“Well, first of all, you remember what happened between you and Edie when Michael moved here. That should tell you why Edie doesn’t want to talk about it,” Joneé said gently. She paused to make sure Abbie understood.

  “Now in my opinion, I don’t think we know very much about Jay. And I think he has a lot of things going on right now. So, I’m going to have to say that I agree with Edie on this. Don’t do anything. Let him get settled in and let us get to know him more,” Joneé advised.

  “That’s exactly what Edie said,” Abbie told the wise sprite. “You two usually know best. I’ll listen to your advice.”

  “Ok, Abbie,” Joneé said. “Is there anything else on your mind? You know you can always come to talk to me about anything.”

  “Thanks, Joneé,” Abbie said as she hugged her friend. “I’m going home now. Thank you for your advice.”

  “Any time,” Joneé said as she showed Abbie out the door.

  Abbie felt lighter but heavier at the same time with the advice. She knew that she trusted the advice of her friends, but she felt confused at the same time.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Wedding Plans

  While Max and Katherine continued to lead scouting expeditions to try to find the other missing sprites, the sprites left in the Ashcroft Forest were preparing for Joneé and Brendon’s wedding.

  Joneé planned the wedding for the next week. Edie and Abbie were so glad the Brendon and Joneé had waited for them to come home before having their wedding. Edie helped Wendy and Peyton sew the dresses for the wedding. Abbie and Joe worked on preparations for the cake. Abbie would bake the actual one the day before the wedding. Catey helped Trista decide which flowers they would use.

  Max and Katherine returned from their search the day before the wedding. They were exhausted and dejected from searching and not finding anything, so they were ready for a few days of resting and celebrating.

  Abbie and Joe spent the whole day before the wedding making the cake. They baked each layer of the cake carefully from a recipe Jordi had snuck them for the fairy cakes Edie had enjoyed so much while they were with the fairies. The layers were light and airy. The icing Joe helped her with was just as light and sweet. The morning of the wedding, she piped little purple flowers all over the cake. Joe did the honor of taking the cake to the clearing for the wedding.

  Abbie went to Edie’s house to get dressed and ready for the wedding. Abbie put on her purple off the shoulder dress. The top was form-fitting, while the bottom was free-flowing down past her knees. The dress dipped down in the back to accommodate her wings. It was decorated with what looked like little purple flowers around the waist. Edie had on a dark blue dress that laced up the back just under her wings. The bodice cinched at the waist with a thick blue ribbon, and then hung down in thin layers that came to her ankles. Abbie could not wait to see Joneé’s finished dress.

  Then they went to Wendy’s house to get their hair done. Wendy put Edie’s hair into a simple braid that she wrapped around the base of her head. Wendy did Abbie’s hair in a small braid on each side of her head that she brought together into a ponytail in the back. Wendy did curls on the wisps of hair that hung down and framed her face. Abbie then wove some flowers into her braids.

  As soon as they were done, they headed to the clearing to make sure that things were set up. Wooden stools had been set up for guests. Wooden lanterns had been hung in the trees surrounding the clearing. Edie helped Catey and Trista finish putting the flowers and greenery into the arch for the couple to get married under. Abbie made sure that the cake and food was set up for after the ceremony. Joe would be the lookout for the evening. His job was to make sure that no unexpected guests, like Amirnov, showed up to ruin the festivities. Having guards for their events was just one of the solutions the sprites had come up with for guarding against Amirnov.

  Michael and Jay arrived just before Brendon. They both talked to him to make sure that he was calm before the ceremony. The sprites of the Ashcroft Forest and the Dixon Glade began to assemble in the small clearing. As the sun drew close to setting, Edie, Catey, and Abbie lit the lanterns hanging in the trees. This would signal Joneé that it was time to begin.

