The Wishing Wings Read online

  The Butterfly Wishes series

  The Wishing Wings

  Tiger Streak’s Tale

  Coming soon

  Blue Rain’s Adventure

  Spring Shine Sparkles

  For S. and C.,

  the butterfly spirits in my life

  CONTENTS

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  whitespace

  PROLOGUE

  The sun scattered gleaming streaks of light through a grove of willow trees. Two butterflies flitted in and out of the rays, riding the breeze toward one tree that was taller and thicker than the others.

  In the center of this tree was a deep hollow covered with a carpet of shaggy moss. The butterflies landed softly on it.

  “Do you see, Mama?” said one butterfly as she climbed to the top of the hollow. In a neat row hung four gray shapes. Each one was a chrysalis, a small, hard bubble inside which a caterpillar was changing into a butterfly. “The chrysalides should be gold,” added the butterfly, “but they’re not!”

  This butterfly’s wings were colored pink and turquoise, with cloud-shaped patterns on them. Now she flapped those wings nervously, hovering around the four chrysalides.

  “Yes, Sky Dance,” the other butterfly said with an echo of worry. “I do see. They should be lighting up, too.” She was bigger, splashed with shades of brilliant red, forest green, and shining silver. The colors made a pattern that looked like a rose on each wing. She was Queen Rose Glow.

  Sky Dance landed next to her mother. “Something’s very wrong,” she said, her voice shaking.

  “I feel it, too,” murmured Rose Glow. “These New Blooms are surely under a dark enchantment. Who knows what they’ll be like when they emerge? If they can’t grant someone a wish by sunset on their first day . . .”

  “. . . they’ll lose their magic,” finished Sky Dance. The thought of it made her shudder.

  One chrysalis was wiggling a bit. Almost dancing. Mother and daughter stared at it with extra love and excitement in their eyes. It was special to them.

  “Your sister will have her new wings before the sun breaks over that hill,” said Rose Glow.

  “I can’t wait to see her!” Sky Dance exclaimed, but then she got serious again. “But, Mama,” she added, “who would put such a curse on the New Blooms?”

  Rose Glow’s huge eyes grew darker. “Someone who wants to steal their magic for themselves,” she said. “If the New Blooms lose their magic, we all lose a little magic, too. Our magic might even get so weak that it disappears completely.” Rose Glow touched a wing to one of Sky Dance’s wings and added, “The time has come for you to seek help on the far side of the meadow.”

  Sky Dance knew what that meant. It frightened her, but she didn’t let it show.

  The chrysalis shook harder. As it began to slowly split open, both butterflies took a breath and filled their hearts with hope.

  CHAPTER ONE

  Addie Gibson lay on the floor of her new bedroom, surrounded by boxes. She rested her head on one labeled Books, which was not at all comfortable, but it felt good to take a break from unpacking.

  She stared out the window, where all she could see was blue sky and the corner of one puffy cloud. What is Violet doing right now? Addie wondered, running her fingers over the woven bracelet on her wrist and thinking of her best friend. Does the sky look the same out her window? It had only been three days since Addie’s family moved from the city to Brook Forest, but she already missed Violet so much that it hurt.

  Suddenly, the bedroom door burst open and there stood Clara, Addie’s younger sister. She clutched a stuffed orange cat under one arm.

  “I can’t find my pencils and sketch pads,” Clara announced angrily. “Do you have them?”

  “I don’t know,” replied Addie. “I just opened a box of art supplies. Look over there.” She pointed to a big box in the corner.

  Clara marched over to the box and looked inside, then pulled out a set of colored pencils. “Aha! You did take them!”

  “I did not!” Addie snapped back. “The movers must have packed up our stuff together.”

  Addie heard the jingle of a collar. Her little black-and-white dog, Pepper, scurried into the room and jumped into Addie’s arms.

  Clara looked at Addie and the dog with a frown. She asked, “Why does Pepper always take your side? He likes you better, and it’s not fair. I’ve been begging Mom and Dad for my own dog for ages!”

