Mrs. Cobbs's disappearance after Ferry's visit made some eyebrows raising. But since no one could prove anything ─ Mrs. Cobbs has been under police surveillance, the whole time ─ the people of Goodharts went back to their day-to-day lives. Still, the guesses and theories didn't stop. A sign that all the local people have returned to the most pleasant occupation during summer ─ making up and sharing new theories. The vigilant, responsible citizens of the town had destroyed the tunnel, with Mrs. Nosey as their leader. Although long passed by their middle age, they could still ─ or at least they thought they could ─ knock down whoever would have dared to endanger the town's peace and security. But with all their vigilance, no one saw Mrs.Cobbs going out of her house that evening; no one would ever see her again, for that matter.

"I bet she has a portal hidden in her house, just like the one in Shepherd's Forest," Ben came up with the idea, trying to keep up with his friends. All three were now heading towards the ice-cream van at the end of the street. Ever since they had returned from fairyland, Ben didn't stop flooding them with questions about the amazing, mysterious places they visited. Ferry tried to tell him all about the letter. But each detail brought other questions and Ben's examination didn't seem like ending too soon. Ferry tried to be patient and give Ben all the information he needed ─ which he meticulously wrote down in his notebook. In the end, he owed him that much. If Ben hadn't alerted Lavender Sky, they would have all been prisoners in Tenalach forever.

But in public, Ferry avoided talking about it. Whilst Matilda didn't mention it at all, not even when they were alone.

"Ben, if we wait for you much longer, the ice-cream van will leave," she bristled up. Since the van was not visiting Goodharts very often, Ben thought the possibilities and stopped inquiring Ferry. At least, for the moment.

They could barely make themselves room through the crowd of noisy children around the van. When their turn came, the salesman gave each one an ice-cream cone. Matilda had a chocolate one and Ben one of watermelon flavor. Ferry couldn't decide. And then the salesman suggested him an apple and cinnamon flavored one. He offered it to Ferry before he could figure out where he had heard that voice before.

"You have some queer taste," said Matilda, making a weary face. "How can you eat an ice-cream with the flavor of a cake? Cake and ice-cream should be two different things."

But Ferry was not paying attention. Across the street, May, Cecilia, and two other girls from their class also enjoyed their ice-creams. Ferry hasn't been talking to May since he came back. He had imagined the moment a hundred times. What was he going to tell her? How was she going to react? He knew she was somehow connected to fairyland. Her grandmother had given her the Moon's Tear for him. Ferry wouldn't have made it without it.

"You know, you could go and talk to her instead of bumping into people," Matilda told him while trying to remove an ice-cream stain off her blouse.

But when he found himself in front of her, he choked on his words. "Well, well, if it isn't the town's hero," said Cecilia making a face. "See you at the playground, May, after you finish talking to Mister Hero," she said while walking away.

"Don't mind her," said May placatory. She wore a white, little dress with a floral pattern and she had fresh flowers in her hair. "How are you?" she asked, pecking at her mint ice-cream.

"I'm fine..." he mumbled, trying to find his words. His ice-cream was melting and a drop fell on his shoe. They both headed towards the central square where people of all ages gathered every evening when the heat faded away.

Ferry felt he needed to tell May. About the fairies and about himself. He couldn't keep his true nature hidden. Not from May.

"Listen, May," he gathered courage, "what happened in the forest it's not what the local people think. A lot of things happened in that place. Things I can't really talk about..."

May interrupted him and watched him with her big, sparkling eyes. "You don't have to tell me anything, Ferry," she said. "I know."

His heart skipped a beat. "What do you know?"

"That you are different... That you are not of this world."

⃰

It was past midnight. He waited for his parents to go to sleep so he could get out of the house. But his father was late, as usual, now that the tavern was closing late. When the voices of the last party people faded away and his father snored in the room next to his, Ferry went out his window.

When his feet touched the ground, he realized he's been flying. It was the first time he was flying in the world of humans.

The moonlight scattered over the sleepy town like thin, cool linen. His footsteps echoed on the slabs of the street leading to the exit of the town. He was walking towards Lavender Sky's cottage. And he was late. He knew everyone was there. Matilda, Ben, and May. His Guardians and Lavender Sky. Matilda's mother and father.

Baldie said there would be someone else to join their secret meeting. Someone who knew him very well, but whom he never me; Ferry was curious who that someone might have been.

