When the bell rang for recess, Skye led Hobbi out past the concrete playground, past games of four-square, whipping tether balls, and spinning jump ropes. They stopped when they reached a quiet shady area under a huge willow tree.

  “So far, so good.” Skye sat down on the grass, facing Hobbi. “Except for zapping Viera’s outfit and almost proposing marriage between me and Mr. Reuben, you’ve behaved okay.”

  Hobbi lifted her chin proudly. “I behaved perfectly.”

  “Almost.” Skye relaxed a little. “So how do you like school?”

  “It’s fun. Many students in one room seems strange, but it is pleasant. In Specter, young fiends are taught by many teachers.”

  “More teachers than students?”

  “Of course. Much wisdom for each fiend. This makes very good sense,” Hobbi said, plucking a yellow daisy and lifting it to her mouth.

  “Stop!” Skye pointed at the daisy. “Smell the flower—don’t eat it.” She giggled. “You really have a lot to learn, Hobbi.”

  Hobbi sniffed the daisy. “I love to learn.”

  Skye leaned against the tree trunk and started to ask Hobbi more about her life in Specter. But her question was forgotten when she glanced to her left and saw red hair and a book. Kristen O’Malley sat on a bench reading her fantasy novel.

  Kristen looked content and relaxed. She didn’t seem to need company, yet Skye yearned for Kristen’s friendship. Skye wondered what would happen if she tried to talk to Kristen. Skye could apologize for over-reacting about her black mouth last week. But would Kristen accept an apology or tell Skye to get lost? It was too scary to find out.

  A whirling sound jerked Skye out of these thoughts. Hobbi’s golden braids were spinning furiously, which meant she was mind reading again.

  Skye opened her mouth to order Hobbi to stay out of her head, but she heard a startled cry. Skye turned to her left and stared in astonishment.

  Kristen’s book was no longer in her hands. Instead, it floated through the air in Skye’s direction.

  Hobbi the fiend had struck again, and unsuspecting Kristen was the target!

  Skye jumped up and held out her arms just as the book sailed past willow branches and dropped into Skye’s hands.

  “What are you doing with my book?” Kristen demanded, coming over and glaring at Skye.

  “Nothing.” Skye tossed the small paperback to Kristen. “Catch. I don’t want it.”

  “Then why did you take it?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Oh, right,” Kristen said sarcastically. “The book hopped on a breeze and floated into your hands like magic.”

  “That’s pretty much the way it happened,” Skye said, glancing at Hobbi who leaned innocently against the tree trunk. Hobbi’s braids no longer twirled and she smiled sweetly. The image of a perfect angel.

  “You can’t fool me, Skye Jones!” Kristen’s face grew almost as red as her hair. “I know a lot about magic. I can perform tricks that would astound you, but even I can’t make a book fly through the air. How did you do it?”

  “I didn’t.”

  “Then who did?”

  Skye hesitated. Should she tell the truth or invent a lie? Either way Kristen wouldn’t believe her. There was no way to win, so Skye answered with complete honesty, “Hobbi did it.”

  “Hobbi?” Kristen looked at Hobbi, then turned on Skye with a furious glare. “How low can you get? Blaming your dumb joke on the new girl!”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “Is this your idea of revenge because I laughed at your black licorice mouth?”

  “No. I guess my face did look gross. I’m sorry I blew up at you.”

  “So why did you swipe my book?”

  “I already told you, I didn’t swipe anything.” Skye wished she could explain fiendish Hobbi to human Kristen, but it was hopeless.

  “You expect me to believe that Hobbi waved her magic wand and zapped my book over to you?”

  “Skip the wand and that’s what happened. Look closely at Hobbi. Don’t you notice anything unusual?”

  Hobbi smiled and held out her hands. Each colorful fingernail glowed and the tiny silver spots on her skin sparkled.

  But Kristen wasn’t impressed. “So Hobbi paints her nails and spilled glitter on her hands. Nothing weird about that. No vampire fangs, no furry werewolf hair, and no Frankenstein bolts poking from her neck.”

  Skye sighed in frustration. “I knew you wouldn’t believe me. Why don’t you just ask Hobbi.”

  “This is crazy!” Kristen exclaimed.

  “No crazier than a book floating from your hands to mine. Can you explain how that happened if it wasn’t magic?”

