The Music Fairies Collection Read online

  Just then, a thought struck Kirsty. “What if the magic drums are still at their tiny Fairyland size?” she whispered to Danni and Rachel. “The goblin might have them hidden in his pocket!”

  All three friends stared at the goblin, who was now making up a spectacular drum solo that didn’t fit in with the song or video at all.

  “CUT!” yelled the director. He sounded really angry now. “You’re fired,” he told the goblin. “Get off the set immediately! We’ll use a different actor in your place.”

  The goblin put his nose in the air. “I’d rather rehearse with my own band anyway,” he responded rudely and stormed off the set.

  Rachel and Kirsty instinctively tried to follow him, but the director spotted them. “Girls — where are you going?” he called. “We need you here, please.”

  “Sorry,” Kirsty said politely. As soon as the director had moved out of earshot, she turned to Rachel in a panic. “What are we going to do? The goblin’s getting away!”

  “I’ll follow the goblin so that we don’t lose him,” Danni suggested.

  “But there are so many people around,” Rachel reminded her. “We don’t want anyone to see you!”

  “We need to create a diversion,” Kirsty suggested. “Something that will get everyone looking at us, so that Danni can sneak away without anyone noticing.”

  “What if I pretend to fall over and bump into the drum set?” Rachel said. “That’ll make a lot of noise.”

  “Good idea,” Danni said. “Let’s try it.”

  Rachel scooted closer to the drums and pretended to be practicing her dance routine. Then she purposely stumbled and knocked over the drums with a huge crash!

  Just as the girls had hoped, everyone turned to look, and several people rushed over to help Rachel.

  “Go!” Kirsty whispered, and Danni whizzed high into the air.

  Out of the corner of her eye, Rachel caught sight of a tiny speck zooming out of the room. Danni had gone!

  A little while later, the director called for a break, and Rachel and Kirsty were told they could leave the set for half an hour. “Finally!” Kirsty said as she and Rachel ran out of the room in search of Danni and the goblin. “I’m dying to know what’s been happening.”

  “I hope Danni’s all right,” Rachel said as they went along the corridor. “I’ve hardly been able to concentrate on dancing — I’ve been thinking about her the whole time!”

  The girls were near a cafeteria now, and they looked in cautiously. There were chairs and tables set up where people were drinking coffee and eating sandwiches, but no sign of a goblin in a robot suit, or a tiny fairy. “Not there,” Kirsty said. “Let’s check in the dressing and makeup rooms.”

  The girls went down to the room with the clothes racks, then to Mandy’s makeup room. Neither Danni nor the goblin were there, either. “I hope everything’s all right,” Rachel said anxiously. “Where could they be?”

  “What’s that?” Kirsty asked, crouching down to examine the floor. “Look, Rachel. Glitter!”

  Rachel stared at the line of pink glitter along the ground. “I wonder if Danni’s left us a glittery trail to follow?” she said, feeling excited.

  “There’s only one way to find out,” Kirsty said, grabbing her friend’s hand. “Come on!”

  The girls raced down the corridor, following the glittery line. The trail led to a small office on the far side of the warehouse. They glanced around the edge of the door, which was open, and saw three goblins gathered around a table. On top of the table was … a tiny drum set!

  “There it is,” Rachel whispered, her heart thumping.

  The green goblin who’d been in the video was glaring at the drum set. “Why didn’t Jack Frost give us a wand to make this thing bigger and smaller when we need to?” he complained. “How am I supposed to practice for the band when my drums are so itsy-bitsy?”

  “Grow!” another goblin ordered the drum set, pointing at it with a warty finger. “Grow, you silly thing!”

  The drummer goblin took out his drumsticks and started trying to play the tiny drums with them, but he only knocked them over. “They’re worthless,” he grumbled. “Here, give me a turn on your triangle.”

  Rachel and Kirsty could see that the third goblin had a triangle that he was playing gently. At the very mention of sharing, he swung the instrument away. “No,” he said protectively. “This is mine!”

