Chapter 9
How to Fly
They met in the hollow that night and stripped the thin layer of bark from the half-dozen narrow limbs the ash had given them the night before, and Penny recounted the previous night’s adventures for Zoe.
“Maybe you should have started with a smaller tree,” Zoe suggested, and added quickly, before Katie could take offense, “You did excellent … we won’t have to fight over wands anymore … but I don’t want you to get hurt.”
Katie rubbed the bruise on her temple and shrugged. “It’s nothing. Besides, the ash just felt right.”
Penny secretly agreed, it seemed different, special. It didn’t belong here, but here it was, old and strong.
“You’re more awake tonight,” Penny said, and Zoe shot her an irritable sidelong glance as she set a newly stripped ash branch aside an