  Kristen frowned, obviously puzzled. “No. I-I don’t get it. No wind or hidden wires. I thought I knew most magic tricks.”

  “It wasn’t a trick. It was honest to goodness real magic.”

  Kristen’s eyes narrowed and she challenged, “So prove it.”

  Skye glanced at Hobbi and thought to herself, Why not?

  Hobbi’s braids spun, so Skye knew her thoughts had been read. Mentally Skye gave Hobbi permission to strut her stuff. Go ahead. Show Kristen some real magic.

  Hobbi clasped her hands together and rubbed her left orange-painted fingernail. Sparks flickered and orange smoke wavered in the air. The smoke shaped into a wispy arrow and aimed at Kristen.

  “What’s going on?” Kristen exclaimed, backing away.

  “A little magic,” Skye answered.

  “Only a little!” Kristen shrieked. “Call that thing off!”

  The orange smoke-arrow shot at Kristen and lifted the paperback book from her hands. Skye giggled as The Flying Sorcerer took flight, spinning in the center of spooky orange fog.

  But Skye’s giggling stopped when the book fell to the ground and a strange shape formed in the puffy cheese-colored smoke. Four legs, a flowing white tail, a silver horn, silky wings, and a long slender neck. A horse. But not just any horse—it was the picture on Kristen’s book come to life! A tiny flying unicorn.

  “My book!” Kristen gasped, her green eyes round and huge. Her legs buckled and she sank to the ground, her gaze never leaving the little unicorn.

  Skye was shaken, too. Still she managed to say to Kristen, “I guess you believe me now.”

  “Yikes!” Kristen cried. “Hobbi, how did you do that?”

  Hobbi’s lavender eyes sparkled. “It was very easy. A spell I learned in kindergarten.”

  Kristen stared in fascination. “Impressive. You must have a powerful magic book. I have lots of magic books, but I’ve never been able to do anything like that! It’s genuine hocus-pocus. Real magic.”

  “Oh, it’s real all right,” Skye assured.

  The unicorn flew circles around the orange smoke. Its delicate wings fluttered rapidly like a hummingbird. It was so cute—yet so weird.

  A loud bell rang out. Recess was over.

  “Yikes!” Kristen exclaimed. “Now what are we going to do?”

  “Return to class like everyone else,” Skye answered. “Hobbi, playtime is over. Get rid of the unicorn.”

  Lavender eyes regarded Skye with child-like innocence. “So soon? But Lucky is having fun.”

  Kristen croaked, “Lucky! That’s the same name as the unicorn in my book. But it’s just a fictional character—not a living creature.”

  “Painted book covers can’t have names,” Skye objected.

  “All animals have names,” Hobbi said.

  Kristen ran her fingers through her tousled red hair and stood up. “Amazing!”

  “Hobbi,” Skye said firmly. “Lucky has to go. Now.”

  “Yes, Boss.”

  Hobbi pressed the orange fingernail on her left hand. The orange fog faded, but the unicorn continued to buzz over the girls’ heads. Lucky gave a shrill whinny, then flew up … up … up … until he disappeared through willow branches.

  “As you ordered, Boss. Lucky is gone,” Hobbi said smugly. Was that a fiendish smirk on her face or just Skye’s imagination?

  “Gone where?” Kristen demanded.

  Hobbi shrugged. “Up.”

  Skye gave Hobbi a sizzling look. “We have to go.”

  “Yeah.” Kristen bent down to the ground and retrieved her fallen book. The cover was a dull gray and green. No unicorn.

  “I only hope Lucky is gone for good,” Skye said, turning to Hobbi. “Come on. We’ll talk about this at home.”

  “Me, too.” Kristen nodded. “I have lots of questions about magic for Hobbi.”

  “Well, I guess it’s okay,” Skye said as they hurried to class. “The three of us will meet at my house at three-thirty.”

  “Good,” Kristen said. “I’ll be there.”

  “Do you need directions?” Skye asked.

  Kristen grinned. “No. Everyone knows where you live, Skye. Although most kids are afraid to go near your house. They have this strange idea your aunts are witches.”

  “Viera started that rumor, and it’s so unfair. But I don’t care what other kids think—just you, Kristen.” Skye faced the auburn-haired girl squarely. “Do you think my aunts are witches?”