  As Edie lit the last lantern, Abbie looked over and saw that Queen Sharon from Holli Lake had arrived and was standing out of sight of most of the sprites at the side of the clearing with two fairy guards on either of her sides. She clearly wanted to attend the ceremony but did not want to draw attention to herself. She was dressed in a grey-ish brown dress than helped her blend with the shadows and the trees. The fitted bodice and flowing skirt that covered her feet had beaded cattails and birds on them. Abbie caught Queen Sharon’s eye and curtseyed as best as she could in the air. Queen Sharon nodded her head knowingly and turned back to the arch. Abbie would never forget how grateful she felt for Queen Sharon’s help in healing Edie and the other sprites of the Ashcroft Forest.

  Abbie saw the gathered sprites begin to nudge each other and stand. She looked to the back of the clearing. She saw Joneé standing there, arrayed like royalty. She was wearing a white gown with purple roses scattered around the trim. The rose stems wound together like a vine and intertwined across the front and back of the dress. The very bottom of the dress, which came just above her ankles, was netting that held the rose petals. Her feet were in slippers that molded to her feet. Her hair was pulled back and hung down from it in a bunch at the back of her head in ringlets. She was holding a bouquet of live purple roses.

  Muzuru walked in front of Joneé. He held a small basket full of petals in his mouth. He used his trunk to scatter them down the aisle as they walked down to the front.

  Abbie looked to the top of aisle and saw the smile stretching Brendon’s face. She smiled to herself and found a spot to stand next to Edie. When Muzuru reached the top of the aisle, he set the basket down and went to sit in Michael’s lap. Kirby officiated the ceremony. He motioned for all assembled to sit. Abbie was so wrapped up in the moving scene in front of her that she did not realize that Jay had taken the seat next to her until he gently grabbed her hand.

  She looked down at their hands for a moment, then up at his face. He was watching the ceremony intently, but he acknowledged her look by giving her hand a squeeze. She returned to the scene in front of her. Kirby asked Joneé if she would love, take care of, and stand beside Brendon. Abbie sighed happily as Joneé agreed. Kirby asked the same of Brendon. Brendon agreed.

  “Joneé, do you take Brendon to be your husband?” Kirby asked her.

  “I do,” Abbie murmured along with Joneé. She immediately froze and felt her eyes swell. She felt her face blush in embarrassment. She closed her eyes tight and tried not to look over at Jay who still held her hand. She felt him looking at her, but he immediately looked away when he saw her gaze coming toward him.

  He heard me.

  Abbie tried to make the heat from her cheeks dissipate. She ran her hand over her cheek.

  “Do you, Brendon, take Joneé to be your wife?” Kirby asked.

  “I do,” Abbie thought she heard Jay whisper along with Brendon.

  Kirby turned around to the assembled sprites and guests. “It is my honor to introduce to you Brendon and Joneé.” He turned to the two of them. “You may now seal your union with a kiss.”

  The two kissed passionately, and Abbie could feel the heat returning to her cheeks. She rubbed her cheek absently with her free hand. Abbie could see Kirby beaming behind the couple as he motioned for them to walk back down the aisle to where the spread of food lay waiting.

  Abbie turned to look to where Queen Sharon had been standing. She let go of Jay’s hand. The queen made eye contact with Abbie, gave a deep nod, and then said something to the guards who were with her. Then they quietly backed into the trees and were indistinguishable a few seconds later.

  “Abbie, come on!” Edie called, grabbing her hand, and rousing her from her reflections about their time at Holli Lake. Abbie shrugged over her shoulder at Jay and allowed Edie to pull her toward the table filled with the finest refreshments the Ashcroft Forest could muster.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Reception

  Abbie felt wrapped up in her thoughts as she absently filled her plate with treats from the reception table. She had tried to put aside all of her thoughts about Jay after her talk with Joneé. But the ceremony had only brought everything to the forefront.

  “Can I get you something to drink, Abbie?” Michael asked, putting a hand on Abbie’s elbow. She turned toward him, and he flashed a smile that made her excited and calm at the same time.

  Abbie nodded. “I’d love something too,” Edie interjected.

  Abbie noticed a twitch in Michael’s face that she didn’t quite understand. “Of course, I’d love to,” Michael replied.

  He started to walk away but turned back to Abbie and Edie. “Muzuru is off with James and Jaclyn,” he told the two. Abbie nodded, having momentarily forgotten to be concerned about his whereabouts.

