The Magical Flight of Dodie Rue by F.C. Shaw Read Free Book Online Page A

of Stardust . Yes! Stardust gave the racer rugs their incredible speed—could even double their speed for a few hours. Perfect!
    It was hidden in an oasis palm tree a few miles west of his location. Deviating from the course to stop there would waste even more time, but it was a chance he had to take.
    Dodie stuffed the scroll back in his waist pouch, grabbed the braided loops on Phoenix , and leaned to the left. Picking up speed again, he flew across more desert until he spotted a clump of green. He circled over a half dozen palm trees, looking below for any sign of people or animals. Seeing nothing but trees, he sailed down into the oasis and landed beside a small pool. He hopped off his carpet, pulled off his head mask, and looked about him.
    The oasis was cool, deserted, and quiet. Dodie checked his grandfather’s map once again for directions to the tree which hid the stardust stash. There were no details except a red star drawn next to the words Emergency Stash of Stardust. He shouldered his carpet, which had rolled up instantly upon his dismounting, and searched each tree.
    The morning sun rose higher in the sky as he became increasingly more frantic. He was just entertaining the idea of returning home and calling it quits when his eyes caught sight of a red mark on the last and furthest tree trunk. Hurrying over to it, he saw that it was the same star as on the secret map. He gave a laugh of relief and set Phoenix down. Now where was the stash of stardust?
    He walked around the narrow trunk, rapping his knuckles up and down it. The tree did not sound hollow.
    Whoosh!
    Dodie ducked as a palm frond swept past him, and crouched on his hands and knees. There was no breeze, so Dodie assumed this palm tree had been tampered with by an alchemist just like the ones in Turah. That was odd.
    Dodie scuttled on his hands and knees, and searched the base of the trunk. He dug up the sand, thinking perhaps a secret hole could be hidden in the roots. Nothing appeared. Where else did that leave?
    Whoosh!
    The palm frond swept over his head.
    Dodie looked up to the top of the palm. Of course! His grandfather would not have wasted time landing, he would have flown up to the branches.
    â€œ Phoenix .” Dodie hopped on his carpet and jetted up. He hovered closer to the top of the palm tree.
    The tree seemed fully aware of Dodie now, and fully bent on keeping him from getting any nearer. All its fronds awakened and batted at him. Dodie dodged them as he craned his neck to get a better look between the fronds.
    There nestled between the two largest fronds was a small burlap sack with a red star painted on it. Dodie leaned over and made a grab for the sack.
    Whack!
    He nearly toppled off his carpet as a frond smacked him upside the head.
    â€œStupid alchemists!” he growled.
    He whipped out his dagger from his waist pouch and edged nearer the tree. “Sorry about this.”
    As one frond swung near him, Dodie chopped it off with his dagger. The tree froze, as if stunned by the attack. Dodie dove for the small burlap sack nestled in the center of the fronds.
    His hands tingled as he held the sack. The tree shuddered, so Dodie bolted away. Palm fronds whipped around as Dodie hovered a safe distance from it. Carefully he opened the sack. Silver light glowed inside. Dodie remembered that stardust never decays or loses its potency. He noticed that there wasn’t much left, for the sack was only a third full. He hoped it would be enough to infuse his entire carpet.
    Dodie had helped do maintenance on many racer rugs in the emporium, so he knew to handle the stardust with caution, for it was very potent. He also knew how to properly apply it. He grabbed the tassel on the back left corner of Phoenix , and dipped it into the sack. The tassel, then the corner, then the carpet edges glowed as the rug drank up the stardust. Soon the entire carpet was glowing, its red, orange, and blue colors more vibrant, and its gold edges