  “No way! If anyone’s a witch, it’s not your aunts or even you.” Kristen chuckled. “It’s Hobbi.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  When Kristen arrived at exactly 3:28, Skye was waiting. She yanked open the door before Kristen could knock.

  “Shhsh!” Skye whispered, pulling Kristen inside.

  “Is this how you greet all your guests?”

  “No time for jokes. We have to talk, and I don’t want Hobbi to know you’re here.”

  Kristen raised her eyebrows. “Why all the secrecy?”

  Skye put her finger to her lips and gestured toward the kitchen. “My aunts are in there finishing a batch of goats’ milk soap and Hobbi is upstairs in my room playing with my pet bird. We should be safe for a few minutes, but keep your voice down.”

  Skye led Kristen toward a narrow closet underneath the staircase. She opened the door and motioned for Kristen to follow her inside. “No one can hear us in here.”

  Kristen pushed her auburn hair from her face. “A closet? Have you flipped out? I can barely see my own hands.”

  “You don’t need to see, only hear what I have to say. I’ve been thinking about things all day, and I’ve decided you can help me. But we have to be careful. I never know when Hobbi will decide to read my mind.”

  “Mind-reading? That’s impossible,” Kristen stated.

  “Nothing’s impossible with Hobbi. You already know she’s … different. She can do magic because she isn’t human.”

  Skye couldn’t see Kristen’s expression, but disbelief was obvious in Kristen gasp. “If Hobbi isn’t human, what is she?”

  “A fiend. Like a monster. But keep your voice down. I have to figure out a plan to get rid of her, and I thought you might know a magic trick or something that could help.”

  “I don’t want to get rid of Hobbi,” Kristen said firmly. “She’s terrific. I loved her unicorn trick, even if she did ruin my book.”

  “She’ll ruin more than your book if she stays around,” Skye warned, crouching down so she wouldn’t bump her head on the sloped ceiling. “Her magic is dangerous and spooky. She has to leave before she causes REAL trouble.”

  “If you don’t want her, I’ll take her. It might be hard to convince my parents, but I’m willing to try.”

  “It’s not that easy. I’m stuck with Hobbi forever because I signed a contract.” Skye quickly explained about the purple delivery van, the grizzly driver, and the blood ink signature.

  Through the dim light, Skye could see Kristen shrug. “So tear up the contract.”

  “I tried that when I got home from school today,” Skye admitted. “I tore it into a zillion little pieces and dumped it into my trash can. But when I turned around, there it was on my desk, as perfect as ever without even a wrinkle.”

  “Yikes!” Kristen cried. “Genuine magic. I always suspected real magic existed, but I couldn’t conjure up any myself. I’d sure love to study Hobbi for my science project.”

  “Forget your science project!” Skye cried. “This is serious! Hobbi has to go home. Do you know any magic spells or potions to get rid of a fiend?”

  “No. I can do card tricks and make small objects disappear, but not real magic. Hobbi is real magic, and I want to learn from her. I don’t want her to leav-“

  Kristen stopped in mid-sentence and gasped as the door suddenly burst open.

  Aunt Belle stood there in the bright light, and she looked surprised. “What in tarnation? Why are you girls hiding in here?”

  Skye realized she and Kristen must look silly huddled in a narrow closet surrounded by winter coats and sweaters. She tried to think of a good explanation, but Kristen beat her to it.

  “Skye was helping me with a magic trick,” Kristen said quickly. “Hi, I’m Kristen. I’m a magician in training.”

  “A magician?” Aunt Belle squinted at Kristen. “Aren’t you kind of young?”

  “The younger a magician begins training, the better.”

  “But in a closet?” Aunt Belle asked, reaching for a sweater and draping it on her arm. “What sort of magic trick needs to be done in a closet?”

  “I can’t reveal professional secrets,” Kristen said as she and Skye stepped out of the darkness. “But I call this trick, Fingertip Fireworks. A tiny ball of fire dances in the air as I wave my fingers. It’s really super.”

  “I’d love to see it,” Aunt Belle said with a smile.

  Skye grabbed Kristen’s hand and told her aunt, “Maybe later. Hobbi’s waiting for us upstairs.”

