Chocolate Dreams Read online

  Chocolate Dreams

  READ ALL THE CANDY FAIRIES BOOKS!

  Rainbow Swirl

  COMING SOON:

  Caramel Moon

  If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that this book is stolen property. It was reported as “unsold and destroyed” to the publisher, and neither the author

  nor the publisher has received any payment for this “stripped book.”

  This book is a work of fiction. Any references to historical events, real people, or real locales are used fictitiously. Other names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination, and any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  ALADDIN

  An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division

  1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020

  www.SimonandSchuster.com

  First Aladdin paperback edition January 2010

  Text copyright © 2009 by Helen Perelman

  Illustrations copyright © 2009 by Erica-Jane Waters

  All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.

  ALADDIN is a trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc., and related logo is a registered trademark of Simon & Schuster, Inc.

  For information about special discounts for bulk purchases, please contact

  Simon & Schuster Special Sales at 1-866-506-1949 or [email protected].

  The Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau can bring authors to your live event.

  For more information or to book an event contact the Simon & Schuster

  Speakers Bureau at 1-866-248-3049 or visit our website at www.simonspeakers.com.

  Designed by Karin Paprocki

  The text of this book was set in Berthold Baskerville Book.

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  1209 OFF

  2 4 6 8 10 9 7 5 3 1

  Library of Congress Control Number 2009925640

  ISBN 978-1-4169-9454-1

  ISBN 978-1-4169-9869-3 (eBook)

  For Samantha and Rachel,

  who are deliciously fun

  Contents

  CHAPTER 1 Sweet Spring

  CHAPTER 2 A Big Chocolate Surprise

  CHAPTER 3 A Chocolate Mess

  CHAPTER 4 A Sour Sight

  CHAPTER 5 Bittersweet News

  CHAPTER 6 A Chocolate Promise

  CHAPTER 7 A Dangerous Plan

  CHAPTER 8 Black Licorice

  CHAPTER 9 Chocolate Dreams

  CHAPTER 10 A Touch of Chocolate

  CHAPTER 11 Dark Chocolate Wishes

  CHAPTER 12 Solid Chocolate

  Chocolate Dreams

  Sweet Spring

  Wait for me!” Cocoa the Chocolate Fairy called. She fluttered her wings and flew after her friend.

  “Come on,” Melli cried over her shoulder. Her caramel-colored dress sparkled in the sunlight. “Let’s go!” Her purple wings flapped quickly as she soared ahead.

  Cocoa took a deep breath as she caught up to her friend. The smell of chocolate from the roaring Chocolate River made her smile. This was her favorite spot in the entire Candy Kingdom.

  Everything looked delicious this bright morning. The morning sun sprinkled light over colorful Sugar Valley. Spring was the most glorious season in the kingdom. All the candy flowers and trees were in bloom, and fairies everywhere were celebrating. A new season of candy had begun!

  Cocoa spotted their friends on the sugar banks of the Chocolate River. Raina was easy to see with her bright red wings. And next to her was tiny Dash in her white shimmering dress and her small silver wings.

  “There they are!” Cocoa said, pointing. She sailed down close to the river. All the new chocolate flowers were sprouting up along the shoreline. Chocolate wildflowers were always so sweet and colorful!

  What a choc-o-rific morning, she thought.

  “What took you so long?” Dash asked when she saw her friends. The tiny Mint Fairy might have been one of the smallest fairies in Sugar Valley, but she was also the fastest. And not always the most patient!

  Cocoa came to a landing beside her friends. She pointed to the east side of the kingdom, where she and Melli lived. “We had the longest distance to fly,” Cocoa said. “Besides, we’re not that late. Berry isn’t even here yet.”

  “Oh, peppermint sticks!” Dash exclaimed. “Berry’s always late.”

  Berry was a Fruit Fairy who always took her sweet time getting ready. She liked everything perfect, from her hair to her toenails. By far, she was one of the most glamorous fairies in Sugar Valley. But she was a very good friend.

  Raina patted a spot next to her on the white sugar sand. “Come, sit down, Cocoa,” the Gummy Fairy said kindly. “You must be tired.”

