Mallory Loehr - Wind Spell

Sam took the feather
and turned to the table.

T he lady blazed up in golden light. Her armor and helmet reflected the sun. The huge white owl on her shoulder looked at Sam. Its eyes were as round as a full moon. The round eyes blinked. The owl nodded its head.

Sam nodded back.

Then the golden light and the owl were gone.

Joe was holding the feather again. I think shes Athena, he said. The goddess of wisdom.

Text copyright 2000 by Mallory Clare Loehr. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. Published in the United States by Random House Childrens Books, a division of Random House, Inc., New York, and simultaneously in Canada by Random House of Canada Limited, Toronto.

www.randomhouse.com/kids

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Loehr, Mallory.
Wind spell: magic elements quartet / by Mallory Loehr.
p. cm.Book three. A Stepping Stone book.
SUMMARY : Polly, Sam, and Joe find three magic feathers, which lead them into an adventure with the Greek goddess Athena.
eISBN: 978-0-307-56119-0
[1. FlightFiction. 2. Mythology, GreekFiction. 3. CampingFiction. 4. Brothers and sistersFiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.L82615Wi 2000 [Fic]dc21 00-38716

RANDOM HOUSE and colophon are registered trademarks and A STEPPING STONE BOOK and colophon are trademarks of Random House, Inc.

v3.1_r1

For my brother Aidan
and in memory of my Uncle Ned

Contents

Prologue

F irst it refused to carry his thunderbolts. Then it folded its wings and wouldnt fly.

He called one of his daughters and asked her advice. His daughter listened to the problem and nodded wisely. Then she asked her father to send her three feathers from the lonely animals wings.

Far away in another time, an old blind man felt the wind change.

CHAPTER ONE

Feathers

S omething was falling from the sky. Sam squinted up into the mist and tried to see it better. Was it a bird? Or had someone dropped something from a balloon? Whatever it was, the wind nudged it over so that it headed right toward him.

Sam shouted to his older brother and sister. Joe and Polly joined Sam on the patch of dewy grass at the top of the mountain.

Sam pointed up.

The falling thing became three falling things, then three white feathers. But the feathers werent drifting softly, as feathers should. They fell like arrows, slicing through the swirling clouds.

Catch, whispered the wind.

Sam, Polly, and Joe raised their arms. Each caught a feather in uplifted hands.

Polly brought her hands down. The feather was almost as long as her arm. She ran a finger along one soft edge. Colors shimmered through it like a soap bubble. She couldnt help smiling.

Sam held his feather tightly. He could feel how strong it was as it pushed against the wind. He smiled, too.

Sam and Polly looked at each other, then turned to their older brother.

Joe was examining his feather. He looked very serious. What kind of bird do you think its from? he asked.

A magic bird, answered Polly.

Sam nodded his agreement.

Dont be silly, scoffed Joe.

But didnt you see how they fell? asked Polly. That was not normal. And one feather came to each of us. Like it was meant to be.

Yeah, said Sam. And soon well get a note or a message about what were supposed to do. I think well get to fly!

Theyre cool feathers, said Joe. But they are not magic.

Whats the matter with you? asked Polly, sounding like their mother on a bad day. Dont tell me you dont remember the bottle with the wishes?

That was just a game we played, Joe said, smiling condescendingly.

And what about the voice? asked Polly. Didnt you hear it?

It said catch, said Sam.

Joe looked uncomfortable. That was just the wind, he said.

Polly rolled her eyes. Fine. Be that way. Were going to find the directions. She looked over at Sam. Right?

Sam nodded and gave Joe an apologetic glance. We told you about the earth magic, he said. It really happened. And the water wishes you have to remember.

Joe held up his feather. He frowned as he tried to make up his mind. He thought about the beach the summer before. It seemed like a strange dream. And the story Polly and Sam had told him last fallit couldnt have really happened. Or could it have? Joe sighed to himself. He wanted it to be true. Maybe if he just played along After all, what else was there to do on this boring camping trip?

Sam! shouted Polly. I see it! Look!

Sam and Joe both turned. Polly was staring at the sky. The mist had risen and become low gray clouds.

I cant see anything, said Sam.

You have to stand here, said Polly, staring fixedly at the sky.

Sam and Joe went to stand beside her.

Overhead was a break in the grayness. In puffy letters, like a planes skywriting, were words, white against the blue sky:

Three feathers for flight.
Three steps to the sky.
Details to follow.

Joe laughed, a little hysterically. Feathers and skywriting, he said. Its a pretty expensive joke.

Youd better be careful, Joe, said Polly. If you dont believe, the magic will never come to you. Maybe thats it, she added, turning to Sam. Maybe hes too old. Remember in the Narnia books, how you could get too old to visit?

The clouds slid over the words in the sky.

Oh, no, said Polly. Well have to remember them. It will be your fault, Joe, if theyre gone forever.

Maybe the words will stay in the sky, said Sam hopefully. Lets see if it clears.

They waited. It reminded Polly of waiting for water to boil on a stove.

Finally, the clouds parted. The words were gone. It was as if theyd been written in the sand, and the clouds had washed them away like a wave.

Polly sighed.

I knew it, she grumbled. We have to remember what it said Either that, or weve missed the magic altogether because Joe was being a grownup Three feathers for flight. Three stairs

Steps, said Sam. Three steps to the sky.

Details to follow, said Joe, shaking his head. Whatever that means.

Hey, said Sam. He pointed up. Whats that?

Joe and Polly looked. Circling overhead was a paper airplane about the size of the feathers. It spiraled lower and lower until it landed smoothly at their feet. Stamped in gold across the wings were the words AIR MAIL .