Kendra Kandlestar and the Crack in Kazah Read Online Free PDF

about to let her wand slip from her grasp for a second time in one day; she gripped it tightly—but the Kazah ring rolled from her hand and fell through the branches towards the ground.
    Kendra felt a branch rake across her face and another jab into her ribs. Then she finally came to a stop, landing on her back against a thin bough that bent, but did not break. Oki ended up right on top of her. For a minute they just lay there, trying to collect their wits.
    “Are you okay?” Oki asked eventually.
    Kendra nodded, carefully sliding her wand into her belt. “You?”
    Oki managed a weak smile. “What happened?”
    Kendra shook her head, confused. “I’m not sure. Where are we? Why is everything so green? There shouldn’t be leaves on this tree; it’s the middle of winter!”
    But it wasn’t winter. Even though she didn’t dare sit up (she was worried the branch would break), Kendra could see that the sky had changed from dismal gray to blazing blue. She could feel the heat in the air, smell the fragrance of moss and ferns. She could hear the hoot and caw of forest birds.
    She could also hear a voice. It came from below, with a threat: “What’s going on up there? You want to attack me? Just bring it on, slurpburgers! I’ll zap you into next week!”
    “Eek!” Oki squealed, at the same time giving a little jump—and this was all it took for their branch to snap. Down they went again, crashing through the bottom-most boughs of the tree. They never really hit the ground; instead they landed right on top of whoever had spoken, ending up in a tangle of arms and legs at the base of the trunk. Finally, after a few seconds of grunting and groaning, everyone was able to stand and look at each other.
    “Holy hooglegum!” Oki cried.
    Standing before them was a Teenling—an Een girl no more than fifteen years old. And she looked remarkably like Kendra.



FOR A MOMENT, Kendra was so stunned that she couldn’t speak. Staring at the girl’s face was like looking into a mirror. She had the same eyes, the same nose, even the same mouth.
    But the similarities ended there. Not only was the girl older (and taller) than Kendra, she had a wild look about her, as if at any moment she might lift her chin and howl like an Unger. Her hair was a mess, tousled and tangled with beaded braids that jutted out in a mishmash of directions like snakes trying to wriggle free of an unkempt nest. She was adorned head to foot with bangles and baubles, and her robe, sky blue in color, hung off one shoulder in a way that Kendra thought was just a little too carefree—at least for a sorceress. And a sorceress the girl certainly was (or at least an apprentice), for now she raised a slender wand of Eenwood and brandished it before Kendra and Oki like it was a weapon.
    “I thought you were Goojuns,” the girl said in a sharp, accusatory tone. “What are you doing messing around out here? You trying to trick me? How did you get up that tree?”
    “Eek!” Oki whimpered. “You ask a lot of questions.”
    “Then let’s just start with one, Eeks, ” the Teenling snapped, pointing her wand at Oki. “You got a name?”
    “Er . . . his name is Oki,” Kendra said, stepping forward with as much boldness as she could muster. “And I’m Kendra.”
    “Hmph,” the girl grunted, looking Kendra up and down. “Nice braids,” she said in a sarcastic tone. “Someone zap you with his wand?”
    “No!” Kendra said indignantly.
    “Hmph,” the Teenling muttered, circling them and tapping one long finger against her Eenwood. “You look familiar, Braids, ” she said after a moment. “You got a last name?”
    “Kandlestar?” Kendra said uncertainly. She suddenly found her confidence melting as she spoke. This Teenling was strong and bold and—in a wild sort of way—beautiful too. For a reason she couldn’t quite explain, Kendra wanted to impress her.
    But she clearly wasn’t off to a good start. “Kandlestar?” the Teenling muttered,