Phoebe the Moonlight Dragon Read online

  Title Page

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Sneak Peek

  About the Authors

  Copyright

  The full moon was rising as Phoebe got ready for bed. Tonight it looked closer than usual. The moonlight shone through her window, bathing her room in a beautiful silvery glow that felt magical. Phoebe wasn’t a big fan of the dark. In fact, she hated it! But when the moon was big and round like this, it was like having a night-light on. It kept her company and made her feel safe.

  Phoebe put her jeans and T-shirt in the laundry basket and slipped into her pajamas. They were her favorite ones, with a swirling galaxy design. Often when she wore them, Phoebe would have dreams about being in a rocket ship, shooting through space. In these dreams, Phoebe was always with her best friends, Rosie and Stella.

  The three girls did everything together, including Sleepover Club most Friday nights. The original idea had been that they’d take turns sleeping at one another’s houses, but Phoebe often asked Rosie and Stella to sleep at hers. Sometimes she got homesick, especially in the middle of the night when everything was dark and quiet. She felt more relaxed when Sleepover Club was at her home. Then she could make sure that her bedroom door was open just the right amount so that the light from the hallway filtered in. And secretly, she liked knowing her parents were only a couple of rooms away.

  At the most recent sleepover, something very strange had happened. Phoebe, Rosie, and Stella had been transported to a magical forest. And in that forest, they had become Dragon Girls! Not just any dragons, either. They were Night Dragons. Their adventure had been like the best dream ever, except it had actually happened.

  Phoebe loved feeling so powerful. She often felt nervous in her normal life, but nothing was scary when you were as strong as a dragon. And the flying! It had been a little difficult at first, but the more she practiced, the better she became. Phoebe often dreamed about flying, so actually doing it was incredible. Especially with her friends by her side.

  Phoebe pulled on her robe and went to stand by her window. She opened it so the night air flowed in. It had been a warm day, and the evening had yet to cool down completely. Phoebe leaned against her windowsill, looking out over the neighbors’ yards.

  The Tree Queen, the ruler of the Magic Forest, had told Phoebe and her friends that they would be needed again soon. Phoebe had been worried when she first heard that they were going on a quest. She did not think of herself as brave. But when the Tree Queen explained that the evil Fire Queen was trying to banish nighttime from the Magic Forest, she knew they had to help.

  Even though Phoebe didn’t like the dark, there were still lots of things she loved about nighttime. Sleepover Club, for instance! Gazing up at the moon each night was wonderful, too, seeing it wax and wane. She also loved snuggling up in her comfy bed and feeling like she was floating on a cloud as she fell asleep. And the way that her dreams took her to all kinds of wild places? That was worth fighting for!

  As Phoebe looked up at the moon, she noticed that the moonlight was different somehow. Rather than its usual pale, silvery color, it was almost aqua.

  There was something else strange going on. Phoebe could hear distant singing.

  Magic Forest, Magic Forest, come explore …

  Phoebe felt a tingle of excitement. She had heard that song when she traveled into the Magic Forest last time! That had been on Friday, a Sleepover Club night. But tonight was Tuesday. Was she about to return to the forest anyway? And would Rosie and Stella be there, too?

  Phoebe was dying to go back to the Magic Forest, but she knew she wouldn’t enjoy it so much if she was alone.

  Magic Forest, Magic Forest, come explore …

  The song was louder now. The aqua light from the moon seemed to be shining directly on Phoebe, bathing her in its cool glow. Phoebe’s skin tingled.

  Then, Phoebe’s bedroom faded as the silvery aqua moonlight washed over her. A gentle breeze picked up, ruffling Phoebe’s long dark hair.

  Closing her eyes, Phoebe began to sing. She had heard this song only once before, but it was deeply familiar. It was as if she had known it her entire life.

  Magic Forest, Magic Forest, come explore.

  Magic Forest, Magic Forest, hear my roar!

  All of a sudden, the breeze became a fierce wind, encircling Phoebe and lifting her up into the air. Her hair whipped around her as the wind spun her in circles. She breathed in the forest scent of flowers, sweet tropical fruits, and the delicate aroma of magic itself.

