Silence fell in the meadow to allow the wind to tell his story, whispering in rustling leaves. Ferry was standing stock-still. He's been watching behind Matilda long after she was out of his sight. Her leaving, no matter how much he hated to admit, had made him think. Now, he was alone among the fairies. And even though he should have felt like home, something made him waver. This place, no matter how amazing, had secrets still. As is there was something else, dark and hidden, waiting behind every tree.

Oona and Poppy had stepped aside, trying not to bother him. But when a goblin showed up, heading towards them, Oona dashed and pulled him behind a tree while Poppy turned invisible.

"Come," she whispered. "We should stay away from goblins, leprechauns, and other small creatures. They have a weakness for precious stones. They can smell them from miles away."

"But I don't have any stone," said Ferry.

Oona reached out for the raven's stone on Ferry's neck, then quickly pulled her hand back as if burnt.

"That's the hag's stone," she said. "They say they are very rare and have magical powers. They could heal and protect you from nightmares. They can even heal a snake's bite. And fairies with great powers can even see the future through them. Can I keep it for you?" she said and her eyes glittered. "You'd be safer without it."

Ferry caressed the stone's surface. It had become more shimmering ever since they stepped foot in those lands. He looked at Oona who was still waiting, a strange flicker in her eyes.

"No, I think I'll keep it," he eventually said. After the goblin distanced, protected by the tree, Ferry took out his map. Somewhere in the corner, the drawing on the map was becoming unclear and darker. That was the Blind Alley.

"We must go there," he said, pointing the spot on the map. "That's where Danny is."

But Oona shook her head no, "I don't think it's wise. No one can get in there. Not even us, the Wandering Fays. And even if we did, we wouldn't see anything."

"Why not?"

"Because once you step foot there, you go blind, of course," she said. She then started to walk the path in front of them, jumping and frisking. Poppy came along and the two began to sing a song as if the whole world was theirs.

Ferry ran behind them, "What do you mean you go blind?'

"Well, you see, Fae Queen put a spell on that place so that no one, not even she, could see once they set foot there. That's where the humans who still remember they're humans are being kept. Only the Kallikans, which are the guardians of the Blind Alley, can see. In fact, that is the only place they can see, for daylight or any light at all is burning their eyes. If they come out of the darkness, they turn blind. Nothing can bring light to that place. Not even fairy fires. Because the spell is made so that no light from fairy world could lighten that place."

Now Ferry was worried, "Why didn't you tell me that from the beginning? How am I supposed to get Danny out of there?"

"Well, until you won't cut the thread on his leg, he can't leave this place anyway, even if you take him out of there. But don't worry, I'll help you", she said, smiling. "All you have to do is find the Fountain of Truth for me. It won't be long before the Moon rises." She then carried on with the song, accompanied by Poppy.

Ferry tried hard to stay confident. To think everything is going to be all right. But now that Matilda left, he didn't know anymore. Soon, worry came to embrace his heart like a claw, starting to clench it harder and harder. If all the humans in Tenalach were tied to that big ball of wool that kept them in this place, that meant Matilda couldn't leave either. He wondered what was she doing all by herself, weak and helpless in this strange realm.

He sighed. He could see he didn't have a choice. He had to stay with Oona because she was the only one who could help him. He wished he was in Oona's place, careless and free. He watched her bouncing and singing, running around with Poppy. While he ─ He didn't know who he was. He wasn't human, that was for sure. But he wasn't a fairy either. He had no fairy powers.  Maybe Matilda was right. Maybe this adventure was to show him he wasn't one of the fairies. That perhaps he was more human than he imagined.

As if reading his thoughts, Oona stepped closer.

"Why are you so gloomy, fairy-boy?" she asked. "Why can't you enjoy this place?"

Ferry looked around. As the night was falling, the realm was changing. The flowers were brighter, lighting the night in dozens of colors like colored lanterns. The trees were decorated with climbing plants; their frail stalks were spreading a warm, white light, like Christmas decorations. The sky completed the magical picture by covering itself with stars, bigger, brighter, and closer than he had ever seen them. A sweet scent floated in the air, a scent of moonflower entwined with scents of vanilla, moss, and mint. The wind was warm and quiet, bringing along sounds of bells and flute. The voices were now far away, and no one but them was walking the path over which thin steam was floating. All Ferry could hear were Oona and Poppy's laughter. They were now playing, vanishing into thin air and then appearing again. 

