Morgan Carey and The Mystery of the Christmas Fairies: Morgan Carey Adventures, #2

By Susan Colleen Browne

Some fairies are nice. Some are sort of naughty. And others are downright...dangerous. And you just might find them deep in a mysterious forest, hidden by a mysterious Christmas tree…

The holidays are coming, and Seattle fifth-grader Morgan is the new girl at school. Missing her best friend, all Morgan wants is to have her own family's normal holiday traditions. So when her parents decide to do something completely different for Christmas, Morgan is so not up for it.

 

At her grandparents' house deep in the woods, a magical Christmas tree leads Morgan and her unruly little cousins into adventure...and danger. In this strange wonderland, Morgan must draw upon all her strength and ingenuity—and the unexpected talents of her cousins—to try and break free of the enchantment around them…But will Morgan and the kids escape this magical world and find their way back home for Christmas?

 

This Christmas fantasy-adventure, with an understated environmental theme, is perfect for tweens, grandparents and anyone who is young at heart…Susan Colleen Browne's Morgan Carey series also includes Morgan Carey and The Curse of the Corpse Bride, and The Secret Astoria Scavenger Hunt!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Susan Colleen Browne
• Release date: Sep 12, 2017
• ISBN: 9781386170365

Book preview

Susan Colleen Browne

Morgan Carey and The Mystery of the Christmas Fairies

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Copyright 2014, 2017 by Susan Colleen Browne

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Published by Whitethorn Press

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ISBN: 978-0-9967408-3-8 (print)

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Library of Congress Control Number: 2015917022

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

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www.susancolleenbrowne.com

www.littlefarminthefoothills.blogspot.com

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Cover design by Kate Weisel at www.weiselcreative.com

Interior book formatting by Author E.M.S.

Printed in the United States of America

For Meghan Monroe

&

The Three Munchkins

New Girl at School

Snow fell softly upon the small village, evergreen garlands draped over the old-fashioned streetlamps. Fairy lights cast a warm, sparkling glow on the holiday scene, and an angel floated down into the sparkling snowdrifts—

Morgan! I need your help, her mom called. And I’ve got news!

Coming! Morgan tipped the snow globe upside down to redistribute the white flakes and glitter, her Persian cats Scarlet and Katrina watching curiously from her bed. This, she told her cats, holding out the globe, looks just like where we’re going for Christmas.

Scarlet switched her furry tail. Katrina started purring. It looks like a Christmas wonderland, doesn’t it? Morgan said. She stared at the flakes drifting down onto the tiny plastic village, feeling a pinch around her heart.

I really need Christmas to be extra special this year. Being ten-and-a-half, she was too old for Santa. And now she lived a long drive away from her best friend Claire, instead of next door. As for her new school... She stroked Scarlet with her free hand. "If I win the competition, I know I can make more friends—"

Morgan!

She gave Scarlet one more pat and headed for the kitchen of the condo they’d moved to last month, bringing the snow globe with her. I dug this out of my Christmas box. Morgan showed the globe to her mom, who was at the sink filling a pot with water. To help get us in the Christmas mood.

Her mom’s blue eyes lit up as they always did when Christmas was mentioned. That must be the snow globe we bought last year in Leavenworth. She shut off the faucet. We could use a little help with our holiday spirit this year.

Can we decorate the house after dinner? Morgan set the globe on the counter, glancing at the everyday-ness of the kitchen and living room. After their move to the Seattle area lakeside, her mom hadn’t gotten around to putting up the Christmas figurines. Or hanging the stockings on the mantel. Usually her dad had the tree up the day after Thanksgiving, only this year, they still didn’t have one. And Christmas was almost a week away! Can we, Mom? Please?

Their condo didn’t feel like home yet. Being the new kid at school wasn’t so fun either, especially without Claire. All Morgan wanted was their usual family holiday—and it wouldn’t hurt to be a class leader at school too. Then she could feel like life was normal again.

Decorate? her mom said vaguely. I want to tell you something first...

Morgan’s brows drew together. Mom had always been super-excited about getting all their Christmas stuff arranged before Dad even finished stringing up the tree lights. Mom, I’ve got news too! Our class is starting a new club, and there’s going to be a—

Hang on, said Mom. Let me get the pasta started. She set the pot on the stove and turned on the burner. And you can set the table.

Morgan spied the colorful Christmas tree illustration propped against a candle on the kitchen table, the glitter sprinkled on it catching the overhead lights. Mom—you finally got us an Advent calendar! Reaching for it, she opened the flap marked 18.

Before she could pull out a chocolate, her mom said, Nice try, without turning around. No sweets right before dinner.

Aw, Mom, Morgan said, though actually, she wasn’t really big on chocolate. She grabbed three plates from the cupboard and set them on the table. Don’t you wish they made Advent calendars with Swedish fish behind the windows? She and her mom went crazy over Swedish fish. Or better yet, gummi bears. Morgan opened the silverware drawer. I was just saying, at school today Mrs. Montgomery said—

Fish and bears? Speaking of wildlife... her mom chuckled. She obviously hadn’t been listening. I’ve been chatting online with your aunt all week, and we’ve come up with a great idea for the holidays!

Aunt Shannon? Oh, goody! Are she and the boys going to come with us to—

I’m talking about your Grandpa’s daughter Christine, Mom said. Who lives in Los Angeles with her family.

Morgan’s smile faded. You mean, my step-aunt. And my step-cousins.

Her mom lifted the pot lid and tossed a big pinch of salt into the water. Your aunt’s holiday plans fell through, so she and her family are free to join us this year.

Oh, great, thought Morgan. More strangers around, as if I didn’t see enough of them at school! You mean, the Murphys are the ones coming with us to Leavenworth next week?

Their usual family trip to the Swiss-Alp themed town in Eastern Washington was Morgan’s absolute favorite way to celebrate the holidays. She could already picture the snow-draped buildings nestled against the white-covered mountains, the streetlamps and store windows lit with colored lights. They’d stay in a hotel and have waffles with whipped cream and strawberry jam for breakfast. Then they’d go tobogganing and afterward go to a café for tons of hot chocolate with marshmallows and sprinkles on top. "Do you have to bring a step family to our perfect holiday?"

Oh, come on, said her mom. There are so many blended families, no one cares about step this or step that.

"But Leavenworth, Morgan complained. It’s our family tradition!"

We’re not going to Leavenworth. Mom opened a package of spaghetti. We’re going somewhere better!

Better than Leavenworth? Disneyland is in Los Angeles, right? Will we go there with the Murphys? Morgan brightened instantly, hanging onto her mom’s arm. Yeah! I would totally be up for—

Come on—Southern California for Christmas? Her mom dropped a kiss on Morgan’s straight brown hair. "Hot sun