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

Vidya. “But this time, it’s because we’re gong to win this thing. Do you have any oil left, Lily?”

The orange-haired girl reached into her pocket. “Just a little.”

“That’ll do.”

Vidya pocketed the tiny jar. “Let’s go.” She raced to the door as Lobey beckoned one of the trees to unlock it.

“I’ll send out Timmy first as a distraction,” said Lobey, pointing to the fat tree. “We’ll shoot from behind you.”

Vidya nodded, realising that if anyone had told her, a week ago, that she would entrust Lobey with her life multiple times, she would have burst out with laughter.

Timmy pushed the door open and ran out. The waiting Bunyips roared when they saw him, and Vidya and Willow followed, bows at the ready, shooting out blindly in front of them. There were three Bunyips.

Arrows whizzed past Vidya’s ear as Lobey, Lilly, and the others shot at the Bunyips. Two were down, and the third followed Vidya as she darted past the others, blinded by stink sap, out and up the path toward the city. She would have to run the length of the city, she realised, and risk exposing the secret hiding spot where the others lay. They would have to make sure they were not followed.

Vidya ran through the path, down the line of tree houses, shooting in front of her, arrows whizzing past her ear as Willow shot Bunyip after Bunyip. His aim was impeccable, but he was tired, and missing some at times. They used their wings to speed run through the city. Lobey, Lily, and the others followed, shooting this way and that.

Soon enough, they approached the end of the city where the hiding place was, right on the edge of the cloud the city rested on, near the fall to the Bottomless Sky. A swarm of Bunyips roamed the area.

“Vidya!” screamed Lobey from behind them.

“Shoot!” cried Vidya, releasing arrow upon arrow.

“I’ll distract them!” cried Lobey. “Hey, losers!” she called. “I’m the Queen of the Fae! Come and get me!” She waved at them, and the Bunyips charged at her and Lily, who screamed and shot wildly.

“Cover me, Willow!” hissed Vidya as she shot a Bunyip in the face and ducked behind him as he roared as the stink sap blinded him. They shot and ducked, scooting through the trees to the tree which held the door. Glancing behind her and seeing that Lobey had led the Bunyips away, she tapped on the door, and it glowed yellow before opening. She stepped inside and indicated Willow to stay and scout outside. He flew up to the lowest branch, crouch low, arrow knocked at the ready.

Sleepy faces met Vidya as she stepped into the room. There was a stifled cry as Toad, Luna and Pancake ran into Vidya.

“Is it over?” Toad asked, eyes shining. Baby Mahiya was in her arms.

Vidya shook her head and put her finger to her lips. “I don’t have time to explain, but I need to collect fire from Mahiya.” She brought out the glass jar with the oil. “A single spark should do it.”

Toad frowned but looked at Mahiya. “I mean… she’s been a little gassy.”

“Perfect,” Vidya grabbed Mahiya, and the little girl squirmed in her bundle, squealing in discomfort.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” whispered Vidya. “Please, Mahi, give me some fire.” She lay Mahiya down in a cot and unwrapped her. “Come on, little one, get uncomfortable. Give me a spark.” She held the open jar at the ready, and just as Mahi gave an almighty squeal from being put down, sparks erupted from her hands and mouth. Vidya clapped the lid of the jar down on top of one and squinted at the closed jar. The oil lit up, a powerful purple-orange fire.

“Woah!” exclaimed Luna and Toad.

“Gotta go!” cried Vidya, hastily bundling Mahiya back up and shoving her into Toad’s arms. She patted Pancake on the head and rushed back to the door, cracking it open and whistling. Willow jumped down and pulled the door open.

“It’s clear,” he said, and together, they shut the door and ran back down the path. “I hope Lobey’s okay,” he panted as they raced back through the city. They shot two Bunyips on the way back before they saw Lobey in the distance, racing up to the palace as a gang of Bunyips followed her.

“No time to help them,” Vidya said. “We have to do this now.”

“Agreed,” said Willow. “Once your father and the adults wake up, we’ll have triple the amount of Fae to help fight.”

They half flew half ran up the path to the palace and shot up to the roof where their night had started.

Willow and Vidya ran to the edge of the roof palace, looking at the pale glow of the Flower of Awakening sitting in front of the trees.

“How are we going to create a light bright enough?” asked Willow hurriedly, glancing behind them.

Vidya licked her lips. It was risky, but it was the best idea they had.

“It’ll take both of us, Will,” said Vidya. “I have a little oil left from the western marshes. I’m shooting the Wollemi arrow lit with Mahiya’s fire. And you’re going to take an arrow with a balloon filled with oil. We’re each going to shoot an arrow, and they’ll meet in the sky, creating the explosion.”

Willow looked at her in surprise. “But, Vidya, the odds of us getting that right are…”

“Slim, I know. Let’s go.”

“We only have the one shot.”

“I know.”

Willow emptied a stink sap bulb of its contents, and Vidya dribbled some oil into the empty bulb. Willow carefully tied it back up.

They flew into the dark sky and crossed the gap toward the Fae forest. Two black blurs shot out of the forest, and before Vidya could react, Willow had shot two arrows, Vidya watched as two Bunyips went tumbling down into the Bottomless Sky.

“Should’ve known they’d keep a guard,” he called.

They were tired and making mistakes now. It was lucky Willow was fast.

“Thanks, Will,” was all she could say.

She glanced down at