"Come, fairy-boy," Poppy called him, "come play with us!"

Ferry forced a smile, but not even the beauty of the place could chase away the bitterness that was slowly coming over him. Oona and Poppy joined him. For a while, they walked the path without saying a word. The night time was rare in Tenalach and now they could enjoy its magic at will.

"I wish I could be a fairy," Ferry thought out loud.

"But you ARE a fairy," said Oona.

Ferry shook his head, "If I were a fairy, I would fly. Or I would appear and disappear at will... And so many other things... But I can't do any of that."

"But you WILL do all these things and many more when the time comes," she said in a gentle voice. "You have great powers, fairy-boy. You just have to bring them out."

"But when will the time come?"

"When the time shall come, you will know," Oona smiled. "It will be the most natural thing you'll do."

Ferry gave it a thought. He heard that before. But where? Somebody from homeland had said it, that much he knew. But now, the land of humans was far and away.

"I wish I could be like you," he said with a bitter-sweet smile.

"But you don't have to be like us. You have to be like... you. You are wondrous just the way you are," said Oona. And for the first time, Ferry felt this time she really meant what she said. She almost didn't have to say it out loud. Her big, green eyes, in which the forests mirrored, were saying it for her. "You can't even imagine how lucky your friends are to have you... You see the world differently and show it to them the way they could never imagine. Whether they are humans, fairies or any other creatures. To find someone who changes the way you see the world means to discover the new you, kinder and more generous. Means to finally find your home... What are you searching for, fairy-boy? " she said, turning her forest-eyes to him.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't help but wonder... Are you sure you came here to find Danny? Are you sure you're not here to search for... you?"

Ferry didn't answer. He didn't know what to say, anyway. He watched the marvels around him. He'd wished May could see them, too. He realized it was the first time he was thinking about her since he arrived in fairyland. With the tip of his fingers, he caressed her gift, on the back of his head. And for a moment, he was with her on the balcony full of flowers, just as marvelous as the fairy realm.

Thinking about May brought peace to his soul. But not for long. Because he could see that, for some time, Oona had turned restless. She stopped from laughing or giggling. Instead, she pricked up her ears and then she stopped, listening.

"What is it, Oona?" Poppy asked her.

"Shhhh," she whispered, putting a finger on Poppy's lips. "We must turn unseen, Caireann," she said and before Ferry knew it, they both vanished from sight.

Now that he was alone, Ferry hid inside a tree hollow as fast as he could, covering himself with the cloak which took the shape of the tree bark. Just in time. Somewhere above, he could hear songs, bell sounds, and laughter. And soon, six fairies slowly descended as if the flakes of the first snow. They were the Wandering Fays, Oona's sisters, the most beautiful creatures Ferry has ever seen. Their locks danced in the wind, the colors of the sun, ebony, or honey, the colors of bark and sand. They wore dresses of mist and their bare feet barely touched the ground. Their melodious voices blended in a song Ferry has never heard before. Then, the nymphs began to dance in circles, becoming one with the earth, the wind, and the sky.  Ferry could barely resist not joining them, charmed by their alluring dance.

After the nymphs ended their dance, the laughter and gamboling continued for a while. Then the fairies, as if playing, started to look behind the trees and all around. Ferry's heart skipped a beat, thinking they would discover him at any moment. In a strange way, he wanted to be discovered so he could be part of their playing; he yearned for dancing along and becoming one with the sky and earth, forgetting about all.

"Where could she be?" the dark-haired fairy asked, her eyes so black, that you could see your reflection as if in a mirror.

"She must be somewhere around, Breena," a blonde nymph answered. She was the same nymph Ferry had seen in front of the Palace, dancing for the guards. "I can feel her scent."

"I don't understand why she's hiding," a third fairy said; her hair had the color of chestnuts and her sapphire eyes were sparkling.

"You know Oona," answered the blonde fairy who seemed to be their leader, "she's always been... different. Curious, stubborn, wild even."

The brown-haired fairy giggled, "Hush, hush, Alwyn. What if she can hear you?"

"She may hear me and hear me well," the blonde fairy laughed. "I couldn't care less... She knows that if Fae Queen finds out about her small escapades into the world of humans, she'll forbid her to leave the Palace. Or worse, lock her in the Blind Alley."

Then the blonde fairy began to look in every bush and behind every tree. When she reached in front of the tree behind which Oona and Poppy were hiding, she stopped. With her delicate fingers, she picked up a frail, white flower. A snowdrop.