  Just then, Danni appeared by the girls’ shoulders. “Hi there,” she whispered. “I’ve been hoping for a chance to fly in and grab my drums, but the goblins never move far enough away.”

  The three friends racked their brains for what to do next. The goblins were still arguing about playing the triangle. Their bickering suddenly gave Rachel an idea. “Danni, if you could conjure up some musical instruments in a different room, we might be able to lure the goblins out of this one,” she said. “Hopefully they’ll leave the magic drums here in their excitement!”

  Danni nodded, smiling. “I could use my magic to make some instruments, but they won’t last for long,” she said, “only for a few hours. Still — that should be all we need. Let’s try it!”

  The three friends headed farther along the hallway and found an empty room just next door. Once inside, Danni waved her wand. Instantly, a selection of instruments appeared in a neat line on the floor — a tambourine, a xylophone, a saxophone, a trumpet, and some guitars and cymbals, all in bright colors and sparkling with fairy magic.

  “They look great,” Kirsty said, picking up a pink tambourine and giving it a shake. “Very funky.”

  “Let’s hope the goblins are tempted,” Rachel said. “Come on!”

  They hurried back to where the goblins were still arguing, and Danni tucked herself under Rachel’s hair.

  If the goblins saw that a fairy was around, they would be very suspicious!

  “Good news,” cried Kirsty as they entered the room. “We heard you saying you wanted to play some instruments, and I thought you’d like to know that there are lots next door.”

  “A trumpet, a saxophone, a tambourine …” Rachel listed. “And you can choose whichever ones you like!”

  “Oooh,” said the goblin with the triangle. “That sounds like fun.”

  “Yes,” agreed the goblin who didn’t have an instrument. “We can make lots of noise!”

  Rachel held her breath as she waited for the drummer goblin to reply. He didn’t look quite as tempted. “You two go,” he told his friends. “I’m staying here to guard my drums.”

  “Why don’t you just take a look?” Kirsty said persuasively. “They’re really great instruments.”

  The goblin shook his head stubbornly. Rachel and Kirsty could only exchange helpless glances as they followed the other two goblins out of the room. The plan had failed. What else could they do to get Danni’s drums back?

  “This way,” Rachel told the two excited goblins, who were marching up and down the corridor like little children. She pushed open the door of the next room and both goblins rushed inside.

  “Ooh, wow!” one squealed, racing over to the green trumpet and blowing into it.

  “Look at me!” the second giggled, bashing away on the bright red xylophone.

  “Choose whichever one you like,” Kirsty said. She caught Rachel’s eye. “We’ll be back in the other room, OK?”

  The two friends rushed out, in a hurry to get back to the goblin with the magic drums. On the way, another idea popped into Kirsty’s head. “Danni,” she said curiously, “would you be able to make the goblin really small, so that he was the right size to play your drums?”

  Danni fluttered out from her hiding place to hover in front of Kirsty’s face. “Sure,” she said. “Why?”

  “Because then he wouldn’t be able to keep us from picking up your drum set,” Kirsty replied with a smile.

  “Good thinking!” Rachel said.

  “Yes, that might work,” Danni agreed. “I like it, Kirsty!”

  They went back into
the first room, where the drummer goblin was sitting in front of the magic drums.

  “Abracadabra!” he muttered. “Hocus-pocus!”

  “You’re much too big for those drums,” Kirsty told him.

  “It’s not me that’s too big, it’s these drums that are too small,” the goblin grumbled in reply. “If only I could make them bigger … presto!” he cried, snapping his fingers hopefully. Nothing happened.

  “Well,” said Kirsty, “my friend here could use her magic to make them the right size for you. Then you’d be able to play them!”

  The goblin looked at Danni suspiciously. He clearly didn’t trust the fairy but seemed desperate to play the magic drums.

  “All right,” he said after a few moments, expecting Danni to make the drums bigger.

  Danni grinned and waved her wand … and the goblin shrank to the size of a matchstick!

