"She can't be Poppy," Matilda whispered. "Didn't you see? She can fly. She can appear out of nowhere. Those are not things a five-year-old human can do."

After the stop at The Hornless Unicorn, Oona thought it wouldn't hurt a nap. And since fairies weren't usually spending too much time sleeping, Ferry couldn't miss the opportunity to have a word with Matilda all by themselves.

In Tenalach, there were napping nests everywhere. Oona knew every one of them, of course. Each one of them was the perfect place for taking naps. Built inside the tree hollows, they were filled with dry leaves and field flowers, turning into the softest, most scented mattresses. 

Oona was sleeping now; so did Caireann, snuggled in Oona's arms, smiling as she slept, a sign that she was already dreaming. Her tiny hand was throbbing from time to time, clenching Oona's hand.

"She must be Poppy," Ferry insisted. "Everything fits. Her age, the way she's dressed, her amulet bracelet. Remember what Oona said? That when you lost your last memory as a human, you can become a real fairy."

Yet Matilda couldn't care less about Ferry's theories. She was listening to him, but her gaze was glued to the thick yarn on her ankle. At one point, Ferry even though she was dozing.

"Matt, are you listening?" he said, slowly putting his hand on her shoulder.

Matilda throbbed, "Fine, let's just say Caireann is Poppy. So what?"

"We must take her back home," said Ferry, looking very determined.

This time, Matilda forgot to whisper, "Are you mad? Why would you do that?"

"Because her mother has been looking for her for over fifty years."

"But she doesn't know that. She thinks she's a fairy."

As always, Ferry had a plan. "Remember she was talking about a lost toy? I'm certain it was a toy from home. When she'll find it, she will remember who she was; she will want to come back home to her mother."

"All right, let's say that's true. What are you saying?"

"I'm saying we should look for Poppy's toy and give it back to her."

This time, Matilda couldn't stand it anymore, "Yeah, now I'm sure you lost your mind completely," she hissed. "Are you saying we should find this toy, whatever that is, then find Danny, then find the scissors that would set us free and leave this place without anyone seeing us? And all these while you are looking for the Fountain of Truth so that Oona won't tell anyone why we are here? Don't you feel like our mission is getting a bit... impossible?"

"I'm sure we can do it. We just need a plan," said Ferry with a sparkle in his eyes.

Matilda sighed. She was pale, moody, and had big, dark circles under her eyes. She looked weak and had lost the little enthusiasm she had.

"I don't really care," she said in a low voice. "I'll do whatever you want just to get out of here. I wish I could just close my eyes for a second..."

"Then why don't you get some sleep?" Ferry wondered.

"I couldn't possibly do that! I can't even imagine how it's like to sleep in this strange place. Who knows what might happen while I'm sleeping?"

But Ferry could see no danger in taking a short nap. He put the sack under his head and covered himself with his cloak. The shelter of the tree hollow was inviting him to sleep and he felt his eyelids as heavy as lead. Matilda could stay awake and watch over him if she wanted.

"I think I'm going to get some sleep," he said, yawning.

He was just about to fall into a tangled dream, with trees that were following him, sheep and hornless unicorns. But a whimper woke him up.

Caireann was still sleeping. Yet, her dream has changed—she was now talking in her sleep.

"Please, don't take my doll! Mummy gave it to me... Please..."

Then she woke up, tears falling from her eyes. Now Oona was awake, too, grumpy for sleeping less than she planned. "Caireann, I told you to forget about that doll! You've lost it ages ago. Won't you give up already?"

"I can't..." said Caireann, whining.

Then, the strangest thing happened—in a split of a second, a thin thread appeared on her ankle, as thin as a spider's web, sparkling in the emerald grass. Ferry blinked just once and the thread was gone.

"I'll try," the little fairy said, clinging on Oona's arm.

Oona got up and picked away the leaves from Poppy's dress and hair.

Ferry was up, too. Things were getting clearer. He could see now—Caireann was Poppy.

He helped Matilda pick up her things and they set off. He didn't ask whether she saw the thread on Poppy's leg. He was sure she didn't.

⃰

"You see? Everything is la-la-lovely here," said Oona jumping on one leg with Poppy following her footsteps. "We have food at will. We have marvelous shelters for dreaming..."

"... yeah, except that Caireann is having bad dreams most of the time," Matilda mumbled.

"... we have good weather almost all the time. We are always merry and in good health. We are young and free," said Oona without minding Matilda.

They left the shelter and now they were ready to venture again in the middle of the beings that were visiting Tenalach.

"But what happens when you get hurt?" asked Ferry. "I mean, there must be accidents... Like stumbling and falling. Breaking an arm, maybe... What happens then?"

Oona giggled, "You see, us, elven people, we have the power to heal ourselves. Watch!"

