The Song of the Moon Read online

  Suddenly, a familiar face popped out from behind a clothes rack full of costumes.

  “Selena, what are you doing here?” Cleo said, startled.

  “Well, umm, I don’t really know.” Selena stared down at her hooves.

  “Did you change your mind about auditioning?”

  “No. I—I—I mean … I don’t know,” Selena stuttered.

  Cleo smiled. “There is nothing wrong with changing your mind, you know! I wasn’t too excited about the musical at first, but now I love the idea. It has been really fun!”

  “I didn’t exactly change my mind. It’s too late, anyway. The auditions are over.”

  “It’s never too late!” Cleo insisted. “Why don’t you ask Ms. Calliope if you can audition now? She is still here. But you will have to hurry!”

  “You think I should?” asked Selena, looking up at her friend.

  Cleo saw the excitement flash across Selena’s face and nudged her toward the stage. Then she walked back to continue looking for Eris.

  Selena found Ms. Calliope just as she was about to leave the room. It was now or never.

  “Ms. Calliope,” she called, unable to stop herself.

  “Yes?” The teacher turned.

  “I am Selena from the Night Realm. I asked to be a part of the choir. But I changed my mind. I would like to audition for the part of the moon.”

  “Why didn’t you audition with the rest of the girls?”

  “Well …” Selena blushed, but forced herself to be honest. “I didn’t think that I wanted to be in the musical, or that I even liked musicals, until I heard the song that the moon sings.”

  “And you think that song is right for you?” the teacher asked, smiling. “Well, your name does mean moon. You are lucky: The role has not been filled yet. I have to point out, though, that role has an added difficulty. You will have to sing while flying around the stage wearing a very heavy costume. Do you think you can do that?”

  “I would like to try.”

  Cleo hid behind a prop, watching Ms. Calliope help Selena into the moon costume backstage. She just had to see Selena’s audition, but she didn’t want to make her friend nervous.

  “There. You would make a beautiful moon!” said the teacher, looking at Selena dressed in her costume of shimmering stars. “When you are ready, you may begin.” Ms. Calliope then sat in her seat in the front row.

  Selena took a deep breath and started walking toward the stage. She stepped on her skirt and tore a big rip down the side! Cleo was about to run onto the stage to help her friend, but before she could move, Selena shook her head and a cascade of sparkles came from out of nowhere and fixed the costume up as good as new.

  Selena had broken one of the most important rules at the Castle of Destiny! She used magic to fix the tear in her costume. And Cleo wasn’t the only one who noticed. Another pair of eyes watched from behind the scenes. Now they shone with a wicked gleam.

  Selena took a happy trot along the maze of trails around the Castle of Destiny after the audition. She wanted to tell all her friends about the audition, but for now, she was just going to enjoy her moment. She felt wonderful, like singing onstage had taken a huge weight off her shoulders.

  She stopped to breathe in the irresistible smell of vanilla, cinnamon, and berries in the air outside the Sugar and Spice café. She looked in the window to admire the beautiful muffins and pastries of every color and noticed her friends sitting at a table inside. When she walked in, the Melowies greeted her with a gloomy look.

  “Is something the matter?” she asked them.

  “I told everyone that you auditioned for the part of the moon,” Cleo explained.

  Selena shook her mane, suddenly feeling defensive. “Well, didn’t you guys want me to be a part of the musical?”

  “Of course we do!” Maya said. “It’s just that …”

  “I changed my mind, that’s all. I decided it sounds like it could be fun. Why are you looking at me like that? Do you want me to say that you were right all along? You were right! I was wrong! I had fun auditioning. Are you happy now?”

  Selena sighed and sat down with her friends. “Look, I have to tell you guys something,” she said, blushing. “I really love music. That is why I nagged my mom until she would let me play the drums. But the first time I ever played onstage a couple of years ago … well, it was a disaster! I sat down and saw my mom in the audience staring at me, and I just froze! I had nagged her to come see me, and then I got so nervous that I couldn’t play. I got in trouble for wasting her time and money on the drum set.”

  “I am so sorry that happened to you!” Maya exclaimed. “That must have been hard. But you are older now. You will be fantastic, you’ll see!”

  “You will be the star of the whole musical!” Electra added. “Well, the moon, actually.”

  “Everyone gets nervous,” said Cora. “But you can’t let one bad experience keep you from trying again.”

  Cleo sighed. “I agree, but there’s something we need to talk about.”

  “What?” asked Selena.

  “You used magic,” snapped Cora. “Cleo saw you. You know very well that using magic is against the rules!”

  “Is that why you are all looking at me like that?” Selena laughed. “But it was nothing. In the Night Realm we do innocent little spells like that all the time!”

  The other Melowies just stared at her with worried faces. “Maybe in the Night Realm,” said Electra, “but here at the Castle of Destiny, you are not allowed to. A real Melowy doesn’t use magic like that. It’s like … cheating.”

  Selena got up and walked toward the door. “Don’t worry about me,” she said. “I can take care of myself.” She flew off, alone.