  The girls’ mother appeared in the doorway behind Clara and clapped her hands. “Both of you, hush,” she commanded. “You haven’t stopped fighting since we first walked into this house!”

  Clara gave her mother a furious look, then gave Addie a super furious look, and stomped off. They heard her bedroom door slam.

  Mom sighed, then said to Addie, “Forgive your sister. She’s really sad about the move.”

  “She must be,” added Addie, “if she’s walking around hugging Squish.” Squish was the name of Clara’s stuffed cat, her favorite toy since she was a baby.

  Mom nodded. “Brook Forest is so different from the city. I know it’s a big change. Are you sad, too?”

  Addie buried her face in the scruff of Pepper’s neck. “I’m okay,” she said. It wasn’t completely true. She was sad, but she was trying hard not to be.

  “Everything will be better once we’re settled in,” Mom reassured her. “It won’t seem so different anymore, and you’ll both make new friends. Why don’t you take Pepper outside while I help your sister calm down?”

  “Outside?” asked Addie.

  Her mother laughed. “Yes, honey. We have a backyard now. You should be exploring it.”

  “But there’s nature out there! Dirt and leaves and bugs and . . . flying things.”

  “Isn’t it wonderful?” Mom said with a smile. “Catch one of them, then bring it back for us to see.”

  Pepper tugged hard at his leash, pulling Addie from the house onto the back deck, and then onto the grass.

  “Okay, okay!” she grumbled at her dog. “I get it! You like it out here. That makes one of us.”

  Truth was, Addie did like her yard. She just didn’t like the woods that lay beyond it. The stretch of grass behind the house ended at a line of identical trees that made a kind of fence. All Addie could see on the other side of them were more trees, branches, and leaves. It was as if they went on forever. She could hear strange noises, too. Her parents said it was only birds chirping and squirrels scampering, just like in the park near their old apartment, but here they sounded extra-spooky.

  Suddenly, there were giggling voices nearby. Addie peered across some bushes to the house next door and glimpsed the top of a swing set. Maybe she would meet the neighbor kids soon. The thought of it made her stomach do a flip-flop.

  The kids started shouting at one another, and Addie tried to hear what they were saying. She was listening so hard, she didn’t realize she’d loosened her grip on Pepper’s leash . . .

  Just like that, Pepper was off running, chasing a squirrel toward the row of trees.

  “No!” yelled Addie after him, but he shot like a rocket past the trees and into the woods, disappearing almost instantly. “Pepper!” she yelled. “Come back!”

  Addie was quiet for a moment, listening for signs of her dog. Out of the corner of her eye, something bright flitted in the distance. When she turned to look, it was gone.

  “Pepper!” Addie hollered. “You bad, bad boy!”

  There was no time to get help. Pepper was fast. The longer Addie waited to go afte
r him, the farther away he might get.

  “Be brave,” she said to herself, and took the longest, deepest, courage-creating breath she could.

  Addie stepped through the trees, then paused. This isn’t so bad, she thought. Just a little cooler and darker. Only a little scary.

  She took another step, then another. By the third step, she was officially in the woods now . . . and she felt okay!

  Addie started running, calling Pepper’s name. Somewhere nearby, she could hear the faint jingle of his collar. Her sneakers kicked rocks as she ran, and leaves scratched her bare legs. She ducked under a low branch to avoid smashing into it, but lost her balance and tripped on a thick tree root. Addie barely had time to put out her hands to break her fall.

  “Ouch!” she cried as she hit the dirt. She lay there for a second, then slowly stood up, examining her arms and legs to see if she was hurt.

  She wasn’t, but now she was definitely lost. She brushed herself off, then turned in a circle to see if she could spot a house somewhere. Nothing. There were just woods, woods, and more woods.

  “Pepper!” she yelled. “Mom! Clara!”

  Nobody answered.

  Addie sat down on the ground and hugged her knees to her chest. “You’re not scared,” she said aloud to herself. “You’re fine. Your house is probably on the other side of those trees.”