And Oona ripped off a thorn of a rose that came on their way. Then, she stung her finger with it. A small drop of blood appeared, sparkling like a little ruby. Ferry and Matilda cringed at its sight. But Oona smiled; then, she closed her eyes and kept them closed for a moment. The drop of blood became smaller and smaller until it vanished completely. The finger looked like before. The children could now breathe easily.

"So there's nothing that could hurt you?"

Oona's glare darkened, "Nothing. Except for the Thunder of Ruin... The Thunder of Ruin brought us the Great Banishment. The Thunder of Ruin means death," she said, lost in painful thoughts.

But the next second, her contagious smile was back, washing away any sign of sadness, "Let's go! The best is yet to come."

The four of them were caught up again into that tumultuous crowd of elves, goblins, dwarfs, and nymphs that were dancing to the jolly rhythm of the feast. The evening was coming over Tenalach and the fairy fires were dancing all over. The more the night was falling, the more the shouts, songs, and good mood were growing.

The visitors found shelter in the tree-houses, the hollows, or simply under the clear sky. But sleep wouldn't come when there was so much to see and do. And Ferry, just like the others, surrendered to that alluring uproar that was growing with every step he took. All those strange beings were greeting him as if knowing him since forever.

He then realized why the big fuss. They were getting closer to Fae Queen's Palace. The lanterns were lit in front of every tree-house making the paths leading to the Palace look as if covered in a frail, milky light. As they were walking the path, Ferry even felt like flying.

In the middle of all those circular paths, they stopped. The view in front of him was nothing he expected. Instead of the mighty palace he imagined, three large oak trees were rising beyond the sky. They were the oldest Fery has ever seen. Each trunk was so big, that ten strong men couldn't have been enough to embrace it. Their branches were leaning low, hugged and tangled until you couldn't tell which one was which anymore. From this hug, strong walls were formed, surrounding the Palace like great gates no one could pass. Big thorns were decorating those gates, making them look even scarier. Far away, hiding in the shadows, Ferry could see the towers of the Palace. But unlike the jolly village in the valley, brightened by hundreds of fairy fires, the palace was dark and silent. No light came from the towers hidden in the branches. Because, just like the tree-houses, the palace was actually a big tree, the biggest in Tenalach, that had turned its trunk and branches into walls and towers.

In front of each tree, there was a fairy guardian. Young men, with strong arms, sharp, piercing eyes, and beautiful faces. The guards were laughing and talking loud, all of them abandoned to the feast's spirit. One of them, with hair as black as a raven's feather, played the flute while a blonde nymph was dancing in front of him, caressing his face with her snowy hand. The other two were clapping their hands, whistling. The nymph with golden hair had charmed them all.

"Pity we can't go beyond the gates so I could show you the Palace," said Oona, who was watching the entire scene from behind a tree. "No one could pass those gates, except for us, the Wandering Fays. We are allowed inside, but only when Fae Queen calls us. And of course, Mamma Leena and Doruh. Those are Nook, Paltin, and Brad", she said, pointing to the guards. "They, too, are allowed to enter the Palace, but never too close to Fae Queen. No one is allowed in her chamber, in the upper room of the Palace. That's where she keeps her most precious things—inside the spellbound chest, locked with seven locks and no one, except for the Queen, knows where they are hidden."

"But why are the Wandering Fays, allowed in the Palace? What makes you so special?" Matilda asked, examining the spiky gates.

"That's probably because we have greater powers than any other fairy in Tenalach. We bring the rain and help plants and trees yield fruits. We heal the wounds of body and soul; even the ones of people who are walking our land. Our powers go beyond this land, all the way into the land of humans. While our dance gives power and energy to everyone who watches, whether hidden or in plain sight..."

"But who's doing all the other things around here? There is a lot to do, I suppose..."

Ferry asked the question with a purpose—he wanted to know what were the dangers in his attempt to find Danny and bring Poppy home to her mother. For now, he couldn't see any.

"Well, the domestic fairies, of course. They are the ones to take care of cleaning, cooking, and other domestic chores. Then there are the nannies, like Mamma Leena. Then, the Gamins, fairies from other lands who found shelter in our world. And, of course, the Unfays, the ones coming from the land of humans..."

"... against their own will," Matilda mumbled again.

Oona cast a fiery glance at her, but something stopped her from answering back. Instead, she hid behind a tree, pulling Poppy near. The blonde nymph in front of the gates took flight, disappearing in the branches above, despite the guardians' pleas to stay a little longer. Only then, Oona came out from behind the tree.

"All right, let's go," she said without waiting any longer. The girls followed. Only Ferry stayed for a little while, looking at the silent palace in the distance. Without even knowing that unseen eyes were looking back at him.

But soon, the Queen's Palace and its shadows were forgotten, and Ferry surrendered to that feeling of ease and glee again. Oona stopped in front of a goblin who was selling roasted nuts and came back with a cornet made of leaves for each. They gathered around a big fire that scattered blue sparks. Several elven people were singing and dancing around the fire. A dwarf reaching Ferry's knee pulled him over to dance, spinning like a top and tapping the ground with his buckled boots. Ferry also leaped and danced, feeling as if he was barely touching the ground. He began spinning, faster and faster, with the fires and the trees joining his frantic, alluring dance. When he stopped, with the sky and ground tottering, he could see the dwarf pointing at him, his eyes wide with wonder.

