by Alexa Pearl
“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.