“I,” she said, “am Queenie Bumblebuzz.”
Lily explained that they needed honey. “It’s to save a little lamb called Grace Woollyhop, Your Majesty—”
“Bzzzzz,” Queenie interrupted. “Of course you may have some honey! What sort does Grace like? We have lavender honey, blueberry honey, orange blossom honey, and many more. See?” She pointed out lots of little hives dotted around the Honey Tree.
Jess sighed. “They all sound delicious,” she said. “But we don’t know which one is Grace’s favorite.”
Goldie’s whiskers drooped unhappily. But then Lily gave a cry.
“Yes, we do!” she said, holding out the tambourine. “Grace’s favorite honey is all over this!”
Queenie flew over to the tambourine and tasted the sticky honey. “Why, it’s clover honey,” she said. “We have plenty of that!”
She flew into the hive, and in moments, she came out again with a group of cheerful buzzing bees who were carrying a little wooden bucket full of golden honey.
“Thanks so much,” Jess said, gently taking it from them.
“It’s our pleasure to help,” said Queenie. “Grace is a dear little lamb. We’re looking forward to seeing her at the concert in Harmony Hall.”
“Are you going?” asked Lily.
“I am the leader of the royal bee band,” said Queenie proudly. “We’re called the Honey Buns. We’ll be performing the Bumble Boogie!”
“We’ll look forward to that!” said Lily. She had a thought. “Queenie, do you know anything about Grace’s secret?”
“No,” said the bee, “but Buzz Busywing is her friend, and he was behaving very strangely this morning. He left for Harmony Hall, but he wouldn’t tell anyone what he was doing. We bees have been buzzing about it all morning—it’s a mystery! Perhaps it could be something to do with Grace’s secret?”
“Maybe,” Jess said. “We’ll go and find him. Thank you, Your Majesty.”
The friends made their way back across the branch and through the forest. “Where is Harmony Hall, Goldie?” Lily asked.
“This way!” Goldie led them through the forest up to a curtain of glossy green ivy. The sound of sweet voices singing came from behind. “Welcome to Harmony Hall,” she said, pulling back the curtain.
“Wow!” said Jess and Lily.
They stepped into a beautiful outdoor theater. The curved stage was surrounded by stone benches carved from shimmering pink rock that sparkled in the sunlight.
A choir was rehearsing onstage, with wooden stands holding their song sheets.
“Some of our friends are here already!” whispered Jess in delight.
The singers were Lola Velvetnose the mole, Sophie Flufftail the squirrel, and Emily Prickleback the hedgehog. Singing along with them was a bee.
“He must be Buzz Busywing,” Jess whispered. “That’s what the musical mystery was... a choir!”
Chapter Six
Magic at Harmony Hall
“Excuse me, everyone,” said Lily, as they looked at the choir of little animals.
Buzz Busywing flew into a spin. “Oh, no!” he cried. “Someone’s found us! Our surprise will be ruined!”
Lola, Sophie, and Emily turned around, looking wide-eyed, with their paws to their mouths. Then they smiled.
“It’s OK, Buzz,” called Sophie. “Lily, Jess, and Goldie are our friends. They’ll keep our secret!”
She bounded over for a hug, with Emily and Lola scurrying after her.
“It’s lovely to see you,” said Lola, as Lily dropped a kiss on her head.
Jess carefully scooped Sophie up.
“That song is a surprise for the concert,” the little squirrel explained.
“We’re having our last rehearsal before the audience arrives,” said Lola.
As the little animals talked excitedly, Lily noticed there were five music stands, but only four singers.
“Who’s missing?” she asked.
Lola shuffled her feet and Sophie became very interested in fluffing her tail.
“It’s Grace Woollyhop, isn’t it?” Jess said. “She’s in the choir! That’s her secret!”
Sophie, Lola, Buzz, and Emily looked at one another anxiously.
“We understand you want to keep Grace’s secret,” Goldie said gently, “but we really need to know.” She explained about Hopper and the spell. “Grace needs our help,” she finished.
Sophie and Lola gasped, and Emily’s prickles stood up in horror.
“Poor Grace,” said Buzz, his wings drooping.
“The only way we can save Grace is by casting a spell,” explained Lily. “But first we need to know her biggest secret.”
“We’ll tell you!” cried Lola. “You’re right, singing is Grace’s secret. Her family thinks she just plays the tambourine. They don’t know that she likes singing, too.”
“They’ll be so surprised,” added Lola.
“It’s really special for Grace,” said Emily, “because she wrote our song, and Harmony Hall is her favorite place.”
The girls looked at each other in sheer delight, and Jess planted a kiss on Emily’s turned-up nose. “Thanks!” she said. “Now we know Grace’s secret is singing, and her favorite place is right here! We’ve found everything we need to break the spell!”
Just then, Buzz zoomed upward. “Someone’s coming!” he cried.
The ivy curtain swished, and Hopper and Grace appeared. The little lamb was carrying a bucket around her neck, and behind her were all the Witchy Waste creatures.
“Let’s slime this place!” said Hopper.
Grace giggled as she sloshed slime from her bucket across the floor.
Masha and Snippit flicked green goo all over the pink rock seats.
Everyone stared, shocked at the mess.
Buzz fluttered down to rest on Lily’s dark hair. “What’s happened to Grace?” he buzzed.
“Jess, we have to do the spell now!” said Lily. “We have to save Grace and the theater, or there’ll be no concert!”
They darted around horrible puddles of slime as they placed the tambourine, clover honey, and Grace’s song sheet on the stage.
“That’s everything we need to turn her back into her normal self,” said Jess.
The little lamb was helping Hopper spread slime on the stage. Beside them, Peep, Masha, and Snippit were giggling with glee.
“Remember the spell,” Lily said. “If someone names those things aloud, yourself once more you’ll be.”
“Grace’s favorite hobby,” chanted Jess. “Playing her tambourine!”
“Grace’s favorite food,” Lily added. “Clover honey!”
“Grace’s secret!” finished Goldie. “Her surprise song!”
“In Grace’s favorite place,” they chanted together. “Harmony Hall!”
Purple sparks flashed all around the little lamb. She suddenly dropped her bucket and looked around. “What’s happening?” she asked, and shook herself. Her coat, no longer covered with slime, was as soft and snowy as ever.
“We’ve done it!” cried Lily.
“Hooray!” cheered the animals.
“I feel so funny,” Grace said. “I want my maa!”
The girls rushed to hug her.
“You’ve been under a spell,” said Jess, kissing Grace’s sweet little face, “but you’re OK now!”
They heard a miserable croak and turned to see Hopper with her head drooping. Behind her, Peep’s wings sagged, Snippit’s feathers flopped, and the flower in Masha’s hat looked droopier than ever.