Magic Hearts (5 page)

Berry was trying to get Raina's attention. She didn't want her mentioning to Fruli what they were doing. All Berry needed was for Fruli to know that she had picked sour wild cherry hearts—and given them to one of her best friends. Worse yet, she couldn't let her know that Dash was yellow because of her!

“We have to get going,” Berry said quickly. She grabbed a shawl from her bag and covered her stained dress. Then she pulled on Raina's hand and took her to the other side of the meadow.

“Berry!” Raina cried. “We didn't even say good-bye. Why are you acting so rude?”

“Did you forget about Dash? She's yellow!
I'm just trying to get to Lemona as soon as possible,” Berry explained.

“Fruli seems so nice,” Raina said, shaking her head. “You could have at least asked her what she did for Sun Dip. Maybe she'd want to hang out with us. She seemed homesick.”

“She's too fancy. She wouldn't want to hang out with us,” Berry said. “Did you see her dress?” She sighed wistfully. “She has the most glamorous clothes. She'd never want to have Sun Dip with us. She'd want to be up at the castle or with the older Fruit Fairies.”

Raina eyed her friend. “Maybe, but maybe not. Have you ever asked her?”

“Why are you on her side?” Berry snapped.

“I'm not,” Raina said. “I just think you could have been a little sweeter to Fruli.”

Berry huffed and rolled her eyes. “Raina, she's not some lost gummy cub.” She packed up the orange blossoms and looked up at Raina. “What? I'm just saying that she's fine and we're late. Come on!”

Raina shook her head. When Berry had a mission, she was focused. She knew her Fruit Fairy friend could be stubborn. She was all juiced up. “Let's get going,” Raina said. “I think we have enough orange blossoms for Lemona now.”

Taking flight, Berry soared through the air. She had never ventured past Chocolate River to Sour Orchard. Being there at night made things seem even spookier. She hoped with all her heart that Lemona would tell them how they could help Dash. As Berry glided over the valley with
Raina, she held tightly to her basket of orange blossoms. If the sweet smell didn't sway the sour fairy, she hoped she and Raina could. She just had to have the answer that would help Dash. Berry's heart was breaking just thinking about Dash's being yellow. This plan had to work!

S
our Orchard was bursting with lemon, lime, cherry, apple, and orange trees. But these trees were different from the ones Berry and Raina were used to seeing in Fruit Chew Meadow and Gummy Forest. These trees grew in the tangy sugar crystals of Sour Orchard. Thick tree
trunks held up heavy branches filled with sweet and sour fruits.

Berry peered down at the orchard. “I wish it wasn't so dark,” she said.

“I know,” Raina said. “It's a little spooky here. But at least there's some moonlight.”

“Let's fly lower so we can see better,” Berry called. The orchard was much larger than Berry thought it would be. Even in the dim light, she could see that there were several rows of trees.

As she flew Berry looked at all the fruits on the trees. The thought of eating those sour candies made her mouth water. There were trees dripping with bunches of sour candy suckers and fruits.

Berry knew Fruit Chew Meadow so well that even in the dark she could find her way, but this
place was different. The trees looked different and the smells were not the same.

“Thanks for coming with me,” Berry whispered to Raina. She grabbed her hand. “I'm sorry I snapped at you before.”

“It's okay,” Raina said. “Besides, I wouldn't have let you come alone.”

“You are a good friend,” Berry told her. She squeezed her friend's hand tighter.

Berry spotted a familiar vine growing on a tree deep in the orchard. She pulled Raina along as she swooped down to look.

“Raina!” she exclaimed. “This is the same vine that was growing by Chocolate River! This is the magic heart vine!”

Berry landed next to the vine, and Raina followed. “Sure as sugar!” she said. “I knew
those candies were magic hearts.” She looked around. “Lemona must live somewhere around here.”

Taking a walk around a lemon tree, Berry searched for a sign of the Sour Fairy. Her red boots crunched on the sour sugar coating the ground. “What does the Fairy Code Book say? What type of home does she have?”