  All Gummy Fairies had a gentle spirit. Their spirit helped them with the difficult task of watching over Gummy Forest. Growing gummy crops and tending to the gummy animals was hard work. But Raina had proved to have the most patience. She was the Gummy Fairy in charge of the gummy animals in Gummy Forest. Even with the pesky gummy worms and mischievous gummy fish, Raina never lost her cool. But above all, she didn’t like messes—or fights with her friends.

  “I brought you all something,” Melli said cheerfully. She reached into her bag and pulled

  out caramel sticks. “Fresh caramel!” she exclaimed. She handed one to each of her friends.

  “Delicious,” Dash exclaimed. She was tiny, but she was always hungry! She loved the thick caramel sticks that grew at the top of Caramel Hills. All Caramel Fairies were able to make caramel, but Dash knew that Melli’s sweet touch and generous heart made these caramels the best in the kingdom.

  “Thank you!” Cocoa said. “I’m starving. I’ve been rolling chocolate eggs all morning.” She took a bite of the sweet stalk. “Did you know that each egg has to be turned every hour?” She looked around at her friends.

  “We know,” Melli said playfully. She couldn’t help but gently tease her friend. “To get the eggs the perfect shape, they need to be turned every hour.” She grinned. Cocoa had been telling them that for weeks now!

  Every spring one Chocolate Fairy was chosen to care for the first spring chocolate eggs. This year Cocoa was that proud fairy.

  On the first day of spring Cocoa would deliver the eggs to Candy Castle. Royal Foil Fairies worked all winter to create beautiful foil to decorate the eggs for the Egg Parade.

  The parade of chocolates moved through Sugar Valley and was a joyous event. There were floats full of chocolates for all to view. But everyone waited to see the delicate sugar basket filled with the foil-wrapped eggs. The eggs were presented to the fairy princess in the Royal Gardens of Candy Castle. A glorious chocolate feast was held afterward to celebrate. All the fairies looked forward to the festive event.

  “It is a big honor to be in charge of the eggs,” Melli said. She stood up and walked over to the proud Chocolate Fairy. “And, Cocoa, you are doing a great job.”

  Cocoa smiled. “Thanks.” She stood up with her hands on her hips, and spread her golden wings. “The eggs are getting big already!” she boasted.

  “Big enough?” Dash asked. “Bigger than me?”

  Her minty nature definitely gave her a cool attitude.

  “The eggs need to get bigger,” Cocoa replied. “And they will. These are the first spring chocolates.” Cocoa fluttered her wings. “This is going to be the best crop of eggs Candy Kingdom has ever seen. You can be sure as sugar that they’ll be the biggest and best yet!”

  A Big Chocolate Surprise

  Cocoa leaned back and looked up at the sky. She loved being with her friends—and taking a rest from watching the eggs! She bit a
nother chunk out of her caramel stalk. “After these eggs are delivered to the castle, I’m going to sleep for a whole day!”

  “Hey, lazy wings!” Berry called cheerfully from the air. She gracefully landed next to Cocoa on the sugar sand. The beautiful Fruit Fairy smoothed out her raspberry-colored dress. “What are you fairies up to this delicious morning?”

  “Waiting for you,” Cocoa said, rolling her eyes. “What else is new?”

  “What’s got your wings all in a tangle?” Berry asked. “I’m right on time.”

  Raina stood up. “Well, we’re all here now,” she said kindly. She grinned at her friends. “And that is what’s important.”

  “That’s true,” Melli said. “Let’s have some fun!”

  The five fairies ate their caramels and talked about the upcoming Egg Parade.

  “I’m going to wear a chocolate-leaf crown,” Cocoa declared. “I’ve already started to look for the best leaves.”

  “And I’m going to wear a new fruit-chew necklace,” Berry said. She dug her hand into her pocket to show the sparkling sugar-coated jewels. “I just picked them yesterday.” She held out her hand to show her friends.

  “Oh, Berry!” Melli cried. “Those are beautiful. You have the best taste.”

  “They’ll make a really nice necklace,” Dash told her. She peered into her friend’s hand. “But they certainly look good enough to eat!”