  * * *

  They practiced for the musical for the next couple of days. Little by little, Selena felt that she was losing all the confidence she had gained after the audition. Ms. Calliope was no help at all. She actually seemed to be much harder on her.

  “It’s not my fault!” Selena defended herself yet again. “Eris came in late!”

  Eris raised her nose up at her. She was always trying to ruin everything Selena did, and the Melowy from the Night Realm couldn’t figure out why.

  “It isn’t about Eris,” Ms. Calliope explained. “Selena, you are very good. But, for a musical to work, everyone has to pull their weight. You need to listen closely to what is going on around you and interpret your part. Please take a break and try again when you are more focused.”

  Selena went and sat on a bench with a gloomy expression. Maybe she had been wrong to audition for the musical after all. Maybe she wasn’t right for the part and she would only embarrass herself again. Maybe she wasn’t even that good and she didn’t deserve to be in the musical.

  When she looked up, she saw four pairs of eyes staring at her.

  “Look, we know you can take care of yourself,” said Cleo, “but that doesn’t mean that you always have to do it on your own. We would love to help you practice.”

  Maya, Electra, and Cora all nodded in agreement. Selena looked at them for a moment and then nodded back.

  “Wow, I don’t believe it! The whole school is here,” Electra said, peeking out from behind the closed curtain.

  “Well, that was to be expected,” said Cora.

  “It’s one thing to expect something and it’s another to actually see it!” exclaimed Electra, still peering out at the audience.

  It was opening night and Cora and Electra had to go onstage first to set up the story about the two rival princesses having to come together in order to defend their realms.

  “You two look amazing!” Maya cried in excitement. Electra’s costume was fiery red, while Cora’s was emerald green. Their coats were covered in glitter, and their manes were shiny and perfect. The two Melowies were ready to go onstage.

  “Absolutely beautiful,” agreed Cleo, still struggling to get into her handmaiden costume.

  “Let me fix your sash,” said Cora, seeing th
at Cleo was having some problems. She gave her costume a skillful tug and a tuck and then smiled in satisfaction. “A perfect handmaiden. Your costume won’t get in the way of your dancing now.”

  “What about Selena?” asked Electra.

  “Here I am.”

  “Wow!” they all said in unison when they turned to look at her.

  Selena’s costume seemed to have been made especially for her. With a little bit of glitter, she looked just like a shining moon.

  “Thank you, without you, I never could have done it.” Selena blushed.

  “That’s what friends are for.” Cleo smiled.

  “Group hug?” squealed Electra.

  “We would all get covered in glitter! Forget it!” Cora giggled.

  “Of course, Miss Icicles.” Electra laughed. “I wouldn’t want to spoil your perfectly perfect perfection.”

  “Okay, girls, let’s concentrate. The show is about to start,” said Cora.

  “Let’s do our vocal warm-ups,” Electra agreed.

  “Wow,” whispered Maya. “Those two are getting along!” Cleo and Selena smiled in response.

  “Everyone come here!” Ms. Calliope cried, gathering all the Melowies around her to give them some last-minute advice. Then the young actresses took their places and the curtains went up.

  Electra and Cora were great in the first scene. Cleo and Maya danced perfectly and were the funniest parts in the show. They made the whole audience laugh and clap.

  “Now it is up to me,” Selena told herself, pacing back and forth backstage. “I can do this. Everything is going to be fine.”

  Just then, an evil-sounding voice hissed, “So here she is, the wicked witch from the Night Realm.” It was Eris. “I saw you, you know. You auditioned in secret, with no one watching so you wouldn’t make a fool of yourself in public. As if that wasn’t sneaky enough, you used magic!”

  “You saw me?” Selena asked in shock. “But it was just a mistake. I didn’t mean to …”

  “Here you are with your big role, while I have been given a tiny, little part. Let’s just see how well you do under pressure. I didn’t tell on you just so I could enjoy this moment. Your scene is next. Better get going.”

  “Selena, onstage now!” called Ms. Calliope.

  Selena took off with a flap of her wings. Just as she flew out onto the stage, Eris pulled on a rope off to the side. A moment later, something dropped right on top of Selena. She looked at her costume and saw that she was covered with green paint. She looked up and noticed the curtain had opened and the whole school was watching.

  The audience held its breath as Selena stood shocked in the middle of the stage. She couldn’t let herself look silly performing again. She had to do something. Suddenly, silvery sparks shot out from her horn without her even wanting them to. This was just a minor setback, nothing a little magic couldn’t fix.

  “No!” she cried, suddenly coming to her senses. She shook her head and the sparks stopped. Back home, in the Night Realm, she could always solve her problems with magic. But she was at the Castle of Destiny now, and Melowies here did not use magic. They did not cheat.

  Selena looked around. The Melowies in the audience were starting to whisper to one another, confused and surprised by what was happening.

  “My scene!” Selena whispered to herself. “I have to concentrate on my scene.” So, with her costume completely ruined and her heart beating in her throat, she started to sing. This was her song. It was about her feelings. The moon was high in the sky, all by itself. But, just like Selena, it would have given anything to come down to be with the others. She let herself get carried away by the beautiful music. When the sound of her last note slowly faded away, the audience burst out in applause.