“Look!” Raina exclaimed. She pointed to a sign on a lemon tree a few feet away. A small piece of fruit leather had “Lemona” etched on it. “She must live over there.”

Lemona's house! Berry's heart began to race. She wasn't sure what to say to the fairy, but she knew she had to talk to her. She had to confess that she had given the candy to her friend without testing it first. As hard as that
would be, Berry knew she had to find out the truth about the candy. And the secret of the magic hearts.

Before they stepped closer to the tree, a small sugar fly flew up to Berry. The messenger buzzed around her ears.

“You have a message for me?” Berry asked.

The sugar fly nodded and handed her the note. Immediately, Berry saw that the note was from Melli. Her breath caught in her chest and she gasped. “Oh, Raina! What if something horrible has happened?” she cried. Berry's wings started to flutter and she flew up in the air. “I will never forgive myself if something has happened to Dash. What was I thinking, giving out candy that I didn't know about!”

Raina touched Berry's arm. “Let's see what the note says. We don't know what this is about yet.”

Berry's hand was shaking. “I can't,” she said, handing the note to Raina. “Would you please read this for me? I can't bear to read any more sour news today.”

“Maybe the news isn't bad,” Raina said. She tried to smile encouragingly at her friend.

“Please read it,” Berry pleaded.

Raina opened the letter. “Dash is fine,” she read. “But she is now orange! Please hurry and send along any information that you get.” Raina looked up from the note. “Oh, sugar,” she said. “This is worse than I thought.”

Berry's eyes grew wide. “What do you mean?” she gasped.

“Well, she's turning more than one color,”
Raina said. “That's not a good sign.”

Berry turned to see the sugar fly. He was waiting for a return note. Quickly, Berry scribbled a message back to her friends. “We'll soon be on our way with help,” she said as she wrote the note. “Hold on. We've just arrived at the orchard.” She folded up the note and handed it to the sugar fly. “Please give this to Melli or Cocoa,” she instructed the sugar fly.

“Are you all right?” Raina asked, looking at Berry.

Suddenly Berry was juiced up. Dash needed her help, and she was going to get her out of this sour mess. She wasn't going to be afraid. She was simply going to ask Lemona what was in her candy and how to help get Dash back to normal.

“Let's not dip our wings in syrup yet!” Berry said. She put her hands on her hips, charged with confidence. “We're here, aren't we? We need to have brave hearts!”

Raina grinned. Her spunky friend was back! And just in time. If they were going to talk to Lemona, they needed to be brave and confident.

“Lemona will help us,” Berry said. With a burst of hope, she walked toward Lemona's tree.

Just then a cloud passed over the full moon, blocking the bright moonlight for a brief moment. Berry and Raina stood still in the middle of Sour Orchard, unsure of what to do. They were so close to Lemona's tree, but they couldn't see a thing!

L
icking lollipops!” Berry cried. “It's too dark!” How could they talk to Lemona if they couldn't find her front door?

“Wait,” Raina said. “I have those peppermint candies that Dash gave us before we left.” She dug around into her bag and pulled out a bright candy.

Berry smiled. “When we get back, we'll have to thank Dash for giving those to us,” she said.

In the pale green light of the glowing peppermint, the two fairies were able to find their way to Lemona's tree.

Berry paused before knocking on the door. There was a strong scent of lemon in the air, and Berry turned to Raina. “Ready?” she asked.

“If you are,” the Gummy Fairy said, trying to sound brave.

Berry took a deep breath and knocked on the door. The door opened, and there stood a small, older fairy.

“Hello,” the fairy said. She peered over her glasses to look at Berry and Raina. “Two young fairies at my door past Sun Dip?” she asked. “What brings you two here?”

“We've come for some help,” Berry said bravely.

The older fairy nodded, and opened her door wider to invite them in. Her pale yellow hair was pulled back in a tight bun, and her wings and her dress were both yellow. “Come in,” she said kindly.

Berry and Raina walked into the fairy's house. Berry eyed Lemona. Her yellow dress was simple and neat, and her wings were gold. She had large almond-shaped eyes that were a bright green, complementing her blond hair. She didn't look sour and mean, but Berry couldn't be so sure.