After a while, he was running; he felt like he didn't run fast enough because the exit of the town seemed like shifting off. That's when he decided it was the perfect moment to fly. He thought about it and that very moment, his feet detached from the ground. Then, he slowly lifted, trying not to swing too much in the air because the movement made him feel a bit dizzy. To his surprise, he did it. He lifted above the ground even more. Then, just as slowly, above the streets, the houses, and the trees. He flew smoothly, and the branches that came on his way made room for him, leaning as if taking a bow. Every now and then, insects and birds joined his flight, studying him with curiosity and wonder. He was flying. He didn't even need the green feather. He had given it back to Billy anyway and he was surprised to see that Billy didn't seem angry for not getting back the other two feathers. It seemed like the joy of getting his best friend back was bigger.

He was flying. Still clumsy, most likely because of the excitement. He walked the air with large steps, allowing the wind to make hay of his hair and flutter his clothes. Up there, it was chilly and quiet. Once in a while, he would meet a bird or a giddy, lost bat. He flew here and there, in a straight line, or followed a sinuous path of air he thought he saw. His senses were sharper. He could see through the darkest shadows until the farthest distances. He could feel the night whispering in his ears words only he could hear. The ground came closer or went away under his eyes, giving him a sweet numbness, the same way he felt when his swing got too high. He never would've thought flying could be so fun. He laughed and shouted, and his shouts of joy scattered in the high air. He flew ever higher until he felt the crispy air giving him nice chills. He could see the town, as small as a ball, quietly sleeping. Only the street lamps were glittering below, now the size of light bugs.

When the town vanished from his sight, the trees turned taller, stronger, all of a sudden ─ mighty giants watching over a forbidden land. The wind began to bring pieces of words and whispers. And between the thick branches, Ferry discovered Lavender's cottage. The small backyard was flooded with a soft light like the gentle, comforting light of Christmas nights.

He slowly descended, finding shelter in the shadow of an old fir tree. Laughter and idle talk came from the backyard. He slowly came nearer, hiding behind the house's wall. A camping fire lighted the yard, and he could clearly see. They were all there. Matilda, Ben, and May. His Guardians, with Izzy in a great shape. His left eye was covered with a leather patch. He saw Matilda's mother and father. Baldie told him they could trust him and he needed to know what really happened to his wife. His heart stood still for a moment, not seeing Lavender, but then he thought she might be inside. Flavors of soup and berry pie came from the inside, alluring him to step closer.

A long ash tree table, covered with the whitest linen he's ever seen, was placed in the middle of the yard, right under the leaning willows. All around it, amongst the tall, wild plants and weeds that grew freely, there were chairs, and pillows, and blankets, so that the guests could sit on. May sat on a soft blanket, the color of a peach as Rosemary was braiding flowers in her hair. Matilda was telling something, waving her hands, and Ben, Izzy, and Shadow paid attention to every word she was saying. Her parents watched over her with love in their eyes. Matilda's father was holding his wife, a hand gently placed on her shoulder, and Ferry thought it was the first time he saw him smile.

Only Baldie looked somehow secluded and quiet, backed to a pile of which some violet clothes were fluttering in the wind. From time to time, the children were getting themselves something to crunch from the table full of fruits, seeds, and colorful juices glittered in small, pot-bellied bottles with long bottlenecks.

Ferry thought it was time to come out f the shadows. At his sight, everyone smiled, surrounding him.

"You're late," Matilda scolded him.

"I'm so glad you're here," said May with a smile. She seemed comfortable among fairies. And that he was one of them.

Ferry smiled, feeling a nice warmth taking him over, just like every time May was around. Izzy and Shadow patted him on the shoulder, and Ferry was glad to see the old Izzy, always with a smile in the corner of his mouth. Unfortunately, he had lost his winking eye and now he was practicing on winking with the right, which turned out to be rather hard. Yet, Lavender was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is Miss Lavender?" he asked Baldie, who also joined to the loud group.

He saw Baldie looking away, "She's inside... But first, we need to talk."

Ferry felt uneasy. "About what?" he asked. "I want to see her."

Baldie blocked his way to the cottage, but Ferry managed to sneak and came in. Inside, the yellow, pale light of an oil lamp made the whole room look like in a fairy tale. The old furniture cracked while the pillows and blankets, made from thousands of colorful patches, were thrown about all the corners of the room, on the chairs and on the sofa, inviting to rest and sleep.

The flavours of the vegetable soup and pie were getting stronger. Someone stirred in the cauldron on the fire; a humpback old woman, muffled up in a long shawl with crocheted flowers. Ferry coughed, but the old lady didn't seem to hear him, leaned over the soup pot and humming a song.

"Excuse me," he said, "where can I find Miss Lavender?"

The old woman turned to him. Her face was so wrinkled, she looked older than Mrs. Cobbs (and no one was older than Mrs. Cobbs). Ferry thought she must be over a hundred years old. Yet, a vivid sparkle glittered in her blue eyes.

