The Overwood

The Overwood — page 3 — Look Blue Violet says They have butterfly wings Can I get some I stare at her Indigo snuffles with laughter Why would you want fake plastic butterfly wings I ask I lower my voice You have real wings Oh yeah Violet says Violet and Indigo are ten years old They’re twins They’re Faeries They have magical powers That’s where most of my problems come from Indigo starts to wander away Rosa my dog barks She’s magical too I haven’t figured out yet how magical She can’t talk So she can’t tell me Indigo I snap after him Stay with us I don’t like to get angry with the twins But the last time they wandered off I nearly died So I’ve learned to be careful We’re just looking for a present for Mom I say firmly That’s it We can’t afford anything else 2

The Overwood — page 4 — Why can't we use Faerie money Violet asks pouting Faerie money is just leaves or scraps of paper Faeries can use magic to make it look like money That's called glamouring All Faeries use glamour when they're around humans They use it to make themselves look human The twins use it to hide their wings Mom is okay with that But Faerie money is forbidden Paying with Faerie money is like stealing It turns back into leaves or scrap paper in about an hour Violet drifts toward a handmade lollipop display I yank her back by her hood I have Rosa on a leash I wish I could put the twins on a leash too Rosa sniffs a puddle Indigo trips over her and falls on his face Violet laughs Little sparkly bubbles come out of her mouth That's new She covers her mouth and stares at me Her eyes are wide I didn't know I could do that she says 3

The Overwood — page 5 — I look around I don't think anyone saw the bubbles No one here knows that the twins are magical No one knows about magic at all And Oren the twins Faerie brother wants it to stay that way Humans can't find out about Faerieland They would only ruin it That's why the twins aren't allowed to do magic here in the Overwood That's what Faeries call the human world There's a whole other set of woods that makes up Faerieland There's the Crosswood You have to go through the Crosswood to get anywhere Then there's Nearwood and Farwood And the Wherewood And my friend Salix's wood Merwood It's complicated Everything about Faerie life is Especially when you're an ordinary human boy like me And you have a Faerie brother and sister Violet's magic is growing and changing She is the queen of Nearwood The wood gives her power 4

The Overwood — page 6 — She doesn't know how to control it yet Her older brother Oren is king of Farwood He takes care of the twins during the week They stay with me and Mom on weekends Be careful I say to Violet Cover your mouth when you laugh I put my arms around both of them We head toward the candle seller Mom loves candles We spend nearly an hour in the candle shop Violet and Indigo have to smell every candle Violet says the one called Ocean Mist should smell like fish Why would anyone want a candle that smelled like fish I ask A cat might Violet says Rosa barks as though she agrees Indigo likes the candles that smell like food Can we get donuts he asks 5

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