10 Reverse the Curse!

CHAPTER Ten Reverse the Curse! The white falcon descended from the frosty air. She hovered above their heads. "Keeah, my daughter!" the falcon said. "Zello, my king!" Zello gazed up. "I have missed you!" "Mother!" the princess said. "Sparr is gone, but his curse remains." She held up the empty velvet bag. "Galen is frozen. My people are frozen! The magic is all gone!" "Keeah, my time here is almost done," the falcon said, fluttering up. "Already I have begun to change. I cannot help you now."

Eric, Julie, and Neal crowded around Keeah. "How can I cure Galen?" she asked. The falcon flapped her wings just above the princess. The bird's feathers started to shed. "Remember this always—you are the magic! Look into your heart, my child, and you will know." The bird rose slowly up to the ceiling. Feathers fell away with every flap of her wings. They whirled around like snowflakes in the cold air. "When next you see me, I shall be in another form. Many trials lie ahead before I can undo this curse. Before I can be your mother again." "You are my mother always!" Keeah said. "Soon, I shall see you again!" her mother called out. "Soon, Keeah! Soon, my brave king!" A moment later, the falcon was no more than a sparkling blue light vanishing to nothing. "Wow," Eric whispered. The last white feather fluttered down slowly. Keeah reached up, clutched it, and held it tight. Her father whispered to the air above them, "We will find you, my queen. We will help you." Finally, Keeah looked at the old wizard. "A lightning bolt isn't going to help me now."

Max scuttled over to her. "Queen Relna said if you look into your heart you will know." "I just thought of something else," said Neal. "I tasted the magic sugar after your mom zapped it. It was good, but pretty regular." "Yes?" Keeah said. "Well, I was thinking," Neal said. "What if the magic sugar was just, you know, sugar?" "It worked when I unfroze the wolves," the princess said. "But maybe for you, what you touch is magic," said Eric. "Because you are who you are." Julie nodded. "It's like your mother said: 'You are the magic.'" Keeah blinked. "By myself? With no spells?" "Yes!" the kids said together. King Zello put his arm around his daughter. "I believe you can do it. I've watched you. You are your mother's daughter." "Even Sparr said so," Neal added. "And he was scared of you." Keeah took a deep breath. Then she bent down to the floor. She filled her hand with powdery flakes of snow. She stepped over to Galen and sprinkled the flakes over him. The flakes danced slowly as they came down.

The ice began to melt from Galen's cheeks. His forehead. His eyes. The old wizard's face softened. He smiled. "Keeah!" he said. "I am alive again!" "Master!" Max said, jumping up and down. "Welcome back to the world of the living!" Keeah's eyes were wide with amazement. "If it works for you, then…" She rushed outside. The city around her lay frozen and white. "My people! My city!" she called out. Taking another handful of snow, she tossed it into the air. All at once, the whirling flakes became the soft white petals of apple blossoms! The clouds swept away. Golden sunlight flooded the square. Crrrack! Fountains suddenly crackled and spurted with fragrant water. Ice melted from the trees. Their bright green leaves swung loose. The air was full of sweet-scented flowers. All the ice and snow across the city vanished under the warm sun.

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"Spring is back in Jaffa City!" King Zello exclaimed. "Keeah, you have done it!" Everyone who had been turned to ice began to move again. Soon there was laughter coming from every corner of the vast city. "Awesome!" Eric said, smiling. "Now, that's what I call true magic!" Neal said. The kids shed their spider-silk coats and stood in the bright sunshine. "This is more like it!" said Julie. "And look!" Max pointed to the sky over the city's golden walls. In the bright pink sky above a nearby hill were the rainbow-colored stairs. The stairs to the Upper World. The stairs back to Eric's house. "I guess it's time," said Neal. "We'd better go," Eric added, "so we can come back again as soon as possible!" "Thank you for everything!" Galen said. "Once again, you have helped our world." "And," boomed the king, "I proclaim that the next time you come to Jaffa City, it will be Eric and Julie and Neal Day!" "It's a deal!" said Neal.