  “Then you’d better skedaddle,” Aunt Belle said. “We don’t want our house guest to get lonely. Hobbi is such a sweet girl, although a bit untidy with her room. Glorianne and I spent two hours cleaning her room this morning.”

  “Sorry about that,” Skye said. “I don’t think neatness is important in Hobbi’s country. I’ll talk to her about it.”

  “You do that.” Aunt Belle nodded, then returned to the kitchen.

  “Is there really a Fingertip Firework trick?” Skye asked Kristen as they walked upstairs.

  Kristen grinned. “You bet. It’s my best trick and no one can figure it out. Of course, I’ll never tell my secret.”

  Skye led Kristen to her bedroom. The door was halfway open, and Skye could see Hobbi’s back. Hobbi’s long braids trailed to her waist as she bent by Skye’s birdcage. Skye guessed she was still playing with Sugarberry. The white dove had been a present from Skye’s father last Christmas. Like all her father’s previous gifts, Sugarberry had been delivered by a messenger. Skye’s father was always too busy to come himself.

  “Hi, Hobbi,” Skye greeted.

  “Boss!” Hobbi exclaimed, turning and looking so embarrassed that Skye suspected Hobbi had been up to some mischief.

  Then Skye noticed the open bedroom window—and the empty birdcage.

  “Sugarberry!” Skye rushed over and peered first into the cage and then out the window. Tree tops swayed, marshmallow clouds puffed high in the sky, and the autumn sun shined. But there was no sign of the special white dove.

  Skye whirled angrily on Hobbi. “Where’s my bird?”

  “Gone.”

  “Gone where?” Skye demanded.

  Hobbi gestured toward the window. “Sugarberry is flying home to her family.” Hobbi’s braids twirled and her mouth dipped downward. “You are displeased, Boss. You are very angry with me.”

  “You bet I’m angry! Sugarberry was the best gift my father ever sent me. And now she’s gone. How could you, Hobbi?”

  Hobbi spoke calmly, “It was easy. I just opened the cage—”

  “But why?” Sky cut in. “How could you be so mean?”

  “It was not mean to Sugarberry. She was very sad. She missed her mate and five baby birds. She wanted to go home.”

  “Sugarberry’s home is with me,” Skye snapped, almost too upset to talk. She could barely remember what her father looked like, but at least she’d had a sweet bird to remember him by. Until now.

  “I want my bird! Hobbi, I order you to zap Sugarberry back into her cage.”

  Hobbi’s eyes swirled to a deep, dangerous shade of violet. “No, Boss. I cannot obey. Sugarberry belongs with her family.”

  “How do you know so much about my bird?” Skye asked sarcastically. “Don’t tell me you can read bird brains, too.”

  “No.” Hobbi’s braids swayed as she shook her head. “I had no need to mental probe. I spoke to Sugarberry. It was her wish to fly home.”

  Kristen clasped her hands to her auburn head. “Yikes! You actually talked to a bird and the bird talked back to you?”

  “Yes. Is that wrong?”

  “Letting my bird go was wrong,” Skye said miserably, sinking on her bed and hugging an embroidered pillow to her chest.

  Kristen told Hobbi, “Talking to animals is fantastic! It reminds me of Dr. Dolittle and his parrot Polynesia.”

  “I don’t know this little doctor, but I’ve met many parrots,” Hobbi said. “All fiends communicate with animals. In Specter, many languages are possible.”

  Kristen looked thoughtful. “Specter must be an unusual place. I’ve never heard of it, and I got an A in geography.”

  Skye very wisely didn’t mention her own geography grade. Instead, she decided it was time to continue her private talk with Kristen. Minus Hobbi.

  Skye convinced Hobbi to go downstairs to help the aunts make soap. Hobbi didn’t argue, maybe because she loved making soap or because she felt guilty because of Sugarberry. Either way, it was a relief to have her gone, even if just for a short while.

  “Now do you understand my problem?” Skye asked Kristen.

  Kristen nodded. “Hobbi is so … different.”

  “She’s a fiend and I’m stuck with her for my entire life. I’m doomed! I’ll never sign a contract again without reading every single word.”

  “Can I see your contract?” Kristen asked, glancing around the room.

  “Sure.” Skye walked to her desk, opened a drawer, and withdrew the indestructible paper.

  Kristen studied the contract. “Very complicated. Lots of huge words and micro-sized print.”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7