which genius King or Queen came up with the Devil’s Fingers.”

Vidya smirked. “And the stink flower. They had a sense of humour, didn’t they?”

“Have you decided what it’ll be?” Lobey asked.

The idea had been creeping in the back of her mind as soon as the Yarama chief had given their noses to the Leaf Master.

Vidya ran her hands through her magenta curls and looked at her palm. Two curly strands of pink hair had come away and were now sitting in her hand. She smiled and walked over to a patch of earth just beyond her mother’s rose bushes. She crouched down and dug a small hole with one hand and lay the hairs in the ground with the other. She covered it back up, whispering exactly what she had in mind into the soil. “Grow,” she sung in a sweet voice. “The Fae Queen commands you to grow exactly as asked.”

She grinned to herself and walked back over to Lobey and the others, patiently waiting for her on the path.

“Well, are you gonna tell us?” said Lobey, frowning at the patch of soil.

“It’s a surprise,” grinned Vidya. “A surprise for Lotus.”

The procession made their way into a back corner of the Fae city. Inside a house built inside a large Blackwood tree, a secret door led into a vast space fitted with a kitchen and many cosy beds. The Fae children sat on tiny tables and stools, eating berries and painting on leaf paper with colourful paints. If the Bunyips beat them in battle, they would have trouble finding the secret house in this tree, keeping everyone safe. Asleep, but safe.

Vidya stood in front of the Fae babies and children, their tiny wings fluttering excitedly as they laid their eyes on her silver tiara. She took it off her head and passed it to Lobey, who stepped around the room, allowing them to touch it gently, one by one. They gasped as Vidya relayed the story of how the Old Ones had made her Queen of the Fae. But at the end, Daisy’s question took her by surprise.

“Are we going to die?”

The backs of Vidya’s eyes burned, and ice pierced her heart. She took a deep breath to steady herself, watching a tiny boy prod her tiara with a fat finger, then giggle. She gave Daisy a small smile. “I’m not going to let that happen. We will fight.”

“But the Fae do not—” she began.

“Fight, I know, little one,” interrupted Vidya. “But we have no choice. The Fae children are allowed to defend ourselves.”

Daisy’s purple wings drooped where she sat, and Vidya’s heart drooped with it.

“In a hundred years’ time, the Fae will tell their kids the story of how the Fae kids saved the realm. They’ll sing songs about us. Of this very day. If you’re frightened or worried tonight, think about that.”

Daisy’s face lit up. Dimples and teeth flashed in eager smiles. ‘Yes’ they nodded. ‘A story about us! That’s so exciting.’

As the older kids left the hidey house, sealing the wooden door behind them, Willow grabbed Vidya’s elbow, and she turned with a frown.

“There’s always a choice, Vidya,” he urged.

“You want me to surrender?” she asked, shocked. “To hand ourselves over. To hand Mahiya, the children over to them?”

“I made a second arrow out of the wood of the Wollemi Pine King,” said Willow, his navy wings twitching anxiously. “We just have to think, there must be some other—”

“I’ve thought and thought and thought, Will,” hissed Vidya. “This is it. If you have any ideas, let me know.” And with that, she turned, spun on her heel, and stomped back up to the castle, fighting tears. Did he think she wanted this? She had no choice. None of them had any choice at all!

When she reached the back door of the castle, Lily burst through, her face ashen with fright.

“Vidya!” she cried. “Hurry! Come and see!”

Vidya and the others behind her ran to the palace entrance. Against the bright blue of the Fae sky, a thick black blob was flying toward them. With a jolt, she realised it was a Bunyip, but just a single one, and holding something brown and round high in the air.

“It’s Pancake!” cried Willow.

With the cry, Vidya ran out past the doors and down the long path. The others cried for her to stop but they remained hidden behind the door. This would be the first time the others had seen a Bunyip in person. Only Willow followed Vidya at a jog, with his bow and an arrow knocked at the ready. As Vidya ran down the path, she could see that dark figures were looming on the other side of the bottomless sky. The two Fae kids guarding the lawn ran to stand behind Vidya.

As the Bunyip began his descent, Vidya could see Pancake’s round form held tightly by the Bunyip’s two claws. But in Pancake’s hands was a small white piece of cloth, and he was waving it at Vidya.

Vidya and Willow came to a halt at the end of the path, warily watching the Bunyip who was baring his sharp yellow teeth.

“It’s a peace flag,” said Willow, surprised. “Are they trying to negotiate?”

The Bunyip touched down meters from the two Fae, and he set Pancake down on the ground. The tiny quokka bolted toward Vidya as fast as he could.

“Oh, Pancake!” Vidya cried, running toward him. They reached each other halfway, and Vidya scooped Pancake up and kissed him all over his face. He smelled a little bad, but she didn’t care.

“Vidya!” Pancake cried, tears rolling down his face. “I thought I was dead!”

“I didn’t think you were,” said Vidya. “But are you okay? Did they hurt you?”

Pancake looked up at Vidya with wet eyes. “Roughed me up a little. Nothing too bad.”

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” muttered Willow from behind them. “But there is a Bunyip on