Page 39 of Must Love Scones and Secrets
The fairies circled the stone, their song growing more urgent. As we watched, several broke from the formation and flew directly to us. One tiny fairy, no bigger than my finger, hovered before me, its delicate features pinched with concern.
“Pray thee, have you come to help us attend to our plight?” the male fairy asked, his voice like a tiny bell. “For the ancient veins of magic doth twist and writhe beneath the soil.”
I blinked in surprise. Wild fairies rarely spoke to humans or other magical folk. “I…”
“Why hast thou come?” the female fairy asked, studying us. She turned to her male companion. “They doth be a pixie and a Rune elf. Make haste. Inform the queen.”
The male fairy nodded, then zipped off, joining the others.
Bjorn looked at me, a confused expression on his face.
A moment later, a luminescent fairy with long, golden hair and shimmering green robes flew with two attendants toward us. She wore a tall, golden crown on her head.
When she approached, I curtsied.
Bjorn set his hand on his waist and gave her a short bow.
The fairy queen studied him, gave him a curtsy, then said, “Greetings, fair friends. Hast thou observed the odd magic about?”
“We have,” Bjorn told her. “The unicorns are particularly afflicted. I’ve come to help.”
The fairy queen nodded. “The magical balance hath been most grievously disturbed,” she said, gesturing to the standing stone. “That which should be channeled through the stones has gone astray.”
“Channeled through the stones?” I asked, confused.
“Aye, Mistress. The lines of magic in our realms doth require tending. This one hath been pulled from its course.”
“Ley lines,” Bjorn said softly. “The magical currents that run beneath the earth?”
“Indeed, Charmed elf,” the fairy queen said. “As Midsummer approacheth, the sacred lines shift most unnaturally. We humbly implore thee to render aid. We have endeavored with our own magic to make the adjustments, but we are not strong enough.”
“But how? How is the adjustment done?” I asked.
“The vessel needed lies before you,” she replied, gesturing to the stone.
“We can use the stone to realign the magic?” Bjorn asked.
“It is possible, Charmed elf, but our efforts hath been in vain. We requireyourassistance,” she said, gesturing to both of us. “A pixie and a Charmed elf.”
Charmed elf? What did she mean?“Why us?” I asked.
“Observe, Mistress.” The fairy pointed to me, then to Bjorn. Small flecks of magic flew from us to her hands, one an ice-blue sparkle and the other a vibrant pink sparkle. When she held them across from one another, they sparked, sending bolts of magic from one to the other. “’Tis the union of thy magics that holds the key,” the fairy queen continued. “The magic of the North meets the warm and wild spirit of the Summerlands.”
“Our magic together,” Bjorn said quietly, glancing at me. “Pixie magic and Rune elf magic.”
“But… But I’m just a baker. I’m not that powerful. I can bake enchanted scones and make teacups float, but this…” I said, gesturing to her hands. “This is big magic.”
“Underestimate not thy gifts, gentle pixie,” the fairy queen replied. “For ‘tis not the volume of magic, but its nature that we require. Summer and winter magic doth the pair of you have. Together, it will restore balance. We leave the matter in your good hands and thank thee.”
The fairy queen smiled, giving me a brief nod. “Mistress,” she said then turned to Bjorn. “Charmed elf,” she added, curtseying briefly to Bjorn before turning and fluttering back to her court.
My brow furrowed with confusion.
“You’re right, Rosalyn. Thisisbig magic. I know she is confident, but I’m not sure we can do this alone.”
I nodded. “We’ll need help.”
“Kellen, the dryad, maybe? I can send him a message,” Bjorn said.