  When the show ended, Ms. Calliope came to talk to Selena backstage.

  “I am so sorry, Ms. Calliope,” she pleaded. “I didn’t think I should stop just because my costume was ruined.”

  “Selena, you were wonderful,” the teacher interrupted her. “You were able to stay calm, and you were able to play your role despite all the difficulties. You were excellent!”

  Selena felt her heart beating fast. Even the evil look Eris was giving her could not wipe the smile off her face.

  “If you tell on me, I will tell everyone that you used magic during your audition,” Eris hissed as soon as the teacher was gone.

  “Thank you, Eris,” Selena said calmly. “You did me a huge favor. Thanks to you, I learned that I can overcome anything without using my magic. Even when I can’t do it alone, I have my friends to help me.”

  “We’ll see about that!” threatened Eris, before walking off with a shake of her mane.

  “Selena, you were fantastic! Incredible! Amazing!” cried Electra, running toward her.

  “And incredibly brave!” added Maya.

  “You should be very proud of yourself,” Cora agreed.

  “Come on! Let’s take a curtain call!” said Cleo, nudging her friends back toward the stage.

  “We were pretty good, weren’t we?” Electra said later in the dressing room, admiring herself in her costume one last time.

  “Yes, we were, but you don’t have to say it every five minutes,” said Cora, who had already changed and showered.

  “But she’s right,” said Cleo with a big grin. “If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss out on the party!”

  Electra started taking off her costume but then suddenly stopped as the others were leaving. “Hang on! Group hug?” she asked. Maya and Cleo jumped in first, dragging Cora with them. She tried to protest but didn’t really seem to mean it.

  Selena looked at them all, happy and covered in fiery red sparkles. “Here I come!” she cried, feeling happier than she ever had in her life.

  Back in the Night Realm, the rain tapped against the castle window like frozen fingers. The four pegasuses paid no attention to the sound.

  “We need someone inside the Castle of Destiny to help us,” said one of them.

  “A spy,” agreed another.

  The ruler nodded, making her crown of dark gems sparkle in the flickering candlelight. “There is one Melowy who’s different from the others. A Melowy who might want the same things we want,” she said with an evil smile. “Her name is Eris.”

  The sun had been up for quite some time at the Castle of Destiny. The first-year students were already awake and in their classroom, waiting for their new teacher.

  Suddenly, the door opened and a tornado swept in and swirled to the front of the classroom. Clouds of papers, pencils, and books flew up into the air behind it. The tornado settled into a Melowy wearing a leather jacket and cowboy hat that looked about a hundred years old. She also wore a few belts around her waist. The girls in the front row quickly realized that her breath wasn’t as fresh as it could be.

  It was her, every student’s worst nightmare, the defense techniques teacher, Ms. Ariadne. The students whispered nervously to one another.

  “Silence!” the teacher yelled. The whispering instantly stopped. “As you may already know, my name is Ms. Ariadne. I have been given the impossible task of teaching you weaklings how to defend yourselves. Let’s not waste any time. Who can tell me why we study defense techniques?”

  None of the Melowies dared to speak.

  Danielle Star has done a bit of everything. She’s been an assistant cook at a famous French pastry shop, the editor of a fashion magazine, and a dance teacher. Once she started writing, though, she never stopped. Today she lives in the English countryside with her five horses; her cat, Sugar Cube; and her dog, Fluffy. Every morning before she starts writing, she drinks a big wild strawberry smoothie and reads a good book.

  Copyright © 2016 by Atlantyca Dreamfarm s.r.l., Via Leopardi 8, 20123 Milan, Italy. International Rights © Atlantyca S.p.A. English translation © 2018 by Atlantyca S.p.A.

  The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their content.

  Al
l names, characters, and related indicia contained in this book are the copyright and exclusive license of Atlantyca S.p.A. in their original version. The translated and/or adapted versions are the property of Atlantyca S.p.A. All rights reserved.

  Published by Scholastic Inc., Publishers since 1920, 557 Broadway, New York, NY 10012. SCHOLASTIC and associated logos are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of Scholastic Inc.

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

  Text by Danielle Star

  Original title Il canto della luna

  Editorial cooperation by Lucia Vaccarino

  Illustrations by Emilio Urbano (layout),

  Nicoletta Baldari (clean up), and Patrizia Zangrilli (color)

  Graphics by Danielle Stern

  Special thanks to Tiffany Colón

  Translated by Chris Turner

  First printing 2018

  Cover art by Erika De Pieri, Nicoletta Baldari, and Barbara Bargiggia, © 2016 Atlantyca Dreamfarm s.r.l.

  Cover design by Baily Crawford

  e-ISBN 978-1-338-15177-0

  All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereafter invented, without the express written permission of the publisher. For information regarding permission, please contact: Atlantyca S.p.A., Via Leopardi 8, 20123 Milan, Italy; email [email protected], www.atlantyca.com.