  At first, the goblin didn’t seem to realize what had happened. He looked at the drum set, saw that it was the right size for him, and gave a yelp of delight. Then he rushed over and began pounding away with his drumsticks, which had shrunk, too.

  “Wow, he’s good,” Rachel said with admiration, as he beat out a fantastic drum roll.

  Danni raised an eyebrow. “Only because my drums are magic,” she reminded Rachel. “They’re doing all the work, not him.”

  The goblin looked up at the sound of their voices — and did a double take when he saw that the girls now looked like giants! His mouth fell open as the truth hit him. “I’ve been tricked!” he wailed.

  “That’s right,” Kirsty said cheerfully, reaching down to pick him up.

  “Yikes!” he squealed. “Put me down!”

  “I’ll take these, thank you,” Rachel said, scooping the magic drums into her palm.

  The goblin, meanwhile, was kicking his tiny legs and shrieking, “Put me down!”

  “I will,” Kirsty promised, “just as soon as Danni has her drums back.”

  Danni soared toward Rachel, her wings shimmering all the colors of the rainbow as she flew. She was just about to land on Rachel’s palm when the door flew open. In came the two other goblins, carrying some of the colorful instruments from the room next door.

  “HELP!” the tiny goblin squeaked to his friends. “They’re trying to steal the magic drums!”

  Danni tapped her wand on the snare drum in the nick of time. There was a flash of fairy magic, and then a pair of drumsticks appeared in Danni’s hand. The magic drums flew up into the air with Danni, just as the goblins made a lunge for her. Their long fingers closed around empty air as she darted out of reach.

  “Give those back!” the tiny goblin shrieked, his little voice high-pitched and shrill. “I need them for Jack Frost’s Gobolicious Band!”

  Danni shook her head. “These are my drums, and I need them to make music sound good everywhere,” she said. “They’re not meant for one goblin to use selfishly.”

  Kirsty set him down on the table and he stomped his foot. “Rotten fairy!” he shouted bitterly.

  “Now, now,” Danni said, “that’s not very nice. I think you should get back to Goblin Grotto with your friends before any humans see you. If you promise to go straight there, I’ll turn you back to your normal size.”

  The tiny goblin looked very pouty.

  “No way,” he said, putting his little hands on his hips.

  Danni looked anxiously at Kirsty and Rachel. “We can’t leave him running around like this,” she said.

  Rachel gave her a wink and reached over to stroke the tiny goblin’s head. “He’s very cute like this,” she said. “Maybe we should keep him this way.”

  Kirsty joined in. “Oh yes,” she agreed. “I’ve got a dollhouse at home. He could live in that!”

  “We can dress him up in some doll clothes, too,” Rachel said, trying not to giggle. “Wouldn’t he look adorable in a dress?”

  The tiny goblin was turning purple with rage, and his friends were spluttering with laughter. “All right, all right,” he grumbled. “I’ll go home. Just turn me back to normal!”

  “OK!” Danni laughed. She waved her wand again, and a swirl of pink sparkles flooded from its tip, streaming all around the miniature goblin. With a faint whooshing sound, he was back to his usual size in an instant. “There,” Danni said. “You three can play with the instruments I made up for you, but you must take them back to Goblin Grotto.”

  The goblins nodded. They knew when they were beaten. “All right,” they muttered sadly. Then they grabbed the instruments and left.

  Danni smiled at Kirsty and Rachel as the door closed behind them. “Thanks, girls!” she cried, swooping down to kiss them each on the cheek. “I’m so happy to have my drums back again. It’s all thanks to your quick thinking. Nice work!”

  “You’re welcome,” Kirsty said with a smile. “That was fun! Did you see the look on the goblin’s face when we talked about dressing him up in doll clothes? I thought he was going to explode!”

  “I hope he’ll think twice before he agrees to any more of Jack Frost’s mean schemes,” Danni said. “Now, I’d better get back to Fairyland with my magic drums. And you two should get back to the video shoot. I’m sure things will run much more smoothly now that my drums are back safely with me.” She winked. “I think they’ll find that the instruments are all working perfectly now.”

