Mrs. Cobbs kept her word. She didn't keep them longer than dinner time. Now, they were all heading home, accompanied by Shadow, who's been sleeping the whole time they were in Mrs. Cobbs's house.

For minutes, no one said a word. Matilda hit a rock on her way with her shoe. She always did that when something troubled her. And Ferry knew what that was.

"I feel sorry for Mrs. Cobbs," she said. "It must be terrible to lose your only child. I think that's why she's talking such nonsense. About fairies and things like that..." she added, peeping on Ferry with the corner of her eye.

Ferry didn't reply. Mrs. Cobbs knew who he really was, and that troubled him. It was not how he imagined telling his friends would be.

Ben shook his head, "Yes, but keeping her husband locked away for so many years doesn't make her a nice person. The poor man should've been put into an asylum."

"Well, yes, but maybe she didn't want to send him away..."

Ferry couldn't take it anymore, "That's not why she keeps him locked," he snapped. "He's just a fairy bait. She thinks that maybe someday, the fairies are going to come after him since he's the one who saw their realm and lived to tell..."

"Yes, you could say that. If you believed in fairies," Matilda laughed. "Oh, wait! You do believe in fairies," she added with a strange glow in her eyes.

"You mustn't laugh about things other people believe in, Matt," said Ben, trying to avoid the inevitable fight.

"But I'm not laughing!" Matt bristled up. "I'm just saying Mrs. Cobbs says a lot of crazy things. Such as Ferry is a fairy. But you're not a fairy, right?" she said, looking him dead in the eye.

Ferry kept on walking without saying anything.

"You're not a fairy. Right... Ferry?" she insisted.

Ferry felt his sight turning blurry, "Would that be that bad if I were a Ferry, Matt?" he snapped back, his jaw clenched.

Matilda was now flustered. She stopped walking, her arms akimbo, "No... I mean... You don't look like a fairy. Do you have wings?" she asked, gaining back her courage.

"No..."

"Can you fly?"

"No!"

"Can you make things appear or disappear?"

"No!"

"Then you're not a fairy," she concluded and carried on.

"Well, if I come to think of it, his hair is shiny during bright nights," Ben interfered. "And he's also the fastest child I've ever seen. And he's the best climber..."

"Shut up, Ben!" Matilda cut him short and Ben turned silent, his gaze at the ground.

"Do you have something against fairies, Matt?" Ferry asked looking her dead in the eyes.

"No," she answered, trying to look calm. "I Just don't believe in fairies."

Then she whistled at Shadow who was chasing a butterfly, and she broke into a run without looking back. When the girl and the dog were out of his sight, Ferry turned to Ben, "How about you, Ben? Do you believe in fairies?"

Ben adjusted his glasses and then scratched the back of his head. That's how he was acting in school when he had to solve a difficult problem in Math classes. "Well, I don't think we're alone in this universe. And I also believe there are other realms right here. And if aliens exist, why wouldn't fairies?" he said, forcing a smile.

But Ferry could tell he was not comfortable with his presence. "Thank you, Ben," he said.

"For what?" his friend wondered.

"For trying."

Ben smiled, but then turned serious, "What shall we do about Matt? Will she still be part of Operation VDS?"

"I don't know," Ferry sighed. "I've never seen her so angry. I don't understand what she's got against fairies. Why does she hate them so much if she says she doesn't believe in them?"

Ben coughed, then said, "Maybe because, even if she refuses to believe, deep down she knows the fairies had something to do with her mother's disappearance."

"Then she has all the reasons in the world to hate fairies," said Ferry, and felt his heart breaking into thousands of pieces. He couldn't lose his best friend. Not like that.

"And now?" Ben asked. "If there really are fairies in that forest then we are very unprepared. Have you heard Mrs. Cobbs saying that they are moody and vengeful? What do we know about fairies, anyway? We could really use Billy's magical feathers..."

"Billy will never give them to us," said Ferry. He thought Ben was right. What did they know about fairies? Even if he were a fairy himself, he had spent so much time among humans, he was more a human than a fairy. They really needed some magic in that journey to the unknown. Yet, Ferry knew someone who could help them. Someone magical. A real fairy.

"Then when are we going to set for Shepherd's Forest to look for Danny?" asked Ben.

"I'm going all by myself, Ben," said Ferry. He has never been more serious.

But Ben didn't seem to agree, "You can't do that, Ferry! You can't go there all by yourself! Let me come with you," he begged.

