Matteo isn't strong or fast or tough.
He isn't particularly popular among his peers.
His grades are middling, at best.

In fact, the only thing he's very good at is idling.

Out of all the 12-year-olds he knows, he's memorized the most nursery rhymes, childhood superstitions, and fairy tales.
'Til now, that skill has never won him favor in life.

But when a mysterious, fairy-like stranger appears, he finally sees a chance to make good on all his latent talents.

Her name is Vera.
She offers a gift: sugar cubes of a magical variety.
Vera promises that if the citizens of Matteo's hometown eat them, all evil and malfeasance will be gone for good.

But are her intentions for the city good or evil?
And even if he did know, can a little boy convince his town of the truth?

"The Last Sage of Selvus"

by Daniel R. Jones