Flight of the Phoenix by R. L. Lafevers Read Free Book Online Page A

properties, Unfortunately, there is no record of what they are,
    A pinch of ashes from the fire of a phoenix can cure the gaze of a basilisk, the bite of a manticore, the scratch from a dragon's claw, or any human illness,
    Once a phoenix is finished with his nest, he will gather all the ash and twig into an egg, In ancient times he carried the egg to the temple of the sun god, It is considered a most precious offering,
    Nate closed the book gently. Interesting, but it wouldn't help him keep the ashes warm. He set the book down and searched the tent until he found the pile of cinnamon twigs. He grabbed a handful, then hurried outside to the palm tree.
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    How was he to reach the nest? He looked around for something he could stand on, but there was nothing. He ran back into the tent and began dragging Shabiib's saddle outside. The hard wooden frame would make a perfect step stool.
    Greasle ran over and hopped up onto the saddle. "Wheel" she said.
    "You're not helping." Nate gritted his teeth. The soft sand dragged against the saddle, making it hard to pull.
    "Aw, come on. I don't weigh much, and this is the most fun I've had since you knocked me brother off the propeller."
    Guilt poked at Nate, so he said nothing and let Greasle enjoy her ride. Finally, they reached the tree and he shooed her off. Holding steady against the trunk of the palm, he stood up on the saddle. He could see a small bed of glowing ash. Nate sighed in relief. It hadn't gone out, which meant he hadn't ruined anything. Not yet, anyway.
    "Don't worry," he whispered to the pile of ash. "I won't let the fire go out. I promise." He took a couple of cinnamon twigs from his pocket and fed them into the embers.
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    As the night breeze picked up, he turned his thoughts to creating a shelter for the nest.
    He could fashion a tent of some kind, but if the Bedouin came back, they would see it and perhaps figure out there was a second person. It was too bad the palm fronds didn't grow straight up, like a wall. Then he wouldn't even have to worry about the wind.
    That was it! He looked at the other palm trees around the oasis. He could borrow some of their leaves. He hopped down from the saddle, then began dragging it to the next closest tree. Greasle hopped onboard. "Whatcha doin' now?
    "I'm going to make a windbreak." Nate tugged harder on the saddle. "But I need palm leaves for it."
    "Why didn't you say so?" Greasle hopped off and scampered up the tree. A second later, her head popped out from behind the leaves. "How many do you want?"
    "Uh, five or six ought to do it."
    Her tiny hands neatly snapped the leaves from the tree. Nate gathered them into a pile, then dragged the saddle back, Greasle hopping onboard once more.
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    [Image: Greasle and Nate.]
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    Hot and sweaty, Nate picked up the first palm frond and climbed up onto the saddle.
    After thinking about it, he decided to weave the leaves together, like Miss Lumpton braiding her hair. A sharp wave of homesickness for his own little room flooded him, but he pushed it aside and got to work.
    A long time later, he tucked the last palm frond into position. He leaned back to survey his handiwork. It was a bit lopsided and the leaves stuck out at odd angles, but it held. And it would keep the wind out. Even better, it blended in with the existing leaves so that it wouldn't be detected.
    Nate glanced up at the sky. Once the sun rose, his work would be done and he could get some sleep. He fed a couple more twigs into the glowing ash and waited for it to grow warm.
    As soon as the sun's rays shone down on the nest, Nate dragged the saddle back into the tent. Then he dropped onto his bedroll, every muscle sore and tired, his body screaming for sleep.
    Greasle scurried over and sat on his chest. "Do you think they'll notice them tracks in the sand if they come back?"
    Nate groaned. "You're right." He forced himself to get
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    to his feet and went back outside. He found a loose palm frond and used it to erase the