But Ferry was determined, "You must stay, Ben. And if I don't come back in three days, you must go to the veiled lady. She'll know what to do."

"But we still need a plan," Ben insisted. "Let's meet tomorrow and think about a plan to help you when you'll be in fairyland. You'll be all by yourself. You need help."

Ben's words gave him the chills. "Fine. My place, tomorrow after school."

⃰

Ferry couldn't wait until the next day. He had to do something that very night. So after his mother gave him the goodnight kiss, he didn't go to sleep. He stayed awake until he couldn't hear any noise coming from his parents' bedroom. He jumped on his feet and put his clothes on, then leaped over the window.

He was now on his way to the Northern hills. The night was warm and full of stars. The moon was high in the sky, casting the light over the sleepy town, a thin blanket of tender, white light. The air was filled with the scent of linden trees' flowers, and Ferry felt the night was his friend, as always. He felt invigorated and full of hope.

Yet, he had one thought in his mind: what if Matilda would never accept he was a fairy? What if he would lose his best friend forever?

Lost in thought, he didn't even know when he arrived in front of the cottage near the Northern hill. Lavender Sky's house. Under the moonlight, the garden seemed more alive than ever. The sweetest, most tempting scents of flowers and berries welcomed him. The air was soft and cool. But as he left the sleepy town, the sounds of the night became louder. The buzzing of insects, the whistle of the wind, and the cries of the night birds, they all seemed as if trying to tell him something. Were they trying to warn him or to encourage him?

An owl made of glittering silver flew over his head and landed in a tree nearby. Its head turned while Ferry continued his walk and he could see its eyes staring at him. Then, it started a sinister song that scattered in the air like leaves in the fall's wind. A song that was foreseeing nothing good, most likely.

Ferry felt thousands of unseen eyes were watching. He stepped into the fairy's garden where flowers and bushes lived together, tangled like an embrace of which they wouldn't want to let go. Some sprouts caught him by his feet and Ferry fell on the soft, moist soil that still kept the scent of the last raindrops.

"What are you doing?" he heard a soft, yet firm voice behind him.

Ferry jumped on his feet trying to clean himself of leaves and dirt. Lavender Sky stood at the edge of her garden, watching him.

"I'm sorry, Mis Lavender, I didn't mean to intrude... I've just come to ─"

"Let's go inside," she interrupted him. "The night has ears..."

Ferry followed her in her cottage invaded by moss, ivy, and climbing roses. This time, a teapot was boiling on the chimney, spreading the flavor of bedstraw flower tea.

The fairy invited him to take a seat at the table. She placed some biscuits of oat and honey in front of him. Ferry tasted one, and he was surprised by the funny, yet pleasant taste, so different from anything he's ever tasted.

"It's been a while since we last met," she said with a bitter smile. "But I can understand why you didn't want to visit anymore. Maybe you're not ready to find out more about you. About who you are..."

"You see, a lot of things happened," he stammered. "One of my classmates vanished in the Shepherd's Forest and ─"

"I know," she said as natural as can be.

"How can you know if you haven't come down to the town for so long?" Ferry wondered.

"Let's say that the wind whispers in my ear..." she said so naturally, that Ferry wondered whether all the whispers he had heard were actually said by the wind. He felt a lump in his throat as he tried to speak, "I want to go to the forest and look for him. Bring him home... And I need your help."

The fairy looked at him with her big, icy glare. "That is not the best of ideas," she said without blinking. "I hope you know what happens once you step foot into those lands. It's a dangerous realm. You could be taken by surprise by the smallest, insignificant creature. For in the Land of the Unseen, nothing is what it seems. You simply can't trust fairies. They are moody and change their nature just as fast as the weather changes on a summer day. But it's not the creatures you should fear the most..."

"Who should I fear the most?" Ferry asked.

"You," said the fairy; then she quickly stood up, like she didn't want to say anything anymore. She turned towards the opened window which led to her garden; as if unsaid words were waiting for her in the garden to be picked up and spoken.

"Why would I be afraid of myself?" Ferry insisted.

The fairy sighed, "Because once you set foot in that forest, your whole life will change forever. Not just yours, but all the lives of the people you love the most..." she whispered the last words.

"But Miss Lavender, I need to save Danny. He's out there lost and alone... His mother has been crying ever since..."

"Oh, she cried all right... That's what people do best when in hard times. They cry. And? how does crying help them?" she said turning her white face towards him.

