Matt pulled another book down titled, “Pixies,” and flipped through some pages. He stopped on a full-color image of a vast area filled the grape vines. A massive amount of pixies flew around it, carrying tiny bags of manure and buckets of water. Some lovingly wiped down each grape with a yellow cloth. Several mansions for pixies lined one garden wall in all the colors of the rainbow.

When he read the description, he jumped from his chair, causing it to clatter to the floor. The librarian, a tall dark elf, glared at him. He ignored the man’s stare and bolted from the room.

Orin had just left their class, so Matt skidded to a stop in front of him and shoved a book at his stomach.

“Oph. What’s this?”

“It’s the pixie dust we need.”

“Dude. This is a book.”

“No. I mean. The pixie dust is here, in the garden. We just need to go collect it. It even has directions.”

Many emotions passed over Orin's face but awe was the most prominent. “We can go home.”

Matt grinned. “We can go home.”

“Lead the way!”

It took them awhile but they passed through two large wooden doors described in the book. They had the words, “Pixie Winery,” printed in an elegant script on each side.

When Matt caught his first glimpse of the vineyard, he froze in open-mouthed horror. Smoke rose from the burnt remains of the grapevines. The colorful pixie mansions looked like a fire tornado had taken revenge on them.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“What happened here?” Matt asked Orin.

Orin’s eyes were wide, and he looked pale. “This... It looks like...”

“We were harvested,” a high pitched voice said from behind them. Three pixies appeared before them, looking like glowing three-inch tall elf people with dragonfly wings. Each one had soot on their clothes, in their hair, and on their face.

“Who would harvest you? And why?” Matt asked.

“It was for your dust, wasn’t it? The Dark Fae king did this to you.”

The one who’d spoken sighed. “The King would never.”

“He’s ill,” the smallest one said, her voice higher than the others.

“This was the queen’s doing. Apparently, the little of ourselves we could spare each day wasn’t enough for her, and she had to harvest all of us.”

“We’re the only survivors.”

“You want our dust too, don’t you?”

Orin nodded. “That’s why we came. Can you spare any?”

Matt stepped on his foot.

“What? Their situation doesn’t change ours. We still gotta get home.”

“You want to go home fairy boy?” The largest of the pixies asked.

Orin’s eyes narrowed. “Not home exactly. I anywhere on Earth will do. What of it, tiny man?”

He twinkled with laughter.

“I think we can spare enough to get you there, but do us a favor, cause as much destruction and chaos on your way out as you can.”

The teen smiled with a vicious savagery that sent a chill down Matt’s spine. “Gladly.”

They took out a small bag that must have been large for them and floated it over to Matt. He took it.

“Thank you! I’m so sorry you lost your home because of the queen.”

“You little mages better hurry along.”

An alarm screeched in Matt’s ears.

“What’s going on?”

The largest pixie grinned showing sharp teeth. “Just another part of our revenge.”

“Warning!” A disembodied voice said near his ear. Matt jerked his head to see who spoke but couldn’t find anyone. “Every non-combat personnel please follow your golden path back to your safe zone. The Garden has been invaded.”

The warning repeated and the blood drained from his face. When he turned back to the helpful pixies, he discovered that they’d disappeared.

“We have to find Megan and the others.”

“Agreed.”