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don’t you see?’ said Bimi miserably. ‘What if the sprites really take the ice pole away? There won’t be any spring!’
    â€˜And the Queen’s going to be here,’ added Pix. ‘We can’t just keep quiet about it.’
    Bright tears shone in Sooze’s eyes as she scrubbed at her arms. ‘Maybe I’ll still get the secret in time.’
    â€˜Oh, Sooze . . .’ Twink trailed off.
    â€˜I might. ’ Sooze wiped her eyes. ‘Maybe I just need to really feel under pressure. I’ll get some fairy dust off Winn before breakfast. I bet I’ll work it out once the Queen gets here.’
    â€˜But we can’t wait until then!’ cried Twink. ‘Everyone will be down at the pond, ready for the ceremony to start!’
    â€˜And besides, then you’d have to mend the pole in front of the whole school,’ pointed out Bimi. She looked horrified at the thought.
    Sooze flung her sponge back into the bucket with a splash. ‘Well, that’s better than telling everyone that I broke it and there’s not going to be a spring this year!’
    â€˜I don’t know, Sooze . . .’ Pix tapped her wings together. ‘I think we should fly up to Miss Shimmery’s office and tell her the truth.’
    â€˜ No!’ Sooze glanced quickly around and lowered her voice again, her fists clenched. ‘It’s not your secret to tell. If I don’t get it before the ceremony starts, I’ll tell then, I promise. But just give me a little bit more time!’

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    Chapter Eight
    Stars still shone in the sky as the school gathered at the pond, waiting for Queen Mab and her retinue to arrive. The ice ornaments that hung on the branches of Glitterwings moved gently in the wind, twinkling like hundreds of captured diamonds.
    The ice pole rose from the centre of the pond, as mysterious and beautiful as ever. From where Twink hovered with the rest of the first year, she could just see the jagged edge of the robin’s broken beak. She shivered, remembering how furious the sprite had been.
    Sooze looked pale and frightened. She, too, was staring at the broken beak – and from the expression on her face, Twink knew that she hadn’t worked out the secret to fairy dust yet.
    A shiver of dread ran through Twink. Miss Shimmery and the other teachers all looked so serious, so solemn. The students all had tiny pouches of fairy dust at their hips, and were dressed in their prettiest flower dresses, hushed and expectant as they waited for the Queen.
    And it was all going to go horribly, horribly wrong.
    Bimi nudged her. ‘This is awful!’ she whispered. ‘We can’t just hover here and not say anything, can we?’
    â€˜We promised,’ Twink reluctantly whispered back. ‘I suppose we should give her a bit more time.’
    â€˜But the Queen will be here any –’
    Bimi broke off as a pair of stately silver butterflies appeared over the hill. They circled low over the assembled fairies, dipping their wings.
    â€˜The Queen’s coming!’ cried someone.
    Twink’s breath caught despite her worries. As one, the school drifted to the ground and rose up on their tiptoes, bowing their heads respectfully. Twink couldn’t help herself. She peeked out from under her pink hair, craning to see.
    A flock of the most beautiful fairies she had ever seen was approaching. Queen Mab’s counsellors were dressed in the most gorgeous, exotic flowers imaginable, in every colour of the rainbow. They sang a song of welcome as they came, their voices like shimmering silver chimes.
    And then – there was Queen Mab! Twink gasped. The beloved fairy queen was centuries old, but her face still glowed with beauty. Her blonde hair waved gently about her face as she flew, and her golden wings gleamed in the pale starlight.
    The Queen and her retinue landed on the icy lawn.
    Miss Shimmery flitted forward, holding out both hands.