  Cocoa laughed. “Berry, you’d better hide those from Dash. You always know how to dress up an outfit with delicious treats.”

  “A fairy has to know how to accessorize!” Berry said, grinning. She touched her head. Sparkly sugar clips held her dark, thick hair up in a perfect bun. “There are some great new fashions this spring,” she added.

  “That’s for sure,” Raina told her. “Everything about spring is so sweet, isn’t it?”

  “You say that about every season,” Dash kidded her. She flew up to a chocolate flower, plucked it, and dipped her hand into the gooey mint center. “But I have to agree. These spring flowers are very good!”

  “Mmm, let me have a taste,” Melli said. She

  flew over to Dash and took a piece of the fresh flower. “You are right,” she said, licking her fingers. “These are good.”

  Raina stood up and faced Gummy Forest. A gentle wind ruffled her red wings. She closed her eyes. “I have to get back to the forest,”

  she said.

  “Will you be at Sun Dip later on?” Melli asked.

  Sun Dip was a special time when the sun dipped below the Frosted Mountains, casting a beautiful evening light on the valley. All the fairies in Sugar Valley gathered to feast on their candy crops before they settled in for the night. It was the best part of the day!

  “Can’t wait!” Cocoa exclaimed, spreading her wings to fly.

  “Wouldn’t miss it,” Dash shouted.

  “Me too,” Raina and Berry said at the same time.

  Cocoa and Melli took off together for the eastern part of Sugar Valley. They waved good-bye to Berry, Dash, and Raina. Together, they flew back up Chocolate River, over Lollipop Landing, and to Chocolate Woods.

  “Don’t forget the caramel corn,” Cocoa said. “We can dip them in chocolate tonight. I’ll bring a bucket from Chocolate Falls. We can make chocolate dip surprises for everyone. It will be fun!”

  “Sounds good,” Melli answered. “I won’t forget.”

  “Race you!” Cocoa shouted as she soared into Chocolate Woods. She loved a race! Skillfully, she dodged in and around the tall trees and quickly pulled ahead of Melli.

  As she flew toward the rumbling of Chocolate Falls, Cocoa’s eyes grew wide with fear. Just before Melli had to turn off for Caramel Hills, Cocoa gasped.

  “Oh, sweet sugar!” Cocoa cried. She pointed to the chocolate egg nest on top of the tallest chocolate oak tree. The nest was empty! The chocolate eggs were gone!

  A Chocolate Mess

  Cocoa couldn’t believe her eyes. She flew over the empty chocolate nest. Where could the eggs have gone?

  Maybe this is just a bad dream, she thought. She blinked her large brown eyes, but the nest was still bare! Her heart pounded in her chest. She shouldn’t have left the eggs alone! But she never thought anything would happen to them. …

  “The eggs!” Melli exclaimed. She touched down on the edge of the nest next to Cocoa. Her purple wings flapped quickly.

  Cocoa shook her head. The whole kingdom was counting on her to deliver the chocolate eggs for the Egg Parade. And now she’d let everyone down.

  A few weeks ago Fairy Princess Lolli had flown to Chocolate Woods and picked Cocoa to watch over the eggs. Cocoa had felt so special! In front of everyone in Chocolate Woods, she had made a promise to care for the eggs.

  Having the royal fairy princess come to her home had been such a special treat. Everyone loved the beautiful fairy princess. Princess Lolli had a heart of sugar and was fair and true. She cared for all the Candy Fairies and made Sugar Valley the sweetest place to live.

  Princess Lolli will be so disappointed! Cocoa thought. She didn’t want to upset the fairy princess. Not to mention the Royal Foil Fairies who were hard at work painting the elaborate wrappers for the eggs!

  All her chocolate dreams were melting away.

  “This is all my fault!” Cocoa cried. “No fairy has ever lost the chocolate eggs.”

  “Maybe they just rolled out?” Melli said hopefully. Melli always tried to see the bright

  side, but Cocoa couldn’t see one at the moment.

