Magic Hearts (8 page)

“No, there's definitely something strange blowing around the valley,” Dash said. She looked back at her friends. “And no, it's not just the cold autumn wind,” she added.

Melli had to agree with Dash. “This is the busiest time in Sugar Valley and we shouldn't be distracted from our work. Candy Corn Field is already full of tall stalks.”

The four fairies flew in silence for a moment. They glided over Candy Castle and then they saw the tops of the Gummy trees.

“I can't wait to see Raina,” Melli said. “I hope that she's all right.”

“We just saw her yesterday,” Berry told her. “Don't be so dramatic. I'm sure that she's fine.”

Cocoa flew ahead and then called back over her shoulder, “I don't think that it's Raina that we need to be concerned about.” She pointed to the south end of the forest. “Look at those trees!”

The four friends gasped as they saw the melted leaves of the gummy trees. Normally, the branches were filled with bright rainbow gummy fruits.

“No wonder she called us,” Berry whispered.

“Let's go find her,” Dash said.

The fairies flew deeper into the forest. There were puddles everywhere from the melted gummy candies.

“I never thought that I would say this,” Dash said. “But Gummy Forest is a melted mess!” She stepped over a rainbow puddle. Even though Dash was the smallest of all the Candy Fairies, she was always hungry and was the most adventurous eater. If the melted gummies didn't appeal to even Dash, the fairies knew things were
really
bad.

“Sweet sugar!” Raina shouted when she saw her friends. “I'm so glad that you got here!”

“Oh, Raina,” Melli said, rushing down to give her friend a hug. “What happened here?”

“I'm not really sure,” Raina said, her voice full
of concern. “When I woke up this morning, the forest looked . . . melted!”

Cocoa, Berry, and Dash landed beside her. Their faces told Raina all she needed to know.

“It still looks awful here, doesn't it?” the Gummy Fairy asked. “The poor forest animals don't know what to make of all this. I tried my best to take away some of the melted candies and clean up some of the puddles, but that doesn't seem to be making a difference. The forest is still a mess.”

“Are you okay?” Cocoa asked. She put her arm around Raina.

Raina sat down on a melted log on the ground. “I'm fine,” she said with a heavy sigh. “I've been doing all sorts of research. And
nothing seems to match up. All I know is that the forest animals and Gummy candies are all in danger.”

“It's definitely eerie, not cheery, here,” Berry muttered. “Are you sure this isn't some kind of spooky trick from Mogu?”

Raina shook her head. “I don't think so. This is really bad. Even for a tricky troll.”

“I wouldn't put anything past Mogu,” Cocoa said. “That old, salty troll is sour.”

“Yes,” Raina agreed. “But Mogu loves gummy candy. I can't see him wanting to ruin it.”

The fairies all knew that Mogu lived in the Black Licorice Swamp and often came with his Chuchies to swipe candy from the Gummy Forest. The troll and his round little workers loved candy too much to spoil the crops.

Berry looked closely at the melted trees. “I think that you're right. These candies are ruined . . . even for a troll to eat.”

“I told you something was going on,” Dash mumbled.

Standing with her hands on her hips, Berry shook her head. “You're not saying what I think that you're saying, are you?” She smiled at Dash. “You've been reading too many Caramel Moon stories.”

“Most of the stories are based on truth,” Dash said. She loved to read all the spooky tales that fairies had spun about the full moon in the tenth month of the year. “Those aren't just ghost stories.” Dash looked over at Melli and Raina. “Tell them!”

“Well, some of those stories are just meant to
entertain,” Raina said. “But others are based on true occurrences.”

Dash gloated for a minute, but then a melted candy snapped off its vine and fell on her head. She rubbed her forehead and looked to Raina. “What do you think this is all about?”

Raina plucked a droopy gummy branch off a tree. “Has anyone else seen anything strange going on in Sugar Valley?” She glanced over at Dash. “Or heard anything strange?”

“The Gummy flowers over by the Chocolate River did look melted,” Cocoa told Raina.

Dash's silver wings flapped nervously. “Last night, I heard howling and moaning in Peppermint Grove,” she whispered.

“Something isn't right in Sugar Valley,” Melli muttered. “Oh, and there's so much to do! Think
of all the fall candy crops that could be ruined.”

“Let's not get our wings dipped in syrup yet,” Berry told her friends. “We can get to the bottom of this.”

A sugar fly buzzed up and dropped a note for Raina. She read the letter quickly and then showed her friends. “The note is from Candy Castle. Princess Lolli is calling a meeting for all of the fairies. We are supposed to go to the Royal Gardens at Candy Castle
now
.”

Melli gasped and her hand flew to her mouth.

“If Princess Lolli is calling us to the castle, the situation has to be really sour!” Dash exclaimed.

“Not necessarily,” Cocoa said, trying to keep her friends calm. But in her heart, she wasn't so sure. Princess Lolli was the kind and gentle ruler of all of Sugar Valley. She didn't often call
a meeting with all the fairies unless something was
very
urgent.

The fairies flew off to Candy Castle hoping that all would soon be right in the Sugar Valley.