Daisy Takes Charge Read Online Free Page B

now.’ Daisy turned to see Lark standing behind her, shaking his head. ‘Who are you here with?’ he asked.
    â€˜My sister, Maggie. The one in the purple dress.’
    Lark’s eyes widened when he saw Maggie. ‘I didn’t see you two arrive.’
    â€˜We were a little late,’ Daisy answered, trying not to giggle as Lark stared at her sister.
    â€˜She’s done it now,’ Pod interjected. Grevillea was being escorted back to them by a very angry Cyan.
    â€˜I am a patient fairy,’ Cyan explained. ‘But if you interrupt this rehearsal one more time I’ll banish you from the Festival.’
    Grevillea looked as if she were about to protest, but the look on Cyan’s face made her stop. She assumed a haughty expression but did not speak.
    â€˜Wonderful,’ said Cyan. ‘We understand each other.’
    She called to a young male fairy who was arranging chairs around one of the closer tables. ‘Moss! These are the contestants’ family members. I think they might be more comfortable on the verandah.’ The fairy nodded in agreement. ‘We’ll send for you if we need you,’ said Cyan, dismissing them all.
    Grevillea opened her mouth, but when Cyan raised an eyebrow she closed it again.
    â€˜It’s difficult being a parent,’ said Pod, taking Grevillea by the arm as they followed after Moss. ‘We just want the best for our children.’
    â€˜Or for their children to be the best,’ Lark whispered to Daisy.
    â€˜Grevillea might be like that,’ said Daisy as Grevillea told Pod how talented Boronia was. ‘But I don’t think Pod is.’
    As if on cue, Pod glanced back at them, rolling his eyes. Holding in their laughter, Daisy and Lark followed them.

    Daisy, Lark, Pod and Boronia spent the rest of the morning on a verandah of Queen Jasmine’s Tea-Tree House, watching through the branches as fairies flew to and fro, setting up for the Songbird Festival.
    It would have been pleasant if not for Grevillea’s loud and incessant questions. Pod became Daisy’s hero, swooping in to start a conversation with Grevillea whenever her questioning became too intense. Daisy couldn’t always escape though.

    â€˜What type of bird is your sister singing her duet with?’ Grevillea asked when Pod went in search of a bathroom.
    â€˜A magpie,’ Daisy replied.
    â€˜A magpie!’ said Grevillea. ‘Why a magpie?’
    â€˜Magpies are wonderful singers,’ said Daisy, defending her sister’s choice. ‘Maggie sings with them all the time. Two of them, Stormy and Melody, were so good that Maggie couldn’t choose between them so she just asked the first one she saw. They’re all friends, so I’m sure Stormy wasn’t too upset not to be singing with Maggie.’
    â€˜How interesting,’ said Grevillea, a sly look on her face.
    Worried that she may have said too much, Daisy felt a rush of relief when Grevillea left to bother Lark for a while.
    The trapped expression on Lark’s face turned Daisy’s relief to impatience.
Why must Grevillea make everyone miserable?
    Careful not to let Grevillea see, Daisy took out her wand and whispered, ‘While contained within this tree, calm and carefree you will be.’
    Grevillea stopped mid-sentence. Without another word, she strolled over to a thickly cushioned chair, snuggled into it and closed her eyes, a contented smile on her face.
    To everyone’s delight, Grevillea remained that way until Moss arrived to collect them for lunch.
    Back in the clearing, the morning’s volunteers sat at the tables while a new set of fairies flew into the clearing, bringing food for everyone.
    Daisy, Lark and Pod found a table together. Grevillea chose to sit alone.
    When Maggie, Pea and Grebe came to eat lunch with them, Lark stood up and gestured for Maggie to take his seat beside Daisy.
    â€˜Lark’s got a girlfriend,’ Grebe