  Suddenly, something fluttered past her. Addie saw flashes of pink and turquoise.

  Then Pepper emerged from a bush, chasing after it.

  Addie followed Pepper’s little white-tipped tail into a clearing.

  “Pepper, stop!” she commanded. “Leave that butterfly alone!”

  Suddenly, the butterfly slowed down, flitting in circles above Pepper’s head. Pepper started running in circles, too. It gave Addie a chance to catch up to him and grab the leash.

  “Got you!” she exclaimed once she had it firmly in her hands.

  That was strange, Addie thought. It was almost as if the butterfly had done that on purpose, to help her.

  Pepper barked at the butterfly, who was still hovering close to them. It darted up and down, back and forth. Addie didn’t want Pepper to hurt it.

  “Best to tie you up so I can chase this poor thing away,” Addie told the dog. She looped his leash around the trunk of a small tree. Once Pepper realized he wasn’t going anywhere, he lay down in the grass and put his chin on his paws, panting.

  Then Addie turned to the butterfly. “That stinker won’t bother you anymore,” she said. “Go! Be free!”

  But the butterfly didn’t leave. It flew even lower. Addie could hear its wings flapping. She could feel the little breeze it made as it flitted by her head. What was it doing?

  Maybe it wants to play, thought Addie for a second. But no, that would be ridiculous. Right?

  Still, the butterfly did seem very interested in her. Addie was also very interested in it. Now that she could get a better look, Addie thought it was the most beautiful and unusual butterfly she’d ever seen. The colors on its wings were so bright, and the pattern on them almost looked like clouds. How strange!

  She remembered what her mother said about exploring and catching something. Before she knew it, Addie was reaching out her hands toward the butterfly. It floated above them as if making up its mind, then landed gently, with a tiny tickle, on one of Addie’s palms.

  Addie carefully cupped her other palm over the butterfly and peered into the little house she’d made with her hands. She’d never been this close to one before. The butterfly slowly flapped its wings, maybe tired out from all that flying. Its antennae stood straight at attention, and it appeared to be looking right back at her with a furry pink face and dark, bead-shaped eyes.

  “Hello there,” said Addie.

  “Hello to you, too,” said the butterfly in a voice as high and clear as bells ringing.

  Addie was so surprised, she stumbled backward into the dirt again.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Addie sat up and looked around for the person who’d said hello to her. Nobody was there except for Pepper, who was already snoozing in the sun.

  “Who said that?” Addie called out.

  The butterfly had escaped Addie’s hands when she fell. Now it was zigzagging around her. After a moment, it landed daintily on her knee and said, in that same musical voice, “I did!”

  Addie stared at it and blinked twice. Was she imagining this? Had she hit her head?

  “You’re a butterfly,” said Addie. “Butterflies don’t talk.”

  “I’m a Wishing Wing,” replied the butterfly matter-of-factly. “And Wishing Wings do talk. When we have something to say, of course. We don’t go around chattering for no reason. My name’s Sky Dance, and I need your help!”

  “I’m Addie.” Addie was still not sure this was really happening. “What’s a Wishing Wing?”

  Sky Dance’s wings quivered. “We don’t have much time,” she said anxiously, “but I suppose I should explain a few things first.” She was silent for a few moments, her little head tilted as if she were thinking. “Okay,” the butterfly continued. “Have you ever suddenly felt like you wanted to take off running because you were so happy? Have you ever started dancing and singing for no reason?”

  Addie thought about that. “Yes,” she replied. “Not lately, but yes.”

  “Have you ever felt really strong, like you could do anything you put your mind to?”

  “Sometimes,” muttered Addie. It had been a while in that department, too.

  “That’s because of us!” exclaimed Sky Dance, shooting into the air and flying around Addie’s head. “That’s the power of the Wishing Wing butterflies! Regular butterflies spread pollen. We spread the butterfly spirit . . . by granting wishes. We’re magic!”