  Phoebe smiled. Another adventure was about to begin!

  When she felt herself touch down to earth, Phoebe cautiously opened her eyes. Was she really back in the Magic Forest? And was she really no longer an ordinary girl, but a fierce dragon?

  Looking down, Phoebe saw that her feet had transformed into taloned claws and her legs were covered in shimmering pale blue scales. She certainly looked like a dragon. But just to make sure, she breathed in deeply and let out a loud roar.

  Yep, she was definitely a dragon! Phoebe often had vivid dreams, but she’d never had one in which she could roar.

  Phoebe looked around in wonder. It was night in the forest, just as it had been at home. But nighttime in the Magic Forest was different from anything Phoebe had ever experienced. The cooling air carried the fresh smell of trees and wilderness. Phoebe was used to city smells, which weren’t always nice. And they often seemed stronger at night!

  Above the treetops was the deep, velvety blue sky. It looked almost like an ocean. The moon floated near the horizon, looking much bigger than she had ever seen it. The sky in the city never looked as inky and gorgeous as this. The city lights faded it to a dark gray.

  Phoebe tilted her face toward the moonlight. She thought the moon had special properties, even though Rosie and Stella teased her that it was just her imagination. Moonlight always made her skin tingle in the best way. With such a big moon, Phoebe was expecting to feel extra tingles tonight. But strangely, her skin felt itchy and irritated, like she was getting sunburned.

  “It’s a Fire Moon,” said a gentle voice in Phoebe’s ear.

  Hovering in the air beside Phoebe was a very odd, but also very cute, little animal. It looked like an elk, with magnificent antlers reaching up from its head. But this creature had raccoon markings and was smaller than an owl!

  “Excuse me, was that you who just spoke?” Phoebe asked.

  She knew enough about the Magic Forest to guess that this tiny, flying elk thingy probably had spoken to her, but it seemed polite to check.

  “Yes,” said the little animal. “I’m DasherGirl. And I was just explaining that we have a Fire Moon. That’s why it’s so big and its light is sort of prickly. It’s also why it is that odd color.”

  The low-hanging moon definitely had a red tinge to it.

  “How often does the Fire Moon come?” asked Phoebe. She had heard of supermoons and blue moons, but never a Fire Moon.

  “This is the first in a very, very long time,” said DasherGirl. “And it’s not a good thing. It’s hot rather than cool, and it makes it hard for the creatures of the forest to sleep. That’s why the Tree Queen has called on you and the other Night Dragons.”

  The Fire Moon sounded bad, but Phoebe couldn’t help grinning at DasherGirl’s words.

  “Rosie and Stella are here?”

  “Of course!” said the little elk. “They’ve just arrived at the Tree Queen’s glade. Come on, I’ll lead the way. But watch out for Fire Sparks. There a
re a lot of them around these days.”

  It was exciting flying through the forest at night. Although it was dark, Phoebe didn’t find it hard to see. And her flying skills were getting better and better, so she had no trouble keeping up with DasherGirl as she darted through the trees.

  Even though it was the middle of the night, a lot of the forest’s daytime animals were active. On the branch of a tree, Phoebe saw a family of squirrels.

  “I can’t sleep! It’s too hot, and my tail feels itchy,” she heard a baby squirrel complain.

  “My dreams are all wonky!” moaned another little squirrel. “I dreamed I was being chased by a giant acorn.”

  One of the bigger squirrels pointed up at Phoebe as she flew past. “Look, children. It’s a Night Dragon! They’ll fix this problem, don’t you worry.”

  Phoebe waved at the family as she flew past, hoping they couldn’t tell how nervous their words had made her feel. It seemed like a lot of creatures were depending on her and her friends. She really hoped they didn’t let them down!

  “Watch out!” DasherGirl called suddenly. “Fire Sparks!”

