#2: Journey Beyond the Trees (Tales of Sasha) Page 3

  “Let’s look fast,” said Sasha. “Hurry!”

  Sasha and Wyatt searched for a key

  in the piles of rubies and emeralds. They

  couldn’t find one anywhere.

  “We need to go,” said Wyatt.

  “Soon.” Sasha wouldn’t stop digging.

  Wyatt groaned and kicked at a pile.

  A diamond sailed through the air and

  hit the gold door.

  Sasha hurried over to the door. “Oh!

  You scratched it.” Then she spotted a

  tiny hole. She knew that shape! “I found

  the keyhole. Where’s the blue feather

  from the peacock?” she asked.

  Wyatt lifted it from the ground and

  brought it over. “Why do you want this?

  Don’t we need a key?”

  “The feather is the key,” she said.

  She stuck the tip of the feather’s

  square stem into the keyhole. Click!

  The gold door swung

  open—and a horse flew out.

  Then another and another!

  “We found the flying horses!” cried

  Wyatt.

  Sasha sucked in her breath as they

  circled overhead. “They’re just like me.”

  Wyatt looked to the sky. “That horse

  has yellow wings. That horse has purple

  wings. That horse has blue wings. It’s

  Sapphire!”

  Sasha felt her patch itch. Then every

  part of her body itched to fly.

  “Sasha,” said Wyatt, “your wings

  popped out!”

  “Should I go up?” she asked.

  “Yes! Go fly!” said Wyatt.

  Sasha grinned at her best friend. Then

  she ran and leaped. Her wings flapped,

  and she soared up, up, up.

  She was finally going to meet other

  flying horses!

  Read on for a sneak peek

  from the third book in the

  Tales of Sasha series!

  CHAPTER

  1

  Just Like Me

  “Wait for me!” cried Sasha. She tried to

  catch up. She flew higher. She flapped

  her wings faster, but she still couldn’t

  reach them.

  Thick clouds rolled in, making it hard

  to see. Now she didn’t know which way

  to turn. Then Sasha’s breath caught in

  her throat.

  Three horses flew out of a large

  cloud! One was yellow, one was blue,

  and one was purple. Their colorful wings

  shone bright against the gray sky. They

  were just like her. They were horses

  that could fly!

  Sasha had never met another flying

  horse before. She just had to talk to

  them—now!

  The three horses darted in and out of

  the clouds. They flew in crazy patterns.

  “Wait for me!” she called again.

  The three flying horses didn’t wait.

  Sasha was the fastest horse in her

  valley. She had won every running race.

  But flying was different than running.

  Horses didn’t fly in a straight line.

  “Keep going!” Wyatt called to her

  from the beach. The sand at his hooves

  sparkled with magical jewels. He raised

  his tail in a salute.

  Sasha saluted back. Wyatt was her

  best friend. He had traveled with her

  all the way from their home in Verdant

  Valley to Crystal Cove, the land where

  the flying horses live.

  “That must be Sapphire!” Wyatt

  pointed at the blue horse.

  Sasha flapped her wings as fast as

  she could. She had heard stories about

  Sapphire, but she’d never met her. Sasha

  had never met any flying horses. Until

  now, she’d thought she was the only

  one. She had so many questions for

  them.

  “Sapphire! I’m back!” cried Sasha.

  Sapphire swooped low and out of

  sight.

  She didn’t hear me, thought Sasha.

  Then Sasha spotted the yellow horse.

  She sped over to him.

  “I just learned to fly!” she called.

  The yellow horse soared high and

  out of sight.

  He doesn’t care, thought Sasha.

  The purple horse zoomed by.

  “Hello!” called Sasha.

  The purple horse didn’t answer.

  Instead, she tucked her head and

  somersaulted in the air.

  Sasha gasped. That was amazing!

  “Your turn,” called the purple horse.

  Sasha looked around. Who was she

  talking to?

  The purple horse pointed her braided

  tail at Sasha.

  “Me?” Sasha gulped. She didn’t know

  if she could do gymnastics and fly at

  the same time.

  The purple horse waited.

  Was this a test? If she passed, would

  the purple horse answer her questions?

  Sasha took a deep breath. You can do

  this, she told herself. Head first, legs in,

  tuck, and roll. Go!

  The world spun upside down. Wind

  rushed up her nostrils, and her stomach

  twisted. Then she was upright again and

  flying. She heard Wyatt cheer. She had

  done it!

  The purple horse smiled. “Fly with

  me!” she called.

  Together, they soared through the

  clouds. The warm wind blew their

  manes. Sasha smiled. She had made her

  first friend in the Land of Flying Horses.