  “Magic . . .” Addie echoed. It was one of her favorite words. “I love magic. Too bad this is just a dream.”

  “You’re not dreaming!” Sky Dance said in a frustrated voice. She landed on Addie’s other knee and moved her wings in quick, short flaps. “I’ll prove it to you.”

  “How?”

  “By granting you a wish, silly!” Sky Dance suddenly lowered her voice, more serious now. “But you get just one. Every human child gets one. There’s only so much magic to go around, you know, so you must choose carefully. What is the thing you want most in the world right now?”

  Addie thought about the question. It was a tough one! Nobody had ever asked her that before. She knew she was supposed to name something like a pony or a trillion dollars. But when she closed her eyes and concentrated on what would make her happiest at that moment, the first image that popped into her head was Violet’s face. Addie found herself reaching for the bracelet on her wrist—the one that Violet had made for her as a good-bye gift.

  Before she knew it, Addie was saying, “I wish my best friend Violet and I could stay close forever, even though we live far apart now.”

  Sky Dance flitted over to Addie’s wrist and examined the bracelet. “Violet must be special to you,” she said.

  “She is. Missing her is the worst thing about moving to Brook Forest.”

  “Okay, then!” proclaimed Sky Dance. “I can fix that. Hold out your arm.”

  Addie did as she was told. Sky Dance paused for a moment, then flew a quick circle around Addie’s wrist. She left a trail of colors behind her, a striped rainbow with the dazzling pink, turquoise, and white of her wings.

  She flew a second time around Addie’s wrist . . . and then a third.

  When she was done, Sky Dance landed back on Addie’s knee. The rainbow she’d made hung in the air, sparkling like fireworks. When it faded, Addie looked at her arm and gasped in surprise.

  The woven bracelet had been transformed into a gleaming gold chain. A heart-shaped locket dangled from the center of it.

  “Open it!” said Sky Dance, sounding very pleased with herself.

  Addie opened the locket. Inside was a picture of her and Violet together, hugging and smiling at the camera. It was a p
hoto Addie’s mother had taken at Addie’s last birthday party. Addie was suddenly overcome with the feeling that Violet was with her.

  “What . . . How did you . . . When . . .” Addie simply could not find words for this situation.

  Sky Dance laughed. “That’s Wishing Wing magic for you. It’s powerful stuff! I put some extra in the locket. It’ll keep your friendship with Violet strong.”

  “Whoa,” muttered Addie, touching the smooth surface of the locket. It was so shiny, she could see her reflection in it. “I love this. Thank you!”

  She reached out to hug Sky Dance, then realized that . . . well . . . she couldn’t really hug a butterfly. Instead, she put out her finger and Sky Dance landed on it. Addie brought Sky Dance close to her face, and they stared into each other’s eyes.

  “I guess seeing is believing,” Addie said after a moment. “You are real.”

  “Yes, indeed. So you’ll help us?”

  “What’s the trouble, exactly?”

  Sky Dance became very still and sighed. “I’m in charge of four New Blooms. That’s what we call a Wishing Wing that’s just come out of its chrysalis. You know what a chrysalis is, right?”

  Addie nodded. “When a caterpillar’s ready to turn into a butterfly, it makes a little house around itself where it does all the changing.” She’d seen pictures of them in books, but never one in real life.

  “A New Bloom has to earn its magic,” continued Sky Dance, “by granting a wish to a human child before sunset. If the New Bloom can’t do that, its magic is gone forever! It loses all its colors and its wings become plain white.”

  “Oh,” said Addie softly. “How sad.”

  Sky Dance folded up her wings so they looked like a single wing, making her look quite solemn. “My sister is one of these New Blooms,” she explained. “Someone cast an enchantment on the four chrysalides, but we don’t know who or why they’d want to do this. My sister doesn’t even realize she’s a butterfly. She’s confused and afraid. She has to find a human child who needs a wish granted, but she won’t leave the Changing Tree!”