  As Phoebe looked around, she was engulfed in tiny, dazzlingly bright lights. The Fire Sparks buzzed around her eyes and ears, making it impossible to see or hear anything else. They were so terrible! Phoebe usually didn’t get very angry, but she could feel annoyance bubbling inside as she twisted and turned to avoid them.

  “Stay calm,” DasherGirl warned. “Fire Sparks feed off anger and frustration. If you let them get to you, it makes them stronger and brighter. Think about calming things.”

  It was hard to think about calm things with bright lights buzzing around. It was even harder when you were flying at top speed through a moonlit magic forest!

  But Phoebe knew that DasherGirl was right. Breathing in deeply, Phoebe pictured herself floating on a cloud, bathed in soft moonlight and surrounded by stars.

  Instantly, she began to feel better. As she calmed down, she saw the sparks begin to splutter and fade away.

  “Great, keep doing whatever you’re doing!” DasherGirl cheered.

  Phoebe closed her eyes and added to the scene in her mind. She imagined a gentle breeze on her face, and added in soft nighttime sounds. Finally, she put her friends into her dream scene. Having Rosie and Stella nearby always made her feel better.

  When she opened her eyes, Phoebe saw the last Fire Spark go out. She grinned to herself. It worked!

  DasherGirl did an excited midair loop. “Good work!” she cried. “And perfect timing, because look! We’ve just arrived at the Tree Queen’s glade.”

  Up ahead, Phoebe could see the force field that protected the glade. Inside the shimmering orb, Phoebe could just make out dragonish shapes, moving around. She grinned. Rosie and Stella were already here!

  DasherGirl flew up beside her. “I must leave you here,” she said, “but we will see each other again soon, I promise.” She rubbed her nose against Phoebe’s and flew off into the forest.

  The light from the Fire Moon spilled across the force field. Was it just Phoebe’s imagination, or was the moonlight even redder now? She glanced up. Yes, the moon was definitely a deeper tone. This was bad!

  Phoebe took a deep breath and stepped through the force field. It was the best feeling, slipping through the magical air that protected the glade. Inside, the clearing was bathed in a pure silvery moonlight. Here, there were no traces of red at all.

  Two magnificent dragons flew over to Phoebe, each wrapping an impressive wing around her.

  “Isn’t this cool? We’re back for another adventure!” said Stella excitedly.

  Stella was deep purple and yellow. She was the Starlight Dragon, and was covered in stars.

  Phoebe nodded. “It’s really exciting,” she agreed. “Have you heard what our quest is this time?”

  “Not yet,” said Rosie. She was the Twilight Dragon, and her scales were pink and purple. “The queen is still in her tree form.”

  As Rosie spoke, the glade filled with the sound of rustling leaves. The Night Dragons turned to look at the elegant tree in the center of the glade. It swayed back and forth, almost like it was dancing. The swaying became stronger until the trunk of the tree had transformed into a regal-looking tree woman. She had long, flowing hair and wore an elegant moss-green gown.

  Two of the tree’s branches had become long arms, which the Tree Queen now spread out in a welcoming gesture.

  “Hello, my Night Dragons!” she said in her strong, warm voice. “It is so good to have you back. Your help is greatly needed, as I am sure you have already noticed.”

  “Yes, there’s a Fire Moon!” Phoebe exclaimed. “And it’s messing up everyone’s sleep. It’s because of the Fire Queen and her sparks.”

  She usually felt nervous talking to people she didn’t know very well, especially grown-ups. But somehow the Tree Queen was different.

  “Exactly, Phoebe,” said the Tree Queen. “Nighttime is extremely important here in the Magic Forest. It’s when the Dreamlets hatch.”

  “Dreamlets?” repeated Rosie, looking curious. “What are they?”

  One of the things Phoebe loved about her friend Rosie was how she often asked the very question that was on Phoebe’s lips!

  “They are young dreams,” explained the Tree Queen. “Every night, a new batch of Dreamlets is born. They move throughout the forest, finding sleeping creatures they can whisper their stories to. The stories turn into dreams. And dreams are very important! They help us sort through the problems of the day and learn new things. It’s how birds improve their flying, for example. Or how rabbits learn to leap farther than they ever have.”

