Chapter 1

"Jingles, he looks scary!" Periwinkle whispered, tracing her finger along an illustration of Gruff, the Neverbeast. "Just how big was he? Wasn't Fawn afraid she'd get eaten?"

"Nah!" Tink giggled, then slapped a hand over her mouth and glanced around guiltily. She and Peri were huddled on rose petal pallets in the sleeping area of Fairy Camp. They were looking through a book Tink and her friends, with the help of the Art talent and Storytelling fairies, had put together, depicting their many adventures over the years. She planned on giving it to Lizzy. Her firefly friend Blaze crouched beside them, providing a soft light. Everyone else was sound asleep. Ever since Zarina had created a special dust that enabled the Winter fairies to visit the warmer climates for long periods of time, Peri and her friends joined the others at the Camp every summer. "His nose was bigger than me but he was really just a big softie."

Sudden sadness filled her. Even after all these years, the memory was still painful. "But he was only here for such a short time. He saved Pixie Hollow, then went to sleep and won't wake up again for another thousand years."

Peri's pale blue eyes widened. "That's an awful long time, even for us! I'm sorry I missed him."

Tink touched her arm. "You couldn't help that he arrived when you and the other Winter fairies were bringing winter to the Mainland." She glanced around at the sleeping lumps scattered over the soft ground, beneath the enormous tent. "But a lot of our fairies and sparrow men were too busy to meet him. Zarina had secluded herself in her lab, obsessed with coming up with that pixie dust cure for broken wings. She was close to a breakthrough and didn't want to be disturbed. Clank and Bobble had fallen behind in their work so Fairy Mary had them working overtime, along with Lucinda. And Terence…"

Her heart suddenly felt as if it was caught in a clenched fist. How long had she gone without even saying "hello" to him? Was it days or weeks? Months? It couldn't have been years, although she wasn't even sure of that anymore. Since she wasn't responsible for the changing of the seasons, time was often irrelevant. It suddenly felt like an eternity. If she wasn't off on some adventure with her other friends, she was busy with her Tinkering, searching out Lost Things to see what kinds of new contraptions she could build. She had even made the cover of this book out of leather binding from a human one that had washed ashore.

She just never seemed to have time for Terence. Their last main adventure together had been when he had helped her with the Moonstone, when she'd been chosen to create the fall scepter. That had been ages ago! Teetering teapots, I'm as bad as Zarina! she couldn't help thinking.

"Tink, are you all right?" She felt Peri's cool, delicate fingers on her hand. Blaze rubbed against her and softly hummed. His large eyes were sad.

Tink looked up at her sister and smiled. "Yeah, it's just—"

"Tink!" Vidia, lying on a nearby pallet, rolled over, lifted her slumber mask, and glared at them. "Will you guys keep it down? Some of us are trying to sleep."

"Sorry!" Tink and Peri whispered in unison.

Vidia simply replaced her mask and turned her back to them, her long, glossy hair spread over her pillow. Seconds later, she was snoring.

"We'd better get some sleep," Tink said. Blaze nodded and doused his light. "Tomorrow's a big day. It's been forever since I've seen Lizzy. I wonder if she's changed much." Her heart pumped with excitement. "Goodnight, Peri. Goodnight, Blaze."

"Sweet dreams." Peri slipped back onto her own pallet and Blaze snuggled up next to Tink.

Tink couldn't sleep. Her mind jingled with restlessness. She stared up through a star-filled gap in the tent as she imagined the games they would play with Lizzy, just like old times.

After a restless night, she got up well before anyone else. She spent extra time in the bath, selected her best leaf-dress and fresh pompoms for her shoes, and fixed her hair into a neat, tight bun. Tink was too excited to even eat and wait for her friends. She sprinkled pixie dust onto her wings and took off, clutching the book to her chest. She couldn't wait to share all of her adventures with Lizzy.

The sun spilled vibrant pinks and golds over the wispy clouds that clung to the horizon as she flew in the direction of the cottage where Lizzy and her father had always spent their summers. Already the air was warm and fragrant. The verdant grass stretched out below and sparkled with dew.

Tink slowed as she neared the thatched roof cottage. An unfamiliar car was parked in front. Flowers lined the walkway and frilly curtains draped the windows.

She frowned. Did Lizzy and her father still live here? A surge of sudden nerves knotted her stomach. Was it a mistake to have come?

Tink pushed closer and landed gracefully on the windowsill. There was a big enough gap in the curtains for her to peer inside.

She gasped. The book slid from her suddenly numb fingers, splashing into a puddle of mud.