Free Philippa Fisher and the Fairy's Promise by Liz Kessler Page A

through with it.”
    “Let’s hope they pass, then. For all of our sakes. If they don’t . . .”
    “No — don’t say it. We can’t even contemplate failure. If this fails, we’re all in more trouble than we could even imagine.”
    “You’re right. Let’s do it. First thing in the morning, we get that fairy in here and get this thing going, before it’s too late — for all of us.”

    It was eight in the morning and still dark when Robyn called for me. I left a note for Philippa’s parents, since they were both snoring and dead to the world.
    Closing the front door softly behind me, I followed Robyn down the driveway and we headed to the woods.
    “This is it,” I said when we got to the stone circle. “You’d better go now, before they get here.”
    “Who’s they ?” she asked.
    I frowned. “I don’t know. They’ll send someone to collect me.”
    “Because they took your transportation powers away, along with everything else?”
    “Exactly.”
    “I hope they send someone nice,” Robyn said.
    “Yeah, me too.” Not likely, I added silently.
    Robyn pulled her coat close around her. “Will I have any way of knowing what’s going on?” she asked.
    “I don’t know,” I said. “I don’t think so. I’m really sorry.”
    “OK,” Robyn said, doing about as good a job as I was at hiding her feelings. I hated leaving her like this, without knowing what would happen or when she might see me — or Philippa — again. Then she turned to leave. “Hey, maybe I could talk to Annie?” she asked.
    “Annie? What for?” Annie had already helped us once when Robyn’s dad had trapped me in a jar.
    “I don’t know. Just — well, remember when you left us last time, Annie told you she would always make sure you were all right? Maybe she’ll help us now. I could ask her.”
    I let out a breath. “I don’t know,” I said. “I’m not sure we should be involving her. I wouldn’t want to get her in trouble with ATC, too.”
    “OK, I understand. I won’t do anything now,” she said. “But if things get really bad, if for any reason we really need her . . .”
    “Yeah,” I replied, not wanting her to finish her sentence any more than she did. “If worse comes to worst, I’m sure Annie will be there for us. If you get desperate, you could see if she knows anything.”
    Robyn nodded. “Good luck,” she said, turning back around to wave.
    I waved back, feeling wooden and cold. “You too,” I said, forcing my mouth into a smile. “Go on. I’ll be fine.”
    Robyn nodded and then, pulling her coat around her once more, she turned and walked away.

“Wow, look at you!” Tabitha had poked her head over the divide and was grinning at me.
    I guessed she was referring to the fact that I looked like someone who’d been up half the night. I should have slept like a baby. I was given a room of my own at ALD with every comfort I could imagine. That was the problem — like everything else up here, you just had to imagine it, and it was there. But I couldn’t imagine anything! All my mind could focus on was the questions and worries swirling around in my head. What were they going to do with Daisy? How long would it be till I was found out? And when I was, what would they do with me ?
    I tried to look calm, and tried to smile at Tabitha, but I’m sure I failed miserably on both counts. “Look at me? Why?” I asked.
    “You haven’t even been here a whole day, and you’re up for promotion already!” Tabitha said.
    “Promotion?”
    “That’s what I just heard.” Tabitha came over to my desk and went on. “I overheard Supervisor Raincloud74921 talking to someone about it. She was trying to claim the credit for herself. Said she’d handpicked you to join the department — which is quite funny considering she hadn’t even realized you were joining us!”
    “Oh, yes, ha, ha, that is funny, Tabitha,” I said, trying to sound vaguely jovial.
    “Tabby. That’s what my friends call me,” she