First Light by Michele Paige Holmes

sliding toward the ground below the wagon. My forehead smashed into dewy grass, while my hands scrambled, too late, to break my fall. I felt something brush against one of them and pulled back, expecting a mouse or insect. Instead the pearl buzzed by, glowing nearly as bright as it had in my prison. It jetted off toward the forest, and I struggled to follow, crawling out from beneath the wagon, as the glow disappeared into the trees.
    A quick glance around the camp, and I saw that all were sleeping, save for the lone figure standing at the back of the wagon, my discarded flower in his hand.
    Gemine stared at me, and though my mind screamed at me to run, I could not help asking, “Did you come to release me or to persuade me to give you the pearls?”
    “Go,” was his only answer, and hearing footsteps behind him, I hesitated no more but ran toward the trees, following the pearl’s faintly glowing trail. My legs seemed to have regained their full function, and I ran after the escaped treasure, away from the thieving gypsies. A shout echoed behind me, then all was silence, save for my footfalls. I wondered what had happened but told myself it did not matter. If Gemine was punished because I escaped, it was no more than he deserved— wasn’t it?
    Minutes flew, and still I was alone. Instead of feeling tired, my legs seemed to grow stronger. It was absurd to be chasing what should have been an inanimate object; but I had escaped the gypsy camp. Half of my wish had come true. Charmed bracelet, indeed! Was this what Gemine meant— does the bracelet have the power to grant wishes? If so, how many?
    Perhaps, like the story my father used to tell of the genie in the lamp, the bracelet could grant three wishes.
    Three pearls— three wishes. It made sense. I nearly laughed out loud at that thought. There was nothing at all logical about the past two days— about mysterious carriages and drivers and escorts, swine that communicated with people, and a bracelet that glowed and granted wishes. Yet I could not dispute the truth of any of it.
    The pearl was now so far ahead that I could not see it, but it left a neat trail of glowing dust behind. This allowed me both to follow and to see where I was going in the cloudy, moonless night.
    Feeling a sense of déjà vu, I ran on. I looked back several times, but there were never any gypsies or thieves following me.
    The dust grew fainter; I was falling farther behind. I dreaded the thought of telling Merry Anne that her pearl had rolled away and I’d been unable to retrieve it. Or that I’d used one of her wishes. Though, somehow, I also imagined she might understand.
    I stopped suddenly, catching my breath as the edge of a cliff caught me unawares. My toes jammed in the tips of my shoes as I stopped abruptly, just in time from plunging to certain death.
    With wide eyes and mouth agape, I looked in awe at the sight before me. A good distance below, thousands of lights twinkled in the darkness. Beneath their glow I could make out dozens of buildings, thatched roofs, stone exteriors, and cobbled streets.
    “Tallinyne,” I murmured, astounded by its size. How amused Gemine must have been when I’d asked if it was very big. It was enormous . From my vantage point on the cliff I couldn’t even see the end of the lights stretching out in every direction. In all my life I’d never imagined such a township, so many people crowded so close together. I wondered what they ate and where they got their food from, as I couldn’t see room for any fields between the crowded buildings.
    How would I ever find Cecilia or Merry Anne? My heart sank as I collapsed on the ground, tired and overwhelmed by the task still before me. I searched for the pearl but found only a tiny circle of faintly glowing dust.
    No matter , I told myself. It wasn’t likely I’d ever find Merry Anne in the boroughs below.
    But you will , a voice inside me said. And looking out at the city, I was reminded that I had already