3 Chapter 3

3 Willa and Delphina landed near the shimmering air.

"I'm not coming into the glade," said Delphina. "But I'm never far away." With a flutter of her tail, she sent silver stars flying as she swished away. Willa turned toward the glade's protective force field. She took a big breath and stepped into it. The air pushed past her, warm and a tiny bit tingly. A moment later, Willa was through the force field and safe within the glade. She closed her eyes and breathed in the sweet smell of flowers and fruit. She loved this place. All of the Magic Forest was incredible, of course, but there was something extra special about the glade. Somehow it always felt like the forest's heart. "Uh, Willa?" said a voice. "Did you just fall asleep?" "Maybe she's power-napping," said another voice. Willa opened her eyes to see a rainbow dragon peering at her curiously. Behind her was a golden

dragon, laughing and sending little puffs of sparkling glitter into the air. "Hi, Naomi! Hi, Azmina!" Willa grinned. "I'm not napping. I'm just really, really happy to be here. And to see you two, of course." "Yeah, I always close my eyes when I'm happy to see someone," teased Naomi. "Well, I'm pleased to see the three of you," said a warm, familiar voice. Willa turned to see the stately tree in the center of the glade transforming into the Tree Queen. Willa thought the queen was very beautiful. Her long wavy hair flowed around her face and across her mossy green gown. But Willa couldn't help noticing that the queen looked a little tired. Were her arms thinner than usual? And her big brown eyes weren't quite so sparkly. "Excuse me, Tree Queen, are you feeling okay?" she asked anxiously.

The Tree Queen smiled at Willa, but her smile was not as wide and bright as usual. "I am feeling better now that my Glitter Dragons are here," she said. "But it is true that I am not as strong as usual. The Shadow Sprites are still at work, you see." "I thought we were safe in the glade." Naomi frowned. "Everything within the glade is safe," confirmed the Tree Queen, "but my roots go deep into the earth and draw water from an underground river. And the Shadow Sprites are attacking the water."

Willa thought about the strange inky swirls she'd seen in the river and shuddered. She remembered what Delphina had said. "Is it true that they work for the Shadow Queen?" The others looked at her curiously, but the Tree Queen just nodded. "She has been quiet for a very long time. But she is gathering strength." Willa, Azmina, and Naomi exchanged worried looks.

The Tree Queen stretched out one of her long branch arms, from which hung a tiny apple. It was no bigger than an acorn. As the Dragon Girls watched, the apple rapidly began to swell until it was a giant silver fruit—much bigger than an apple in the normal world. The Tree Queen had grown a magic apple when they had last visited. But that time it had been gold. "Look into the apple," said the queen in her soft, rustling voice. The Dragon Girls leaned in and gazed at the shiny fruit. Slowly, images began to play like a movie across the apple's surface. Willa felt like she was flying above the river again, although now she was much closer to the water. She had already seen the gray swirls wriggling through the water, leaving ashy trails behind them. But Willa was still shocked when they appeared in the bright turquoise water.