"Ferry, you're here," she said in a husky, yet warm voice. "Come closer," she beckoned. "Come sit by the fire. We need to talk..."

Ferry came closer, with long-winded steps. "Who are you? How come you know my name?"

He was interrupted by a low noise behind him. Baldie had slowly walked in. The old lady nodded at him with a smile, "It's all right, Thyme, you can retreat."

His guardian took a small bow, and then came out just as slowly as he entered.

Ferry took a seat on the edge of the armchair near the fire. The old lady came closer, leaning on a knotty cane adorned with strange symbols. A brand-new cane.

She smiled at him. Her bright, blue eyes also smiled. Her white hair fell in undulated waves all the way to the floor. It radiated a pale glow. Her attire, layers over layers of silk, velvet, and brocade in different shades of violet, made a pleasant rustle with every move she made. They were precious vestments, embroidered with delicate stitches describing the moon and the stars, true paintings on the purple linens. Ferry has seen only one fairy wearing similar attire. Saraid.

She took a seat next to him. Her movements, though slow, spread a delicate perfume of wildflowers. He knew that scent.

"What I am about to tell you," she began, "I wouldn't want to make you sad... I would like you to see my story as a triumph of hope over the lies and darkness," she said in an old, yet comforting voice.

"I don't understand," he said, feeling his heart aching.

"I had to do it, Ferry. If I hadn't, you would've stayed in the Blind Alley forever."

"What was it that you had to do?" he asked in a low voice.

"The Far and Away charm," she said just as softly.

Ferry put his chin to his chest. He began to understand. He looked into the old lady's eyes and recognized them. They were the warm, blue eyes of Lavender Sky. His sister.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, feeling a warm lump in his throat. "I'm so sorry..."

"Don't be sorry," she said, caressing his hair. "You're my brother. I couldn't have left you..."

"But... how?"

"The Far and Away charm is very powerful. Only the Great Fairies can do it. The one who does it can transport even a hundred persons to far distances, even dozens of kingdoms away. But it's also very dangerous," she sighed. "Because it sucks dry that being and it takes a long time for that fairy to heal. And if a fairy isn't using the powers for a long, long time, the charm could be fatal. But I ─" she forced a smile, "I survived..."

Ferry shook his head, "You did survive, Miss Lavender, but with what price? You lost your youth forever. That means you don't have much to live. Old people don't live forever," he said off the reel, clenching his fists.

His sister wiped away the tear that was falling on his cheek. "You don't have to feel sorry for me, Ferry. I had a good life. I was happy. Those years of complete happiness worth more than a thousand years of youth. Youth is only a shadow. You think you're strong and invincible, and that your wings are touching the skies. And before you know it, it slips through your fingers. I'm not ashamed of the life I've lived," she said, and her gaze turned to the fire in front of her. "It was my choice to live among humans. I've seen the best in them. As I've seen the worst in them. But I've also seen beyond their souls. And I know there is still love in their hearts. We are all carrying a pearl of love in our hearts, no matter how small. We just have to make it grow with every second of our life. And you Ferry," she said, looking him dead in the eye, "you have so much love to give... I don't know whether it's a blessing or a curse. Because love can save you. But it can also tear you to pieces..." she sighed.

Ferry didn't read into her sayings. "What about now?" he asked.

She shrugged. "Now, I don't know. All I know is that I lost my fairy powers forever. But I don't regret it. I did it for you and for Akna. I saved their savior. Their only hope to chase away the evil that's beginning to spread. Maybe they won't see me as the Fugitive Fairy anymore. Maybe now they will forgive me..."

Ferry tried to stop his tears from falling. "I'm sorry, Miss Lavender..."

His sister smiled, "Call me Kaylin. After all, I'm your sister, even though I look like a grandmother." Her voice, though old, was warm and comforting. "And stop asking for forgiveness. Only now I have become what I've been dreaming of for so long. I'm a human now. Just like him..." she said and she looked out of the opened window. Ferry followed her gaze. The hill in the distance was quiet, standing in the moonlight like a brave knight, ready to face his enemy; the grave on the top of it didn't look as scary as it once did.

"There's just one thing I wish before closing my eyes for eternity," she said and tears sparkled in her eyes. "I wish I could see my children again. I know they're alive. And so far away from me... Away from this place, away from the moonlight... Seeing them again, happy and free, it's all I want. Then, I can go to him in peace..."

Ferry looked into her eyes. He's never been more serious, "I will bring them back to you. I promise."

A soft knock on the door interrupted them. It was Baldie.

"Milady, it is time. He's here."

Well, this is the first part of the final chapter. I can't believe this story is coming to an end. Thank you all for being part of this journey. Vote, comment, and share this story with your friends. Thank you!