  Phoebe nodded. She got it. Sometimes, during the day, Phoebe felt scared of trying new things. But in her dreams, she could do anything. After she had managed to do something in her sleep, she sometimes felt brave enough to try it in real life.

  Like with handstands, which Phoebe had never been any good at doing. Then one night, she had dreamed about doing handstands. When she woke up, the first thing she did was try one out. Right there in her bedroom, for the first time ever, Phoebe had done a perfect handstand!

  “Recently, there have been fewer Dreamlets in the forest,” continued the Tree Queen. “We do not know what the problem is. But I have heard there is something going wrong in the hatchery.”

  “Hatchery?” Rosie asked.

  “Where the Dreamlets are nursed,” explained the Tree Queen. “Once they’re strong enough, they can leave the hatchery and spread their vital dreams.”

  “So you’d like us to go and check out what’s happening there?” Stella guessed.

  The Tree Queen’s leaves rustled as she nodded. “The hatchery is near the Moon Lake. You will recognize it when you see it. Phoebe, I’d like you to lead this quest.”

  Phoebe was too surprised to say anything. She wasn’t really the leading type. She didn’t know if she wanted to lead a quest. What if she messed up?

  But the Tree Queen looked at her with a kind smile. “You will be a wonderful leader, Phoebe,” she said gently. “Here, this is for you.”

  She held out something glittery to Phoebe. It was a ball of magic thread on a chain. It didn’t look like much, but it had come in very handy when Phoebe and her friends were on their last quest.

  Phoebe stepped forward and bowed her head so the queen could slip the delicate chain around her neck.

  Looking down at it, she felt a surge of pride. Against her scales, the necklace twinkled. I can do this, she told herself. And it’s not like I will be alone. I’ll have Rosie and Stella with me.

  Stella gave her a friendly nudge. “What do you think, boss?” she asked teasingly. “Should we get going?”

  Phoebe nodded. The sooner they figured out what was going on, the better. That Fire Moon made her feel uneasy.

  “Night Dragons,” said the Tree Queen, swishing her branches. “One last thing before you go. The Fire Moon creates irritation and bad feelings in those touched by its lig
ht. But anger gives the Fire Queen and her Fire Sparks more power. They feed off discontent. You must be very careful.”

  Phoebe had noticed this. “We will,” she promised the Tree Queen.

  The three Night Dragons took off into the Magic Forest.

  The Fire Moon cast a strange glow over the trees and made Phoebe’s stomach tighten with worry. Clearly, there was no time to waste.

  “Which way should we go?” Stella called as they flew higher.

  “The Tree Queen said we should head to the Moon Lake. That could be anywhere!” Phoebe sighed as she scanned the treetops. She felt like she was already doing badly, and the quest hadn’t even begun.

  “Hey, Phoebe,” Rosie said, swooping closer, glinting pink and purple in the moonlight. “The thread you’re wearing around your neck might help. It helped me.”

  As Rosie spoke, Phoebe felt the chain give a gentle tug. The end of the thread unwound itself just a little and stretched out. It was pointing which way to go!

  “Follow me!” Phoebe called, zooming to the front of the trio.

  The Night Dragons flew over the vast forest. The treetops below them swayed gently in the moonlight. Every now and then, a birdcall or animal cry floated up, reminding Phoebe that there were a lot of creatures depending on her and her friends.

  The thread kept tugging her gently in one direction until suddenly it stopped pointing ahead and started pointing down instead. Phoebe glanced below her and gasped. There glimmered a vast lake, perfectly round and so still it looked like a mirror. Reflected in the lake’s center was the moon, like a huge, shimmering pearl inside its shell.

  “That has to be the Moon Lake, right?” called Stella.

  Phoebe felt the thread tug downward again. She nodded. “Definitely,” she said.

  The three friends whooshed down through the dark air and landed near the lake. All around it, steep, rocky cliffs rose up toward the sky.

  “I wonder where the Dreamlet hatchery is?” Rosie asked.