"Well... I don't know... I haven't cried a lot. I don't even remember the last time I cried."

"And that makes you a fairy," she said. "Crying makes you weak and useless. It makes you... less of a fairy," she added and tears appeared in her eyes.

"I just want to find Danny so that everything turns the way it was," he said, trying to look that he meant his words. "Whether you help me or not, I'm still going."

A sad smile appeared on her lips, "You don't understand, do you? If you ever cross to their land, nothing will be the way it was."

"So be it," said Ferry rising from his chair. "If you don't want to help me, I'm going to deal with whatever I'll find there all by myself!"

And he headed towards the door, determined to leave.

"Wait!" he could hear the fairy's voice behind him. "You need help, indeed. So tell me, how may I be of help?"

Ferry came back. He hesitated, "I don't really know... All these things that are happening are so new and strange to me. But I've been thinking ─ since fairyland is a magical place, some magical, miraculous objects would be of great help. I could need three more magical feathers from your hat, if I may ask..."

But the fairy shook her head no, "I'm afraid I can't help you. You see, just a few evenings ago, the wind took away my hat and flew away with it. Or was it the wind at all?" she said, engrossed in her thoughts.

Ferry felt the little hope he had was dying. "But─ But if I don't have the feathers, how am I going to pull through among fairies? I needed the blue feather to become invisible, the green one to fly, and the red one ─ I don't even know what the red one is for."

"The red one, if you put it in your palm, it becomes a key which unlocks doors to other worlds," said the fairy. "But can't you see? You don't need magical things. The magic is in you. You just have to bring it out."

"But how? I don't know how to do that. I don't know any magical spell."

"Oh, my dearest," said the fairy caressing his cheek, "you will know when the time shall come. It will be the most natural thing you'll do," she said, smiling. "But only if that's what you wish. Or if you'll be forced," she said with a sorrow gaze. "And remember! You have the raven's stone, one of the most powerful things in fairyland. Yet, you do need more help. I shall offer you some things that will help you on this dangerous journey."

And the fairy searched inside a big chest, hidden behind a curtain in the corner of the room. She pulled out a big wool ball, the strangest Ferry has ever seen and gave it to him.

"Here! This is a fairy's wool. It will make the human child who'll join you not look like an intruder. You are a fairy, you will not be suspected, but your friends are humans and the fairies will feel their human smell the moment they set foot into their land. If you attach a thread from this wool to their foot, no one will ever suspect anything."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that," Ferry rushed to say. "None of my friends is coming..."

"Have it, anyway," she said. And Ferry felt in his palm the softest silver wool he has ever touched. "This is my second gift to you," she continued. "But you need to know so many things about the life of fairies... Such as you don't have to wear shoes or gloves anymore. And that you need iron filings and a human who would keep it for you. I don't have anything like that here, but I'm sure you'll find some in your father's workshop. But be very careful─ when you're in great danger and will throw it on fairies, make sure not a single bit of iron touches you. Else you're be wounded. On fairyland, you'll be wounded a thousand times worse than on human land. Keep it with you in seven oak wood boxes, one inside the other, so that the power of iron won't harm you. And cover your forehead. Always cover your forehead," she said, before pulling out of the chest a dusty, gray cloak, similar to the one she was wearing. The fairy hesitated for a moment before giving it to him.

"Stay away from the moonlight until the time is right," she said with a sigh.

Her last words of hers chased away Ferry's lost drop of courage. He felt so unprepared. Alone and insecure. Yet, there was no way back. "Thank you! For the advice and... everything. I must leave now."

But as he was about to come out the door, the fairy stopped him. "Wait!" she said, coming towards him. Her eyes were cold, but Ferry thought he could see a tear sparkling, ready to fall.

"Be careful!" she said, giving him a warm embrace. The scent of field flowers took him over and Ferry felt his fear scattered as by magic. And that sweet scent joined him until he got home, bringing courage to his heart with each step he took.

But there was something else in the night outside. He could feel it. For when he jumped over the fence in his backyard, he could sense a cold breeze behind, scattering the warm night's air. He turned around to face it. Nothing. Only the walnut's branches moved as if slowly dancing, and a few whispers reached his ears.

Soon, Ferry, boy. Soon...

Well, for those of you who thought Ferry would look for help at the fairy in the northen hills, there you have it! I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and it was satisfying :) If you do, don't be shy: comment and vote! Can't wait to hear your thoughts!