Chapter 2
Tooth fairy Pixie hovered near the sleeping child, her wings beating soundlessly as she reached for the tiny tooth tucked under the pillow.
The room was dark, save for a nightlight in the corner that cast a warm glow along the walls.
She could see the toys and books on the floor, and she smiled down at the sweetly sleeping young boy.
With practiced ease, she slid her hand under the pillow and took the tooth, placing it into the small, enchanted sack at her waist. When she returned home, the teeth she hadn’t used to supplement her magic would dissolve into pure, magical energy, seeping into the fairy gardens that dotted the island, the magic dispersing into the earth or carried by the wind to spread its protective power.
Most people never realized that the energy of children’s lost teeth lingered, subtly sharpening the world around them and weaving good fortune into the air.
She turned toward the window, her wings flickering as she pulled her shadow magic closer to herself and stepped out, closing the window behind her silently and setting her course for the next home.
Her wings carried her to the next home a few streets over. She moved through the night silently and unseen, thanks to the magic garnered through the teeth. Not only could she pull shadows to conceal herself, but she could enter a home and move between houses without being heard.
She entered the two-story home, using her magic to unlock the bedroom window and glide inside.
Surveying the room, she found the child asleep, hugging a stuffed unicorn with a soft smile on her face.
She moved silently to the bed and reached for the tooth that she could feel was underneath the pillow when she heard a low, growling rumble from the doorway.
Pixie froze.
A large golden retriever, face white with age, stood in the doorway, dark eyes locked on her. It whined quietly, tail wagging, and trotted toward her.
“Oh, for stars’ sake,” Pixie whispered, taking a step back.
She tried to pull the shadows around her more deeply to obscure herself from the dog, but it didn’t stop coming toward her.
The retriever grumbled happily, collar jingling. Pixie exhaled sharply. Her magic was running low and that’s why the dog had sensed her.
She grabbed the tooth under the pillow and squeezed it between her thumb and finger. The small tooth disintegrated instantly, turning into glittery dust. Moving her hand to her chest, she inhaled, and the magic rushed through her like cool water and replenished her magic.
She easily pulled the shadows around herself now, obscuring her from the dog’s sight.
The retriever let out a low whine, its head tilted in confusion.
Go lay down, she silently ordered.
The dog stared into the shadows for a moment longer, then leaped onto the bed, turned in a circle, and flopped down at the child’s feet with a grumbling sigh.
When neither the child nor the dog moved again, both settled into sleep, Pixie let out the breath she’d been holding and shook her head.
That was close. At the last house, she hadn’t realized how low her shadow magic was getting.
She definitely needed to be more careful.
Flying out of the room, she closed and locked the window and then perched on a nearby tree to check her ledger.
The small book was magically updated for her territory in the state of Delaware.
Glowing names were added as children who believed in the tooth fairy put a tooth under their pillow.
Children who were most at risk of losing their belief in the tooth fairy had top priority, their names glowing red instead of gold.
She’d already collected twenty-three teeth and had eight more to go.
An average night.
Her busiest night she’d collected nearly fifty teeth and had to replenish her magic frequently to keep up.
The faster she flew, the quicker she moved in the homes, the more her shadow magic depleted.
Her main magic—that allowed her to open portals to move anywhere in the world and fly—was replenished at the Well of Magic at the top of the world.
She had to go there only once a year.
Not that she disliked it, although it was as cold as all get out.
Readying herself for the next home, she put the ledger away in her pouch and flew from the tree into the sky.
She spotted the golden glowing window in the distance and set off for her target, happy to be part of keeping magic alive for children, whether they were human, shifter, or another magical creature.
* * *
The moment Pixie walked through the portal, the salty scent of the ocean mixed with the flowers from the fairy gardens, made her smile.
Evermere Island, part of the Florida Keys but only accessible through magical portals, unfolded before her, the air humming with magic, the trees rustling in the breeze.
It was a few hours before dawn and she’d managed to finish her shift without any more issues like the old pup who’d nearly busted her.
It wasn’t that people in general didn’t know about tooth fairies or other magical people, but tooth fairies didn’t like to get caught by anyone.
Even family pets. It ruined the illusion that tooth fairies moved in and out without detection, the same way Santa preferred not to get caught by children staying up to see if he would show up.
