Show-Jumping Dreams Read Online Free PDF Page A

gasped. Did that mean that the magic pony was leaving—rightnow—to go after his twin? “Is . . . is she somewhere close?” she asked him anxiously.
    “No. This trail is cold. But at least I know that Destiny came this way. When I am closer to her I will sense her presence and hear her hoofbeats.”
    “Will I be able to hear them, too?” she asked, starting to relax a bit.
    “Yes, if you are riding me or we are close together. But other humans will not be able to hear them.” His glowing eyes grew serious. “I may have to leave suddenly, without saying good-bye, to catch up with Destiny.”
    Alex fought against a new feeling of dismay. She didn’t think she would ever be ready to lose her friend. “Once . . . once you find her, you could both stayhere with me, couldn’t you?” she asked hopefully in a wobbly voice.
    Comet shook his head. “I am afraid that is not possible. We must return to our family on Rainbow Mist Island. I hope you understand, Alex.”
    Alex nodded sadly. She swallowed hard as she tried not to think about Comet leaving and promised herself that she was going to enjoy every single moment spent with him.

“Ta-da! How about that for a water jump?” Alex said with a proud flourish.
    She was in the lower field with Zoe and Saffron and their ponies. There was a large muddy puddle at the bottom of a slope. Earlier, her dad had helped her position a row of logs along its shortest side.
    “Perfect!” Zoe said, smiling.

    Saffron shrugged, unimpressed. “It’s not bad, I suppose.” Her matching helmet, gloves, and designer jacket were the color of limes today, and she held a dainty little riding whip.
    Alex felt conscious of her muddy boots, old jeans, and battered body warmer. She was glad that Zoe was dressed in similar practical clothes.
    They all lined up at the water jump.
    Zoe and Maxi went first. The brown-and-whitepony landed well, picking up his feet as he cantered onto dry grass.
    Alex went next: Comet jumped perfectly, leaping over the logs and splashing through the water. He even bucked playfully when he’d finished.
    Alex laughed aloud. To herself she murmured,
Find fault with that, if you can, Saffron.
    Princess, on the other hand, obviously didn’t want to get wet. As Saffron rode her toward the logs, the gray pony suddenly stopped. Taken by surprise, Saffron almost lost her balance. She only just managed to stay in her saddle as Princess stuck her nose in the air and pranced cheekily around the puddle.
    Zoe and Alex laughed at the pony’s antics.
    Saffron flushed bright red. “Come on, Princess. Stop misbehaving!” Pressing her lips together, she lined her pony up again.
    Princess champed at the bit, threw up her head, and slowed down, about to refuse again. Saffron gave her a light tap on her back with the whip. The gray pony sprang over the log from a standing position and stopped dead in the middle of the puddle.
    Alex was helpless with laughter. Princess was really putting on a show today.
    Comet whickered, rolling back his lips as if he were laughing, too.
    But Saffron was furious. “What’s wrong with you?” she grumbled to her pony. “You’re making me look really stupid!”

    “Why don’t you just try talking to her gently while you squeeze her on?” Alex suggested reasonably.
    “I know what I’m doing! Dad’s shown me how to deal with a stubborn pony!” Saffron retorted. She hit her pony on the back, but Princess still refused to move.
    “I’d like to see how Saffron wouldlike it if someone hit her!” Alex whispered angrily to Comet. “Maybe someone should grab that whip!”
    The magic pony’s deep-violet eyes glowed with purpose.
    Alex felt a familiar tingling sensation flow down to her fingertips as Comet opened his mouth and huffed out a large breath, which turned into a tiny violet fireball. It shot invisibly toward Saffron and Princess trailing tiny bright stars. The fireball burst above them, showering them with violet glitter before