The town bell announced six o’clock, marking the end of the show and lessons. Theo left the kid’s building in high spirits as children poured out to return home.

We crossed to the main road and I looked towards the square, feet dragging.

“We have to go home. Mom will be mad if we’re late,” Theo insisted, tugging me along.

“Fine. But next time I’m going to the square,” I told him.

“I don’t think so,” Theo said.

I ripped my hand free from his grip since the flood of kids had dispersed. I marched ahead, going home for now. Next time I wouldn’t back down.

“Hey. Are you mad?” Theo caught up with me. Elliot came up beside him, giving me a look like he couldn’t believe I was going against Theo.

I kept up my determined gait. “Yes. The kid building was fun, but I wanted to see Mot and dance again. I bet Mom will approve me going there.”

“But it’s weird dancing out in the open like that. And what if the elves do something to you? You need to listen to me. I know more things than you,” Theo said.

I could have laughed in his face, but my grumpiness couldn’t be bothered to even sarcastically lift the corner of my mouth. “And Mom knows more than you. She let me dance yesterday with an elf. It’s you that’s being dumb.”

Theo’s mouth dropped open. “Did you call me dumb?”

I had never insulted him before, but he had never been so bullheaded in the way of something I wanted.

“You should let her be with the elves. Maybe they’ll like her so much they’ll take her with them, and you won’t have to worry about her anymore,” Elliot suggested as we walked among the trees.

I gave him a dirty look and waved them ahead. “Why don’t you race and forget about me then?”

“But, Maddie, you liked the kid’s fun house, didn’t you?” Theo asked, caring more about my bad attitude than I thought he would.

Good. Let this bother him. “It was fun, but I want to visit the square. And your prejudice makes me think you are mean.”

Theo stopped walking at that. I stopped a few steps later and turned around to find him with tears in his eyes.

“You think I’m dumb and mean? But I’m just trying to protect you. You’ve never been to town. You’ve never met an elf or anyone else before. I’m your big brother and just wanted to look out for you.” He sniffled and wiped his forearm against his eyes. He walked forward dejectedly.

I regretted making him feel so lame, but maybe this would help us both out in the long run. I’d be sure to drag him with me and let him see for himself the elves dancing in the middle of town couldn’t possibly be up to anything nefarious.

I trailed along behind him as Elliot went ahead, apparently done with the sibling drama.

We returned home and found Mom and Dad cuddling on the bench with dinner not even started yet. I gave Theo a glare before stomping to my room.

“What’s wrong with her? Did something happen?” I heard Mom ask Theo as I set my back to my door.

“I—I, she . . . I’m a big stupid meanie!” Theo burst out crying. I covered my mouth as my heart panged with regret.

“What happened?” Dad demanded, defensive over his outburst. “Did someone tell you that? Was someone mean to you and Maddie?”

“Ma-Ma-Maddie got mad at me because I brought her to the fun house and not the square,” Theo cried.

“Maddie got mad at you?” Dad asked, anger diffused for confusion.

“She likes the elves more than me!” Theo cried in bitterness.

“Theo, calm down. Why didn’t you take your sister to dance for a little bit?” Mom asked in a gentle tone.

“Because elves! I don’t trust them. Why would they want to dance with Maddie? Do they know she is special? What if they want to win her away from us?”

I rolled my eyes. As if anything could tear me away from my family. Theo was adorable, but hopefully this was a growing moment for him.

“Theo, no one is going to take Maddie away. The elves just want to have fun. There’s no reason to not let Maddie dance if she enjoys it,” Mom explained.

I nodded as I stayed with my back pressed to my door, hoping she got through to him.

“I work with some elves. It’s incredible what they can do. The ones I know are good people,” Dad backed her up.

“Really?” Theo asked, still sniffling.

“Really. Now when you’ve calmed down you should apologize to your sister and she should apologize for calling you names. I’ll talk to her,” Dad said.

I scurried onto my bed. Dad had made it for me with little light burst symbols on the headboard.

He came in and I prepared myself for a lecture. He sat at the edge of my bed and raised an eyebrow at me. “Did you call Theo names because he wouldn’t bring you to the dance square?”

“Yes, I did. I’ll apologize if he does too,” I said stubbornly.

“That’s not the way to act. You’re better than that. Did you see how sad you made Theo? You didn’t need to be mean to him. If you had talked with me and your mother, we would’ve helped Theo realize the elves are fine. Theo is your big brother. You two need to look out for each other and build each other up, not tear each other down. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“Yes,” I admitted, the fight had already left me. “He just frustrated me by not letting me go there. I thought it was unfair how he thought of the elves when they seemed nice to me. Mom let me dance yesterday with them.”

“It’s our fault for not catching this earlier to help Theo realize he couldn’t treat elves like the elves in the stories. Tomorrow I’ll take you to the dance square, okay? Don’t fight with your brother.”

“Thank you, Papa. Can Theo come too if he won’t be mean?”

Dad grinned. “Sounds like a plan to me. Now go make up with your brother.”

I scurried out of my room ahead of Dad. Theo pouted his lower lip, but he was no longer crying. His gaze trailed down away from me as he stood in front of the fireplace.

“I’m sorry for calling you names,” I went first. I could be the bigger person, even as the little sister.

“I’m sorry for not taking you to dance with the elves,” Theo said, still sullen.

I hugged him and he hugged me back.

“You don’t hate me?” he asked, voice quiet, vulnerable.

“I love you, Theo. I just got mad at you is all. I could never hate you,” I told him.

He loosened up and we ended the hug, both smiling, albeit his was tinged with leftover sadness. Had I gone too hard on him? No, this was a lesson he needed to learn. Everyone had limits and he needed to respect them or face consequences. I wanted him to grow up to be the best big brother ever. Best big brother ever . . . Something about that tickled the back of my mind but slipped away as I sought to draw it out.

“I love you too. I never want to fight again,” he said.

Mother wrapped her arms around us. “Oh, my precious babies!”

“Will you come with me to dance tomorrow?” I asked Theo as our parents enjoyed our smoothed-out sibling bond.

His face twisted in distaste. Mother gave him a look. He scowled in defeat. “I guess I can go to watch you dance. If any elves mess with you, I will stop them!”

I grinned and shook my head at his antics. “No one is going to do that.”

Theo folded his arms. “Not with me around they won’t.”

“How did the kid’s fun house go?” Mom asked.

“I watched mice beat up frogs.” Theo went on for a while, throwing details about the shows he watched with such enthusiasm we had no choice but to sit back and let him expound. It was adorable how animated he became.

“Did you watch the puppet shows too?” Mom asked me when Theo finished his recounting.

“Only a little bit. I spent most of my time in the reading room. Elliot taught me more on how to read,” I said, eager to get that out there to explain away my expressed learning process.

“You like books so much I feel bad for not teaching you earlier,” Dad said as we all sat cozy on the bench.

“It’s okay. I’m practicing by myself too. I don’t think it will be long before I can read all on my own.” It was a necessary half-truth.

“I feel like you’re growing up too fast,” Mother said a little somberly.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ll always be your little girl.” I grinned at her.

She smiled back as Dad told us about his day. He had been commissioned to help build a church. It would take a while to get as perfect as they wanted, but I gleaned it paid well.