by Alexa Pearl
Sasha shook herself free. “What’s going on?” she demanded.
“We’re the Safety Patrol,” said the taller green horse.
“We were ordered to bring you back,” said the shorter green horse.
Sasha looked around. “Who ordered you?”
“I did.” Kimani stepped forward out of the darkness.
“You?” Sasha blinked in surprise. “You triple-tail-twirl promised to keep my secret! I thought you were my friend.”
“I am your friend. I broke my promise only because it’s not safe for you to leave,” said Kimani.
“We just got a report,” called the short green horse. “Butterflies say the plant pixies saw Sasha out flying.”
“Oh, no!” cried Kimani.
“Why didn’t they see me flying yesterday?” asked Sasha.
“Plant pixies see best in the moonlight,” said Kimani.
“As soon as the pixies saw Sasha up in the sky, the spell that kept them trapped in the woods and the flower fields lifted,” said the short green horse. “They can now enter Crystal Cove.”
“They will try to come for your feathers,” Kimani warned Sasha.
Some flying horses nearby quickly ran to their caves.
“Where’s everyone going?” asked Sasha.
“The pixies may try to take our feathers, too,” said the tall green horse. “We need to hide.”
“I feel horrible.” Sasha’s stomach twisted. She’d put all the flying horses in danger. She understood why Kimani broke her promise.
Sasha hurried to the gold door. She knocked.
No one answered.
She pounded as hard as she could.
The door creaked open. Xanthos poked his head out.
“The plant pixies are coming!” Sasha cried. “You need to let me help you!”
“Have you passed the Princess Test?” he asked.
“No,” said Sasha.
“I can’t let you in until you pass the test.”
With that, he closed the door.
CHAPTER 7
What Kind of Horse Are You?
Sasha raced back to Kimani’s cave. She spread out the fabric history and tried to learn everything.
“I’m tired,” Kimani said with a yawn.
“Not me.” Then Sasha yawned, too.
Kimani fell asleep, but Sasha kept reading. Her eyelids grew heavy.
Sasha woke with a start. Oh, no! She’d fallen asleep—and she was using the fabric history as a blanket!
Kimani stood guard by the cave door. “The butterflies brought another report this morning. The plant pixies crossed over the mountains.” Kimani tried to sound like everything was okay, but Sasha could tell she was scared.
The plant pixies would be here soon, and then what?
“Crimson is waiting for you,” said Kimani.
“Ugh! Crimson is boring, and she teaches too slowly.” Sasha followed Kimani out of the cave.
“Too bad you can’t go to a princess school with a lot of fun teachers,” joked Kimani.
“My princess school teachers would be Caleb and Poppy. Caleb knows fun ways to remember history, and Poppy was born knowing princess stuff.” Sasha trotted across a meadow, then stopped. “Hey, I could really do that!”
“You can’t go home,” Kimani reminded her. “The plant pixies will spot you.”
Sasha kicked at the grass. Her excitement faded. “Yeah, I know.”
Was there some way to see Caleb and Poppy without the pixies seeing her? She needed a plan.
“Watch where you’re walking!”
Sasha reared back in surprise.
The horse in front of her didn’t have wings.
She didn’t have a brightly colored coat.
She had black-and-white stripes!
“What kind of horse are you?” cried Sasha.
“I’m not a horse. I’m a zebra.” She smiled. “We’re different, you know.”
“The zebras came from far away to visit us,” said Kimani. “We’re kind of like their cousins.”
The zebra laughed. “Zebras are the wild and glamorous cousins.”
Sasha stared at the group of zebras grazing nearby. She looked down at herself. Her pale gray coat was so plain . . . but maybe that was a good thing. She was getting an idea.
“If I’ve never seen a zebra, then I bet the plant pixies haven’t either,” Sasha said.
“So?” Kimani didn’t understand.
“What if I disguise myself as a zebra? The plant pixies won’t know it’s me. I’ll go to Verdant Valley. I’ll get Caleb and Poppy to teach me everything so I can pass the test. With my powers unlocked, I can stop the plant pixies from taking our feathers.” Sasha looked at her friend.
“That’s a good plan,” agreed Kimani, “but I’m scared the pixies will still see you.”
“I’ll be super-sneaky,” said Sasha.” “Will you help me?”
Kimani had sent the Safety Patrol after her the last time she’d tried to go home. What would she do this time?
CHAPTER 8
Zebra-fied
“I’ll help you,” agreed Kimani. “You’re our best shot at stopping the pixies. But how are you going to look like a zebra? You don’t have stripes.”
