![]() ![]() Yes! she thought, and then she hurled the pole at the lion’s belly without lowering her sword. She landed, kicked the pole up with her foot, and caught it in one hand. The lion veered to avoid the tip of her sword as the pole broke and Ji-Lin dropped to the roof. Ji-Lin held the sword point out with both hands as she kicked the pole beneath her. All that mattered was that the test had begun. Roaring, he stretched his claws toward her, and it didn’t matter that it was almost her birthday or how much she missed her sister. Sunlight caught his mane, creating a halo. The lion hurtled down from the sky, his wings folded for speed. At first, it was a speck like a bird, and then it rapidly grew larger and larger, until the silhouette of a winged lion blotted out Ji-Lin’s view of the rising sun. Fire moths flew in and out of the mist, streaking it with glowing red-orange dust, and a pair of flying monkeys chased one another before disappearing into the soft whiteness. In the sunlight, the water looked like liquid gold as it cascaded over the rocks and crashed into the mist that hid the valley below. Yellow light bathed the mountains, soaked the trees, and tinted the streams and waterfalls. Twisting on the pole, Ji-Lin faced north, then east, toward the rising sun. They could steal a lucky orange from the palace kitchen and climb the spires and watch the gondoliers steer through the canals. Tomorrow was her and her twin’s twelfth birthday, and if she passed this test, then maybe, maybe she’d be allowed to spend the day with her. She’d also be one step closer to her sister. If she passed this test, she’d be one step closer to being like the heroes of the tales she loved. But she felt too jittery, as if all her muscles were vibrating. She was supposed to be calm, like a bird on a breeze or a leaf in summer or some other very calm nature image she could never quite remember. Sweat tickled the back of her neck, under her braid. Her other bare foot was planted on the top of a pole, on the roof of the Temple of the Sun, at the top of a mountain. She counted to thirty and then straightened to standing, without falling. Crouching, Ji-Lin raised her sword over her head. ICLE (International Center for Leadership in Education)Ĭustomer Service & Technical Support Portalĭon’t fall, don’t fall, oh no, I’m going to fall. Into Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, 8-12 ![]() Science & Engineering Leveled Readers, K-5 ![]()
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