  Abbie seated herself at one of the tables they had set up for the reception. Edie came and garnered the seat next to her. They scanned the room in silence while enjoying some of their delicious treats. There were smoked vegetable skewers; a salad of mixed leaves, berries, and nuts; a pasta salad with sundried tomatoes and spinach; ratatouille; pesto stuffed mushrooms; and fairy cakes from the fairies at Holli Lake. Abbie had also seen fresh strawberry and blueberry sorbet. She hoped there was some left when she finished eating.

  “Ah, I see you found the fairy cakes,” Jay teased as he seated himself on Abbie’s other side.

  Abbie giggled. “Did you get something to drink?” Jay asked, rising as he asked the question.

  “I got something for me, Abbie, and Edie,” Michael said behind Jay. He was juggling three ornate cups decorated with flowers on the handles. He set one down for Abbie and Edie each, and then one for himself. Abbie thought she saw him frown slightly as he took the last chair at the table, directly across from her.

  “How thoughtful of you, Michael,” Jay said with a smile. “Let me go get a glass for myself.”

  Michael smiled at his friend as he walked off. “Thank you, Michael,” Abbie said lifting her glass. She sipped the sweet, warm fruity tea.

  “Yes, thank you,” Edie offered to Michael with her mouth full of fairy cake. Tiny crumbs flew from her lips at the three small words. Abbie and Michael giggled at this.

  Jay returned to the table with two dishes of strawberry sorbet and a glass of tea. “Two, Jay?” Michael teased.

  “Not both for me,” Jay responded. He slid one of the delicate bowls toward Abbie. “I got one for Abbie.”

  Abbie’s cheeks grew warm as she felt the gaze of the other three sprites at the table. “How did you know I wanted some? Specifically, the strawberry one?” she asked.

  “Lucky guess,” Jay said with a shrug. He took a bite of his own sorbet with a smile.

  “Uh huh,” Edie said with a cough.

  “Look at Max’s shoes,” Michael said, pulling everyone’s attention away. Max’s shoes looked iridescent like a butterfly’s wings in the light. Abbie wondered what material his shoes had been made of to give that effect.

  “He always has had interesting footwear,” Jay said with a laugh.

  Joneé and Brendon then came to the clearing. All of the sprites gathered around them to congratulate them.

  “Abbie, can I talk to you for a moment?” Edie said close to her friend’s ear.

  “Sure, Edie,” Abbie said following her friend away from the gathered group.

  Abbie followed her friend over to the rock that she realized was the same one where Edie had been stung by the cursed sprite several months ago. She hadn’t been there when it happened, but she had heard the story recounted enough.

  Edie took both of Abbie’s hands. “Abbie,” she began. “I’m sorry for being so brusque the other day when you asked me about Jay.”

  Abbie opened her mouth to respond, but Edie held up a hand. “No, seriously,” she said. “I just don’t want to see you hurt. But I also don’t want to lose you as a friend.”

  Abbie nodded. “Well, that was easier to say than I thought,” Edie said with a laugh. “Let’s get back to the reception,” she said offering Abbie a hand to stand up.

  The two sprites returned to the celebration. In true sprite fashion, the festivities lasted long into the night. Max, Katherine, and their fellow travel party left before everyone was done. Abbie knew that they would be leaving early in the morning to return to their search for the missing sprites of the Dixon Glade.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Journey

  Abbie woke early the next morning. She was tired from having stayed up late into the morning, but she wanted to go with Katherine and Max’s search party. She had a good feeling about this outing, and she wanted to help any way she could. Abbie felt silly sneaking off without telling Edie, Michael, or Jay, but she didn’t want them to try to stop her. She slung her light bag over her shoulders and gave a little wave to each of their houses as she passed them. James and Jaclyn had taken Muzuru from the party while the animal still slept, so she knew he was in good hands.

  When she reached Max and Katherine’s house, she gave a light knock on the door. “Well, well,” she heard behind her and froze. She turned to see Michael and Jay behind her. Katherine then opened the door. Her eyes widened in surprise for a moment.