"Ooonaaa," Alwyn whispered, giving Ferry the chills. "I know you're heeere... Show yourseeelf..."

Ferry felt an eddy of wind, bringing along the scent of spring flowers. And Oona showed up; she came from behind the tree, her head down.

"Oona," Alwyn scolded her, "I've told you a thousand times not to hide from us. What have you done this time? Where have you been?"

"Nowhere," said Oona in half voice. "Here and there... Playing with Caireann..."

Alwyn laughed, "Caireann, you can come out, too." And Poppy appeared, dragging her feet as she walked towards them.

"Come along!" said Alwyn to all the fairies.

Oona looked at the tree hollow where Ferry was hiding and for a moment, Ferry thought she would tell her sisters everything.

"Why do I have to come with you?" she asked.

"Because we are trooping fairies; and trooping fairies always stay together. Our powers grow stronger only when we are together."

"But I want to stay a little longer," Oona insisted. "We were having such a good time... Weren't we, Caireann?"

Poppy nodded.

"We don't have the time," Alwyn cut her short, "there are a lot of strange visitors coming to our land. My scouts told me we have a very special... guest. We need to find him." And the fairies took flight, one after the other. Oona hesitated for a second. She cast a last, desperate glance at the tree hollow where Ferry was hiding. Then she also took flight, accompanied by Poppy.

When he couldn't hear bell sounds and laughter anymore, Ferry came out of his hideout. Now, he was alone. All of a sudden, that place, the most wonderful he's ever seen just a few moments earlier, turned into a cold, strange one. He couldn't help but think about Matilda. She must have felt the same. Or even worse. She must have felt betrayed and abandoned by someone she trusted; abandoned by her best friend. What kind of friend was he? Why did he come here after all? Did he really come to search for Danny? Or maybe this whole journey was just an excuse for him to come to this place?

He took out the map and studied it. He needed to make a back-trail and reach the gate between the worlds. If Matilda has decided to go back, she must have headed that way. But he couldn't follow the same route anymore. He needed to stay away from curious eyes. What if the goblins and their kind would find him?

He adjusted his cloak and set out. The night was just as bright, the stars just as sparkling, and the flowers on each side of the path just as alluring. Yet, something has changed. It was the wind; it wasn't gentle anymore, carrying scents of flowers, cookies, and bits of music and rumor. This time, it was cold, throwing leaves and branches in his face; it brought whispers he could not understand.

Ferry sped up. Once in a while, he would check behind him. He had the strangest feeling that someone was following him. As if unseen eyes were watching and claws were just about to snatch him. Soon, he could hear branches snapping under his bare feet, a sign that there was complete silence around. He could even hear his heartbeats; his thoughts telling him to run without looking back.

With the corner of his eye, he could catch a thin shadow, hiding behind the trees. Someone was after him. Ferry began to walk faster and faster, his heart thundering in his ears. But the shadow wouldn't let go. Soon, he could see other shadows joining, on both sides of the path. They were heavily walking, making big steps. But their legs looked so thin and long, they would've caught him even if he had run with the speed of the wind.

Ferry was now running. He left the path and he was lost among the trees, thinking that maybe the shadows would lose his track. But he was wrong. The shadows followed, ever closer. And when he thought he couldn't be more frightened, a log came in his way as if out of nowhere, and he fell; while the shadows were heading for him.

He understood now what Oona was talking about when she said the trees had ears. His pursuers were actually trees. They were alive. But as they were getting closer, he realized they weren't trees at all. They were Dryads. He read about them in Lavender's book about fairies. Spirits of the trees, usually shy and solitary. They were part of the trees they inhabited, and if the trees were chopped, they died, too. They only came alive at a nymph's order. Someone who wanted him, that was for certain. But what did they want from him? The raven's stone? Chase him away from Tenalach?

Thoughts were crowding in his head. Ferry drew back, crawling to the tree behind him. Yet, the Dryads were still coming. Their gnarled, bony arms stretching out to grab him. As he tried to step aside, he could feel something behind him moving, then embracing him tighter and tighter. He realized it was a Dryad. He struggled with all his strength in those arms that were clenching around him; he soon understood it was all useless.

Then, a black feather fell from the sky.

Thank you so much for being part of Ferry's journey! The support you've shown this story has been amazing. I'm so anxious to know what you think. So please, comment and vote! You are the reason this story is growing ;)