Becoming Magical [2]

C H A P T E R - 1 5

Sophie flailed and twisted and barely managed to grab on to a branch that stuck out a little farther than the others. Pain shot through her arms as she fought to hold on, but she gritted her teeth and . . .

Found herself stuck twenty feet above the ground with sharp bark slicing into her palms and her strength quickly fading.

But she was alive!

"What the . . . ?" Keefe shouted as Fitz transmitted, Are you okay?

I'm fine, she told him, searching for a way to get down. She really didn't want to have to admit she was stuck like a treed cat. I just overestimated my strength, I guess.

I'll say.

She kicked her legs, hoping that if she could swing to a more steady position, she'd be able to climb down.

Craaaaaaaaaack!

Before she could even scream, Meredith shouted, "I got her!" and two arms wrapped around her waist. The momentum from her jump pushed them sideways and somehow she managed to flip them before they crashed, sending them tumbling across the soft grass.

"Are you guys okay?" Keefe asked, rushing to where they'd landed.

"I think so." Sophie wasn't sure which was hurt more, her bruised body or her pride.

She wiped a giant splotch of mud off her cheek, trying not to think about how soggy and dirty her shirt felt as she pulled bits of leaves from her hair. At least her pants looked pretty normal. The black fabric hid the grass stains.

"Dude—Mer—you should've seen how high you jumped to catch her—and the way you guys curved through the air and flipped across the ground? Awesome."

Meredith laughed and rubbed her shoulder as she sat up.

"Are you really okay?" Sophie asked her.

"Yep. I'm just glad I caught you."

She smiled as she said it and Sophie. "Me too."

"And you," Keefe said, shoving between them. "What was up with the whole Amazing Flying Foster routine?"

"Woah, Keefe, watch the shoulder." Meredith groaned.

Keefe turned around and asked, "Old wound? Today's wound? What is it?"

Meredith smiled at him and said, "I think it was a one time thing." Flitz, Keefe and Biana glared at her and Meredith said, "Guys, it's fine."

She bit her lip, wondering if she should confess to the brain push. The only time they'd seen her do one was during a splotching match against Fitz, and they'd all been pretty weirded out by it. "I guess I'm still learning how to channel."

"Uh—it was a little more than that. When did you learn how to blink?"

"Blink?"

"When you let the light pass through you and disappear. It's like what Vanishers do, but it only lasts for a second," Fitz explained. "Remember, I did it the day Mer and I found you—when you wouldn't believe you were an elf?"

"That's right, I'd forgotten about that. You almost gave me a heart attack."

Fitz laughed. "I felt the same way when I realized you were one of us."

"Wow, guys. You don't share any feelings with me." Meredith said.

"Okay, you guys are seriously bumming me out with all this sappy reminiscing. Not to mention, uh, hello—Foster just flew. And blinked in and out while she was doing it. You aren't developing another special ability are you? 'Cause seriously—save some for the rest of us."