She walked along a mossy pathway leading to the heart of the island, a commune where the tooth fairies in this part of the States lived. Their commune was large and in charge of the East Coast.
The tooth fairies on shift that night were returning from their territories the same as she did, making their way to the main garden to scatter the teeth.
“Hey, sis,” Calyx, one of her brothers, called from the garden where he scattered a handful of teeth to the blooming flowers dotted with dancing fireflies.
“Hey yourself,” she said. “How was your shift?”
“It’s cold as balls up in Massachusetts. I was not made for winter.”
She grinned and opened her pouch, grabbing the teeth and flinging them to the garden. “It was cold in Delaware too, but not as cold as you had to deal with. It’ll get colder too, once Frost gets winter really cooking.”
The winter solstice was tomorrow, and Pixie made a mental note to make sure she wore her fleece-lined leggings under her tunic. She didn’t get cold often, but a frigid blast from Frost was sure to make her feel chilly.
As the teeth she and her brother tossed into the garden turned to magic, glittery particles lifting into the air and flying away and some seeping into the ground, the colorful, glowing plants swayed in the breeze.
Somewhere in the world, a child would sleep a little more peacefully and hold on to the belief in the tooth fairy for a little longer, thanks to the unseen, protective magic of the fairies.
Someone called her name and Pixie turned and found herself in the presence of the most powerful fairy in the world, who was the head of the Tooth Fairy guild, Calista.
She not only had control over shadows, like all tooth fairies, but she could also control the elements, bending sunshine and rain to her will as needed to keep the Earth in balance.
“How was your night?” she asked, her pale green eyes crinkling at the corners as she landed in the center of the garden and gently touched a sapphire blue lily.
“Great.”
There was a brief pause, and Calyx cleared his throat and said, “I’m going to get home before my wife wonders why I’m taking so long. Night, sis. Tooth Fairy.”
“Good night,” Calista said, her large wings shimmering in the moonlight. “My dear, I was wondering if I could ask you for a favor.”
“Of course,” Pixie said. “What can I do for you?”
Pixie was trying not to grin like an idiot. Tooth Fairy had never asked her for a favor. Ever! Holy crap. Her wings shivered in excitement, and she almost lifted off the ground.
Tooth Fairy smiled. “I’d like to change your territory for tomorrow night.”
“Oh. Is something wrong?”
“No, not at all. I have a project I’m dealing with and I need to change up the territories for several fairies to free up some people to help me.
I’d like you to take over the Northern Pennsylvania territory.
” Before Pixie could say anything, she put up her hand and said, “Oh, I know, tomorrow is the Solstice and Frost is an ass, so it’s going to be very cold.
But I promise you’ll only need to cover this territory for a couple weeks and then you can go back to Delaware.
I’ve tasked other fairies from Maryland and New Jersey to split your territory, so everyone will be stretched a bit thin for a while.
But we can’t let any children miss having their teeth picked up. ”
“Of course,” she said. “I don’t mind the cold, actually, and I haven’t been to Pennsylvania before.”
Tooth Fairy put her hand on Pixie’s shoulder and smiled benevolently. “Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. Your ledger will be altered for your new pickups tomorrow. I wish you good luck and good rest.”
“Thanks, you too.”
Tooth Fairy lifted off the ground and flew away, and Pixie hummed with a smile.
Well, well, well.
Her boss asked her for a favor and how freaking cool was that?
Instead of flying, she walked along the mossy path to her small home, a quaint little cabin covered with ivy and morning glories, in between her sister Marigold’s home and her parents’ home.
With a yawn, she walked inside and closed the door, ready to grab something to eat and watch a bit of TV before getting ready for bed.
The life of a tooth fairy who worked on the East Coast like her meant that her night started when the sun went down and children went to bed and didn’t end until she’d collected the teeth in her territory or the sun came up.
She didn’t mind being a night owl with her work.
And someday, when she found her truemate and had a family, she’d take a territory in another part of the world so she could work during the day and sleep at night, following her family’s schedule.
But she didn’t have her mate or a family yet, so she was content with how things were. For now, anyway.
She sure wouldn’t mind finding her Mr. Right someday soon.