  Cocoa flew below the heavy branches of the chocolate oak tree. She knew eggs falling from the nest would be very unlikely. The nest was woven from the strongest chocolate branches. Each one had been carefully picked. The idea of the eggs slipping or falling out didn’t seem possible.

  “Melli, they’re not here,” Cocoa whispered. “The Egg Parade is in two days. I can’t create new eggs in time!”

  Chocolate Fairies had chocolate magic. They could create chocolate candy with a simple touch. But unlike regular chocolate eggs, the spring eggs needed time to grow. Everyone in the kingdom counted on those eggs being in the Egg Parade. They needed to be extra-special!

  “Let’s keep looking, then,” Melli said. She smiled at her friend. “I’m sure we’ll find them.”

  Cocoa and Melli carefully searched Choco-late Woods. The bushes and trees were bursting with chocolates, and the rich, dark soil smelled delicious. But there were no eggs anywhere … not even a clue.

  The two fairies flew in and out of the rows of trees looking for any sign of the eggs.

  “Let’s check under the chocolate chip bushes,” Melli told Cocoa. She pointed to the low, prickly bushes around the old chocolate oak tree.

  “I guess it is possible that they rolled under there,” Cocoa said. She was willing to look anywhere for the precious eggs.

  The short twig branches of the chocolate chip bushes tickled Cocoa’s wings, but she crawled under several of them anyway.

  “Melli, what am I going to do?” Cocoa cried. Tears were in her eyes. She sat at the bottom of

  the old chocolate oak. Her wings rubbed against

  the rough chocolate bark. “Everyone was counting on me! How could this have happened?”

  “It’s not your fault,” Melli told her. “Come, quick.” She pulled Cocoa’s hand. “Let’s cover the nest before anyone sees.” She put her hand on Cocoa’s shoulder. “That will give us time to figure something out.”

  Together, the two fairies pulled three large chocolate leaves over the nest. As they covered the nest, Cocoa thought about her morning. She had checked on the eggs and rolled them. The morning was no different from any other in the past few weeks. This was a real mystery. Or was it?

  When the nest was covered, Cocoa looked up at her friend. “Melli,” she said softly, “do you think someone stole the eggs?”

  As a young fairy, Cocoa had heard stories about candy stealing. But those were just fairy tales. She had never heard of chocolate eggs being
stolen from their nest! And so close to the Egg Parade!

  “Stolen?” Melli gasped. She had also heard the stories, but she thought that’s all they were—stories. “You don’t really believe all those fairy stories, do you?”

  “But how else do we explain this?” Cocoa exclaimed.

  “I suppose someone could have stolen the eggs,” Melli said. She thought about that idea for a moment. “But who would steal the spring eggs?” she wondered out loud. “Who would do such a sour thing?”

  Cocoa shuddered. She immediately knew the answer to Melli’s question. There was only one creature sour enough in Sugar Valley. Her wings twitched. She didn’t want to say what she was thinking.

  “We’re going to need more help,” Melli said. She fluttered her wings nervously. “Raina, Berry, and Dash will know what to do. I’ll send word for them to meet us here.”

  As Melli sent a sugar fly to deliver the messages,

  Cocoa sat with her head hanging low. She wanted to believe that her friends could help her. But this was a huge problem. This was one huge chocolate mess.

  More than anything, Cocoa wanted to make this situation right. She’d need every ounce of chocolate courage she had. She hoped her friends would get there soon.

  A Sour Sight

  Raina was worried. The message from Melli didn’t make sense to her. How could the chocolate eggs be missing? The sugar fly that delivered the message had also told her to find Berry and fly as fast as they could to Chocolate Woods. Sugar flies only delivered short messages, so she’d have to wait until she saw Cocoa to get the whole story.

  As fast as she could, Raina flew to Lollipop Landing. She spotted Berry right away, putting the finishing touches on her cherry lollipops.

  “Berry!” Raina called. She flew up to her and grabbed her arm.

  Berry was surprised to see her friend. But as soon as she saw her, Berry knew something was wrong. Raina’s worried expression and her shivering wings made Berry concerned. When Raina told her what had happened, Berry left her lollipops and they flew off to Chocolate Woods.