Sasha told her the plan. Kimani cantered away. A few minutes later, Kimani walked back with a small pot of black paint and a brush.
Kimani painted black stripes on Sasha’s body. She copied the pattern of a nearby zebra.
“Do I look okay?” Sasha worried. “Zebras are black and white, not black and gray.”
“You look like a zebra that needs a bubble bath.” Kimani laughed.
Sasha stood in the sunlight so the paint would dry faster.
“Now it’s your turn to be zebra-fied!” Sasha dipped the paintbrush into the pot. “Oh, no! There’s not enough paint. Could you be a one-stripe zebra?”
“No one will be fooled by a one-striped purple zebra. You go without me,” said Kimani. “Just don’t let anyone see that you’re you.”
Kimani waved over the zebras. They were happy to help. The wild zebras liked adventure. Sasha squeezed into the middle of their striped pack. The zebras would walk to Verdant Valley—with Sasha hidden among them.
Sasha was nervous. Would her plan work?
First, the zebras walked past the peacock. He didn’t spot Sasha.
At the lake, they got on the ferry. Sasha kept her head down. Would the beaver captain see her?
No! He was too busy steering the heavy raft of zebras.
Next, they began their journey, stepping into the field of neon flowers.
Sasha’s heart beat wildly in her chest. Plant pixies slept in flowers.
“Stay close,” whispered Sasha.
The zebras squeezed in tight. She smelled their warm, sour breath.
Rustle, rustle, crunch.
“What’s that?” Sasha couldn’t see past the zebra bodies around her.
Rustle, rustle, crunch.
Something was in the flowers! Did the plant pixies know she was here? Or did they think she was a zebra?
“Don’t stop,” warned the zebra on her left.
Sasha and the zebras hurried through the flowers. Then they walked through the big trees.
“We’re home!” cried Sasha. She led the herd to her family’s cottonwood tree. Her mother, Zara, and Poppy rested within its shade.
Poppy gasped. “Look! Striped horses!”
The zebras rolled their eyes. “We’re not striped horses. We’re zebras!” they cried.
Sasha stepped out of the pack toward her. “They’re related to us, Poppy. Like cousins.”
Poppy reared back. “Who are you? How did you know my name?”
Sasha grinned. Her disguise had really worked!
Their mother smiled. “That’s Sasha!”
CHAPTER 9
Are You Ready?
Sasha thanked the zebras and showed them the best spot to graze.
Caleb studied the history upon the fa
bric that she’d brought with her. He and Zara acted out scenes of flying horses’ ancient battles. Sasha liked seeing it play out in front of her. Slowly, the stories began to make sense.
Then Zara pretended to be the first flying horse to enter a cave at Crystal Cove. She stepped inside—and was surprised to find a giant snail. Caleb played the giant snail. The giant snail had loudly trumpeted a song of greeting, except Caleb could only neigh, and totally out of tune!
Sasha laughed. She’d remember the melody of the giant snail now.
The next day Poppy woke her before dawn.
She taught Sasha to canter with flowers in her mane so that the petals wouldn’t fall out.
She also showed Sasha how to win a staring contest. A flying horse princess needed to be a champion at not blinking. Princesses had to keep total focus.
A flying horse princess also needed to hold in her giggles when tickled.
Poppy tried and tried, but Sasha couldn’t stop giggling.
“I’ll work on that tomorrow,” promised Sasha.
That night Sasha got ready for bed under their cottonwood tree. Her mother and father walked back and forth on the lookout for plant pixies.
“You don’t need to,” she told them. “My disguise worked. They don’t know I’m here.”
“We want to be extra sure,” said her father.
Sasha closed her eyes and fell asleep.
In the middle of the night, she felt a tiny poke in her side.
Sasha kept sleeping.
Another poke.
Was she dreaming?
Then a jab.
Her eyes opened wide. Had the plant pixies found her?
“Wake up!” It was the toucan. He poked her again with his beak.
“What are you doing here?” asked Sasha. It was still dark.
“The plant pixies are about to enter Crystal Cove,” he said. “Are you ready to take the test?”
“Now?” Sasha’s voice squeaked. “I don’t know.”
“Can you try?” he asked. “We need you right now.”
“Of course!” She whispered good-bye to her parents. Then she and the toucan flew to Crystal Cove. They landed just as the sun rose. Kimani and Crimson greeted them. All the other flying horses were hiding.
“I’m glad you’re back.” Kimani hugged her.
“Me, too.” Sasha turned to Crimson. “I’m ready.”
“How?” Crimson shook her head. “You flew off, and I haven’t been able to teach you.”
“I’ve had other teachers,” said Sasha. “They helped me learn in different ways.”