"You have it," the dwarf said, stuck in place.

Ferry was just as stunned. He shivered, then tried to cover himself with his cloak as best as he could. Before he knew it, Oona pulled him aside, and then dragged him on a side path, away from curious eyes. The songs and laughter were somewhere afar.

"What was that?" Ferry asked.

"I think you should stay away from crowds," she said.

"But why?"

Oona pretended she didn't hear him. "Let's eat the nuts," she said, light and bright as a summer day. "They're the tastiest you've ever tasted. And more, they are salty without the salt," she added while crunching a nut like a squirrel.

Ferry tried a nut. It was the pit of a hazelnut. It tasted bittersweet and a little salty. It smelled like honey and salad.

They were now sitting next to an old tree with its thick roots growing out of the ground, forming a small bench, big enough for the four of them. All they could hear now was the sound of crunching. They were all enjoying the nuts; except for Matilda who was just holding the cornet without touching the delicious, warm pits inside.

Oona put her hands together and from the hollow of her hand a small flame appeared; it had the color of violets and Oona gently put it on the ground in front of them. The flame grew to become a big fire. The lights were dancing now on their faces and all around them.

"We have nuts, we have this cozy little place and we have this nice fire. What else could we wish for? Aren't you merry?"

Ferry smiled, surrendering to the light and warmth. But that perfect silence was suddenly broken. Matilda's cornet was spread at their feet and she was staring at the fire, her fists clenched.

"No! I'm not merry. I'm merry only at Christmas time," she said, rising from her seat.

"Come on, Matt, can't you just feel good just this once?" Ferry tried to calm her down. "You've been grumpy ever since we've got here..."

"And you ─" she snapped at him, "it's like you're not... you anymore." Her eyes, which were throwing thunders moments earlier, were now full of tears.

"What do you mean?" asked Ferry, also rising and stepping closer.

"I mean... you've changed. You jump, and hop, and you dance... It's like you've forgotten why we came here. It's been so long and you ─ It looks like you don't care about finding Danny anymore."

"But I haven't forgotten..." Ferry tried to defend himself. "It's just not the right time yet."

"Not the right time?" she shouted. "When will be the right time? It seems like we were here forever. Don't you care about anything anymore? Don't you care about Ben? Or May? Don't you care about your mother?" she said and warm tears fell from her eyes. "Have you forgotten about home?" she whispered between sobs.

Ferry felt a strange warmth coming over him. It wasn't homesick. It was a new feeling. Like anger. He felt anger before, of course. But never towards his best friend.

"Maybe this is my home," he shouted back at Matilda. "Maybe I shouldn't go back. Maybe I'm one of them!"

Matilda laughed a burst of bitter laughter.

 "One of them? You haven't done one thing to call yourself one of them. You can't fly. You can't turn invisible. You can't appear or disappear. When will you understand you are NOT one of them? When I come to think I came here only to make you see that ─ What's the good of this?"

Ferry couldn't believe his ears, "Is that why you came along? To prove me I was not a... fairy?"

Matilda didn't answer, but her fists were clenched again.

"Prove it!" she said, looking him dead in the eye.

"What?"

"Prove that you are a fairy," she said, this time as calm as can be. "Why don't you fly?"

Now, Oona and Poppy were standing, too, keeping a safe distance.

Ferry thought he would make at Matilda's will. He would prove her he was a fairy. He was to fly under her very nose. So he closed his eyes tight, clenched his hands and waited for flying to happen. He focused so hard, he forgot to breathe. After a while, he could feel like he was not touching the ground anymore, but that was just dizziness. He opened his eyes. Everything was the same. Matilda was still looking at him, but now he could read only sadness on her face. Oona and Poppy didn't dare to budge.

"I knew it," she said, her voice trembling. Then she picked up her backpack and she turned away. She was barely walking, like the thread hanging to her ankle was as heavy as lead.

"Matt, what are you doing?" Ferry asked, still not believing his eyes.

Matilda turned. Her eyes were full of tears again, "I'm going home," she said in a low voice. "You can come with me if you like..."

And she started off on a side path, this time without looking back.

"Fine!" Ferry shouted behind her. "Go! I couldn't care less!"

But Matilda carried on and she soon was swallowed by the ever-growing darkness.

"Maybe it's better without her," said Oona who had stepped closer without him noticing. "You did the right thing," she added, putting her delicate hand on his shoulder.

 Ferry thought that maybe Oona was right. Maybe it was best for them to follow different paths. Maybe she should go home. And maybe he had found his home, at last. Maybe...

Thank you so much for reading this new chapter! You know what to do :) As always, can't wait to hear your thoughts. And don't forget to VOTE!