Read Online A Fairy's Guide to Disaster by A W Hartoin - Free Book Online

Weapons. They could all be weapons. I spotted one with just a tiny golden ball, the size of my head, on one end and a wicked sharp point on the other. The earring would be heavy, but wood fairies weren’t weak. I could handle it.
    I let go of the bin, flew up, and hovered over the jewelry. Grabbing the earring would be difficult. I hadn’t mastered the delicate art of flying upside down and the thought of landing in the bin again was very unattractive. The brown pile under the table was still snoozing, but who knew how long they’d stay that way. If they woke up and attacked, I had to have a weapon, so I decided to go for it.
    I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and flexed my wing joints the way Dad instructed me. When I opened my eyes, the world was inverted. I’d done it. Not very well, Dad would’ve said. My wings refused to hold me steady. I rocked back and forth, bouncing up and down with every air current, but I was right over the bowl and the desired earring. With a shift of my wings, I lowered myself within arm’s reach. My hand was just big enough to get a good grip on the shaft. I flexed my wings again, but before I could rise out of the bin, an air current caught my wings and drove me down. My forehead hit a necklace bead and the blow unbalanced me. I flipped upright, scraping my knees on several other earrings, but I managed to hang on to my prize. I flew straight up and hovered above the bin, shaking from the effort.
    “Not so bad, Dad,” I said, a little embarrassed to be talking to someone who wasn’t there. But the words felt good. I liked to think that he’d be proud of me. I was doing things he would’ve encouraged if Mom wasn’t always so worried about me getting hurt.
    I flew back down the aisle and landed on the floor in front of the table where the brown fairy pile lay quivering. I found myself quivering, too. Maybe this wasn’t my best idea after all. But it was the best I had and besides, I was curious. I’d never met another species before.
    I walked under the table, holding my earring with the point toward the lump. I couldn’t hold it still. The point kept jumping around until I rested the shaft on my hip. I felt like a knight ready for a joust with my trusty lance. All I needed was a horse and perhaps a bit more courage.
    “Hello, there,” I said to the pile, my voice barely more than a whisper.
    The pile did not move.
    “Um, hello. Wake up.” I stepped closer and held the earring farther forward.
    A couple of hands shot out, but they didn’t wake. I took more steps until I was close enough to distinguish the silky texture of the brown fur and tried again.
    “Hello. I need some help. Wake up,” I said.
    I tucked my hair behind my ears, bit my lip, and poked what looked like a hip with the tip of my earring. Nothing.
    “Oh, for goodness sake. What’s wrong with these things?” I asked as I poked another one. The pointy end of the earring was quite painful. I knew that from experience. What was wrong with them?
    I jabbed another one without any care for the damage I might cause, but the creature didn’t do anything but snore.
    “They won’t wake,” said a voice from behind me.
    I jumped and spun around, holding my earring tightly. In front of me stood a curious creature that looked as though it’d been carved from the table leg it stood beside. It was a golden brown complete with wood-grained skin, long spindly arms and legs, and no discernible clothing. Long, thin sticks stuck out of its head and it hurt my neck to look up at it. The creature was twice my height and had black eyes beneath wood-grained lids. Although I couldn’t tell whether the creature was a boy or a girl, in my heart I instantly categorized it as a male about ten years older than me.
    “They won’t wake,” he said again.
    “Why not?” I asked, my voice shaking despite my efforts to hold it steady.
    “They’re trow. They wake at dusk, never before,” he said.
    “Oh.” I couldn’t think of