“That’s good.” Crimson nodded. “Okay, let’s begin.”
Sasha pranced and flew. She ate and drank in a princess-y way. She won the staring contest. Flowers stayed in her mane when she ran. She remembered the ancient battles and the song of the giant snail.
“You passed the Princess Test!” said Crimson.
Sasha didn’t believe it.
“What about the tickling?” Sasha blushed. “I can’t hold in my giggles.”
“No one can do that,” said Crimson. “Not even me.”
“Really? How could that be?” Crimson was so proper and serious.
Sasha gave her a tickle, and Crimson let out a stream of giggles!
“We took tickling off the test,” said Crimson.
Sasha really had passed!
“Happy days!” cheered Kimani.
Sasha galloped to the gold door, which swung open as she raced toward it.
“Congratulations.” Sapphire placed the crown on Sasha’s head. Then she frowned. “You should not have gone away. We were worried.”
“I’m sorry,” said Sasha. “I needed special help to pass the test.”
Sapphire nodded. “I’m glad it worked out. Now you can help us get rid of the plant pixies.”
“I’m ready!” Sasha hurried into the cave. “Tell me everything. What amazing princess powers do I have?”
Read on for a sneak peek from the fifth book in the Tales of Sasha series!
CHAPTER 1
Pixie in a Jar
“Let’s talk pixie!” said Sasha.
The flying horses cheered for Sasha. She wore a gold crown. It twinkled with white diamonds and pink crystals. Sasha was the Lost Princess of the Flying Horses.
Sasha hadn’t always been a princess. She also hadn’t always been able to fly.
Sasha grew up in Verdant Valley. She thought she was a regular horse, like all the horses she knew.
Then one day, wings popped out. She could fly!
That was Surprise #1.
Sasha went to meet other flying horses that lived far away in Crystal Cove.
Then came Surprise #2. She was their Lost Princess. (Except now she wasn’t lost anymore.)
Sasha had to pass a tricky test to get her crown. The flying horses said that passing the test would unlock royal powers.
“What else can I do?” asked Sasha.
She could fly. Could she also read minds? Change into a dolphin?
Four flying horses were having a secret meeting in a cave. They were the leaders of Crystal Cove. Sapphire was a kind blue horse. Xanthos was a serious yellow horse. Crimson was a proper red horse. Mercury was a quiet turquoise horse.
“We don’t know what else you can do,” Sapphire told Sasha. “Your royal power is unique to you. It’ll only appear when you need it most.”
Sasha hated waiting—especially for good things like presents, birthdays, and royal powers. “I need it now. The plant pixies are on the move.”
“Exactly!” Xanthos gave a loud whinny in reply.
Six hummingbirds flew into the cave. The hummingbirds were the flying horses’ helpers. They held open a large map of Crystal Cove in their beaks.
“The plant pixies are dancing here,” Xanthos said, pointing to a jungle on the map.
“The plant pixies are skipping here.” He pointed to some mountains.
“The plant pixies are twirling here.” He pointed to a meadow.
“Soon, they will come here.” He pointed to a beach.
Oh, no! Sasha gulped. The flying horses lived in caves along the beach on the map.
“The plant pixies are coming to steal our wing feathers,” said Crimson.
“We must stop them,” said Sasha.
“It won’t be easy.” Xanthos brought her to a nearby shelf that held a large glass jar.
Sasha pressed her nose to the glass. A little fairy face stared back at her. A plant pixie!
The plant pixie had a pointy nose, pointy ears, and a pointy chin. Her skin was pale green, and her hair looked like soft dandelion fluff. Her dress was made with leaves.
“Her name is Collie.” Xanthos pointed to a tiny necklace around her neck that spelled Collie in fancy script.
Collie sat cross-legged on a leaf at the bottom of the jar. A tiny tear trickled down her cheek.
“Oh, poor pixie,” cried Sasha. “Why is Collie trapped in a jar? She looks so sweet.”
Xanthos snorted. “Don’t be fooled. Watch this.”
He unlatched the lid from the jar. He slid a horse feather inside and touched Collie with its tip.
She startled and cried out.
Whoosh!
Thick vines sprouted from Collie’s wrists. They grew and grew, twisting and climbing. They shot toward the top of the jar. Collie scampered up the vines like a rope. Her hazel eyes shone brightly. She was very near the top. Soon, she would be out of her glass prison.
The pixie was about to escape!
Alexa Pearl is the author of more than forty children’s books. She lives in New Jersey with her family.
Paco Sordo is a comics artist, animator, and illustrator based in Spain. Visit him online at pacosordo.com.
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