2. A Magical Ride

"We'd love to take a ride on your merry-go-round!" said Kirsty. "Quick, Rachel, there are only two horses left!" She scrambled up onto one of them. A name was painted, in gold, on the saddle. "My horse is named Indigo Princess," Kirsty said, stroking the horse's shiny coat. Rachel climbed onto a pretty horse next to Kirsty's. It had a lilac-colored coat and a silver mane. "Mine is named Prancing Violet." "Hold on, everyone!" Mr. Goodfellow called out.

The music started and the merry-go-round began to turn. Prancing Violet and Indigo Princess swooped up and down on their painted poles. Rachel laughed out loud as the merry-go-round spun faster and faster. The garden flashed by, and the flowers and paths disappeared in a blur. The sounds of music and laughter faded away.

Rachel's heart skipped a beat. Now, the only horse she could see was Kirsty's horse, Indigo Princess. Suddenly, she could feel Prancing Violet's hooves thudding on the ground beneath her. Kirsty felt a sea breeze whirling through her hair. Indigo Princess seemed to toss her head and kick up sand as she galloped along. "Wow!" Kirsty exclaimed, tasting salt spray on her lips. "This is like riding a real horse!" "It's awesome!" Rachel agreed. She felt as if they were racing along a beach, just like the horses she'd seen in the painting on the merry-go-round. But before Rachel could say anything else, the horses began to slow down. The sandy beach faded away, and the sound of music returned. The merry-go-round came to a smooth stop. Kirsty patted Indigo Princess's neck as she dismounted. "Thanks for the special ride!" she whispered. Then she turned to Rachel. "This merry-goround is definitely magical, but where is Heather the Violet Fairy?" Rachel slipped off of Prancing Violet's saddle and frowned. "I don't know," she said. Then she heard a tiny laugh coming from behind her. Rachel turned around. There was nobody there, just the picture on the pillar in the middle of the merry-go-round. Rachel blinked. There was a fairy riding the violet-colored horse in the picture! She wore a short purple dress, high purple knee socks, and ballet

slippers. A few purple flowers were tucked behind one of her ears. "Kirsty!" Rachel whispered, pointing. "I think we found Heather the Violet Fairy!"