Free Swords of the Six by Jennifer Miller, Scott Appleton, Becky Miller, Amber Hill Page A

you were unkind for you are never unkind, but fair and gentle. For this I love you as my best and trusted friend.”
    “Then what is wrong? Something must be, or else you would not be crying.”
    The fairy accepted her handkerchief, drying his eyes and blowing his nose with a corner of it. “I was in the throne room this afternoon, cleaning the drapes, when the shepherd and the dragon entered.” He drew in his breath. “Is it true that you are going away?”
    “Yes, I suppose so. Father wants us to be ready first; he wants us to understand the swords intimately before we do anything and he wants us to be able to work as a team. So we will not be leaving soon.”
    Blowing his nose again, Miverē shook his head. “The great white dragon told the shepherd you are ready, that you are all ready. But, but he said that your first mission will be difficult, a lot more difficult than he had planned on assigning you to.”
    “Well, Miverē, I am not afraid to go. I am a daughter of the dragon, and he will watch out for us—”
    “But he said things, terrible things, things that sounded like prophecy. You must not go! I beg you, stay in Shizar Palace where you will be safe. I don’t want to lose my best friend!” After this the little fellow started to cry again.
    She stayed with him for the next half hour, telling him not to worry but to have faith. “Do you really believe my father would send me if he didn’t think it was for the best?”
    “N-no, I guess not.”
    “Well, there you are then! Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. Besides”—she smiled—"the Creator watches over all His creatures. He will be with me wherever I am."
    The fairy stood and flew to her neck where he embraced her. “Be safe, fairest of the dragon’s daughters.”
    Kissing the fairy’s forehead she rose from the chair. “Come on. Let's go exploring . . . in the basement. You've always said the rumors of sublevels in the palace are true.”
    “But isn't the basement forbidden to us? Besides, I have no proof; no evidence that such secret chambers were built—"
    "Ah," she interrupted him. "But you were right about the chamber with the swords. Besides, Father never forbade me to go down there. I've heard him tell the maids not to clean down there, but he's never said anything to me or my sisters.”
    Miverē's face broke into a gleeful, extra-broad smile. “Then let's go. Oh, but first, I left my lantern at home."
    * * *
    The Fairy Tree’s branches spread above Dantress, and the glass dome far above in the palace roof allowed her to see the lightning zipping through the storm clouds. This storm had lasted all day, an unusual occurrence . . . as was the absence of rain. With all the fuss that the storm put up a deluge should hit the palace at any moment. But none did.
    Dantress touched one of the Fairy Tree's butter-soft branches.
    Fairies, sitting in their family groups, covered the glowing branches. Every time lightning flashed they exclaimed in unison, "Ooh!" Then thunder clapped, and they cried, “Aah!” until it died away.
    Four fairy families lived in Shizar Palace and all of them dwelled inside the Fairy Tree. Miverē’s family, the Bladegrasses, boasted the most members. A healthy rivalry existed between them and the next largest group, the Leaflets. Then there were the Clovers and the Stems.
    The Clovers stood on a high branch, the men with their arms crossed and the women with their hands folded behind their backs. They were known to be a bit on the strict side, the males dominating more than a little. But they were faithful servants of the dragon and Dantress had seen them shoot recklessly down the halls on more than one occasion to answer his bidding.
    Partiers by nature, the Stems came next. A merry group of about twenty of them sat on a branch halfway up the tree, their long gangly legs and distinctive green hair swaying with the movement of their bodies as they toasted each other’s health and drank wine from tiny