9 Chapter 9

9 A slow smile spread across the figure's face. She began to move forward. As she did, Shadow

Sprites slid from the darkness and wrapped themselves around her like elegant scarves. "Very good, Dragon Girl," the Shadow Queen said softly. It felt like her words were being whispered right into Naomi's ear. "The Tree Queen chose you three well. You have outsmarted my sprites. But you won't outsmart me." She stretched out a long, thin arm. "Give me that potion, Dragon Girl." "Don't do it!" Willa called. "No way," Naomi said. But she noticed that her arm didn't seem to be listening to her. In fact, her arm seemed to want to give the potion to the Shadow Queen! "Never," Naomi said firmly. She was talking to her own arm more than to the Shadow Queen. She forced herself to put the lid back on the apple and tuck it into her bag. It was like dragging herself out of bed early for gymnastics training. It took a lot of willpower, but once the potion was safely

away, Naomi felt stronger. "We know what you want to do. You want to make the forest gray and shadowy all the time." The Shadow Queen's eyes glittered like flint. "I suppose the Tree Queen told you how terrible we shadows are. But we're not so awful, you know. Everyone looks for us on a hot day when they want to escape the sun. You can tell what time of

day it is simply by looking at us. And tell me, haven't you made shadow puppets against the wall with your hands?" "Shadows are not all bad," agreed Naomi. "But we don't want the Magic Forest covered in them all the time. We like the sunshine and bright colors, too." "Well, I don't agree!" thundered the Shadow Queen. The whole forest seemed to quiver with fear. "Now, give me that potion." She lunged at Naomi, who neatly somersaulted out of the way. The Shadow Queen tried again and failed again. Now she looked really angry. "Shadow Sprites! Come one, come all!" she called in a voice that was somehow very soft and very loud at the same time. Suddenly the sky was full of shadows, zooming in from every direction. The arrival of their queen had made them stronger and faster. The Dragon Girls launched into the air to face the swirling mass of Shadow Sprites. One Shadow

Sprite broke away from the pack and dive-bombed Azmina, who swished it away with a powerful wing. Another one flew toward Naomi, who quickly somersaulted out of reach. Willa roared away a particularly cheeky sprite who was circling Unichick. Naomi's stomach clenched tight with worry. The Dragon Girls were wet, tired, and outnumbered. How long could they hold off the sprites? The Shadow Queen swirled overhead, directing her Shadow Sprites like an army general.

Naomi tried to focus. There had to be a better way out of this than fighting. She watched as Willa shook her glorious, wet wings, flinging water into the air. The droplets of water shone as they caught the last glimmers of light in the sky. Naomi stared at the droplets. Her heart began to beat very quickly. She had an idea. She pulled out the magic apple and took off the lid. The potion inside swirled like a kaleidoscope. "Give that to me!" shrieked the Shadow Queen, lunging toward it.