  “Thanks, Danni,” said Rachel. “I’m really happy we could help. Bye!”

  The little fairy vanished in a burst of pretty pink sparkles.

  The two girls smiled at one another. “That’s four of the magic musical instruments we’ve helped the fairies find,” Kirsty said happily, as they began walking back toward the set. “What a magical, musical vacation this is turning out to be!”

  Confetti Surprise

  Hunt for the Goblin

  Musical Statue

  Cart Chaos

  Cake in Crisis

  Here Comes the Bride

  “Isn’t this a beautiful place for a wedding?” Kirsty Tate said as she and her best friend, Rachel Walker, bounded up the steps of the Wetherbury Hotel. Kirsty was carrying a large present wrapped in sparkly gold paper and tied with a silver bow. Rachel’s arms were full of pink flowers. Both girls wore pretty party dresses.

  “Oh, yes!” Rachel agreed, glancing up at the old manor house, its stone walls covered in rambling ivy. “And the gardens are gorgeous, too,” she added.

  The hotel was surrounded by emerald-green lawns and large beds of brightly colored flowers. There was a tall stone wall built around the border of the grassy lawn, with elegant archways leading to the rest of the grounds.

  “Isn’t it wonderful that Kerry decided to have her wedding while you’re staying with us for school break, Rachel?” Kirsty remarked as they paused at the top of the steps to wait for Mrs. Tate. “I’m so glad you can come, too!”

  Rachel nodded. “It was nice of Kerry to invite us,” she replied. “You must have been a really good little girl when she was your babysitter, Kirsty!”

  Kirsty laughed. “Here’s Mom,” she said.

  Mrs. Tate was hurrying up the steps toward them. “Let’s go inside, girls,” she said, glancing at her watch. “Kerry’s expecting us to be early so we can help finish the decorations for the wedding reception.”

  The doors to the hotel lobby stood wide open, and Rachel gasped with wonder as they went inside.

  “Wow, this is so nice!” she exclaimed. The lobby was painted white and gold, and there were huge vases of sweet-smelling roses everywhere. The carpet was thick, red, and velvety, and a glittering glass chandelier hung from the ceiling. In one corner of the lobby was a man in a tuxedo. He was seated at a baby grand piano, leafing through sheets of music.

  “Yes, it’s perfect for a wedding, isn’t it?” Mrs. Tate agreed. “Girls, will you take the present into the reception room? I’ll go and find Kerry. Oh, and Rachel, how about you give me the flowers and take these instead… .” She handed a brown bag full of confetti packets to Rac
hel. “Will you two scatter some of this confetti on the tables?”

  “OK, Mom,” Kirsty agreed, as Mrs. Tate rushed off with the flowers.

  The girls headed down a hallway to the reception room.

  “What’s that noise?” Rachel asked curiously as they got closer to the open door.

  “I don’t know,” Kirsty replied with a frown. “It sounds like a musical instrument, but it doesn’t sound right!”

  “Oh, I know!” Rachel exclaimed, “It’s a harp, but it’s very flat. Harp music is usually beautiful and light and airy.”

  “Well, we know why it doesn’t sound right,” Kirsty whispered. “It’s because Maya the Harp Fairy’s magic harp is still missing!”

  Rachel nodded in agreement. The girls were helping their friends, the Music Fairies, search for their missing magic musical instruments. They made music fun and harmonious in both the human and fairy worlds! The instruments had been stolen by Jack Frost. He had sent his goblins to hide the instruments in and around Wetherbury so they’d be ready for the National Talent Competition that coming weekend. Jack Frost and his goblins had formed a pop group called Frosty and his Gobolicious Band, and they were determined to use the magic of the Music Fairies’ special instruments to win first place — a recording contract with MegaBig Records. Rachel and Kirsty were very worried that everyone in the human world would find out about Fairyland if Jack Frost became a famous pop star!