  “We were just getting ready to leave,” she said. She pushed the door open wider, and Abbie could see Edie sitting at their kitchen table talking to Max. Abbie immediately started laughing, knowing that all four of them were there for the same reason.

  “Before you get too excited, Abbie,” Jay said from behind her. “I talked it over with Michael on the way over here, and we agreed that it would be better for me not to go with you all to look for the other sprites. My job is here for now.”

  Abbie felt an unexpected wave of sadness, but she understood why he could not go. “I just came to see Michael, Max, and Katherine off,” Jay said. He pulled Abbie in for a hug. “You be careful out there.”

  “Don’t worry, Jay,” Max said. “We’ll take care of her.”

  “I think Abbie will be taking care of all of us, not the other way around,” Edie said with a laugh.

  Jay released Abbie from his embrace with a laugh of his own. As soon as he did, Abbie felt unsure about leaving. Her thought was interrupted by a knock at the door.

  “Besides, Abbie,” Jay said looking down. “Who will look after Muzuru?”

  “That’ll be James, Jaclyn, Wendy, and Skylar,” Max said. “Let’s head out.”

  Katherine opened the door, and they all filed out. Abbie looked at Jay, who gave her a smile. She moved closer to him while the group finalized their plans.

  James handed the trunkaloose over to Jay. Muzuru waved his trunk a little sadly at Michael, Abbie, and Edie. Abbie would miss him, but he knew to stick close to Jay.

  “Which way are we heading today?” Skylar asked.

  “West,” Max said pointing. “As always, stick together. We’ll stop around time for lunch to rest and eat. If you see anything, signal me.”

  All of the sprites who were gathered nodded. “See you soon, Abbie,” Jay whispered.

  She turned and nodded before flying off with the other sprites.

  ~~

  The next three days were disappointingly uneventful. Edie could see why the search party always came back so tired. It was draining to fly all day and look for something that you didn’t exactly know what was. She wondered if they thought as much about accidentally running into Amirnov as she did. They were heading the opposite way of Holli Lake, so she doubted they’d have the luck of finding any of the fairies to help them.

  Abbie had never been to this area before. The grassy forest floor began to rise, and the terrain became rockier. She was glad that she had come. The transition of the scenery was engrossing. The more time she spent away from the Ashcroft Forest, the calmer she felt about giving Jay some space.

  The third evening, Abbie and Edie noticed the rest of the sprites were very somber when they stopped to eat and camp for the night. They camped near the base of a beautiful waterfall. “Is everyone OK?” Edie asked Katherine.

  “We’ll be in the area of the Dixon Glade tomorrow morning,” Katherine said. “This is the first time we’ve scouted this area since we left it.”

  “Oh,” Edie and Abbie said, not knowing what else to say. They walked over toward Michael, who seemed somber like the rest.

  “How are you doing, Michael?” Abbie asked her friend.

  Michael clenched his teeth slightly and looked down before responding. “I’m OK. I know that we’re approaching the Dixon Glade. The scenery is bringing back memories of my life here. I’m glad Jay isn’t here…” he trailed off before looking up. “But I’m thankful that I’m not alone going through this,” he said.

  The other two hugged him. The group of sprites ate a quiet meal and then bedded down for the night. Abbie and Edie didn’t really know what to say to comfort the other sprites, so they stayed with Michael and kept fairly quiet.

  ~~

  The next morning, the sprites woke up early. Edie and Abbie kept close to Michael as they flew closer to the Dixon Glade. The sprites took their normal break for lunch, and Max told the other sprites that the rest of the journey would be on foot.

  The sprites ate a light lunch and then began their walk. They walked through the trees for several minutes before Edie could see the clearing come into view. She could tell that it had once been a beautiful place to live. True to Jay’s recount, however, most of the homes had been made unlivable by the events of that fateful night.

  Abbie felt a wave of sorrow overtake her. Michael took her hand to show her around where things used to be in the town. Edie followed along behind them. Michael pointed out Jay’s house that had a large hole in the roof from a branch that he jokingly referred to as a sky light. He showed her his own house that had collapsed on one side. Most of the structures in the glade had moss and mushrooms growing in them from months of neglect.

 

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