Read Online The Pillars of Ponderay by Lindsay Cummings - Free Book Online Page B

Farnsworth,” Petra corrected himself. Farnsworth’s tail thumped on the dusty stone floor. “Here we go.”
    Petra pulled out an old rusty key from beneath his shirt, turned it in the lock, and swung the door open.
    Albert peered inside, past Petra’s shoulder.
    It was not at all what he’d expected.
    â€œThis . . . is . . . ahhhhmazing!” Birdie shouted, holding her hands up in the air. “It couldn’t be more beautiful, Petra!”
    She walked over and then climbed up on a Guildacker-shaped float, the kind that Albert watched every year in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York.
    This float was twice the size of Jadar and it took up most of the room. It looked so real that Albert was tempted to reach out to touch its chest and feel for a heartbeat.
    â€œIt’s taken me months,” Petra said. “And you guys get to help me finish it! I mean, there’s no way I could do this all by myself.”
    â€œBut you have!” Albert gasped. “You made this?”
    â€œYou have some serious skill, bro,” Leroy said as he stared at the float.
    It looked like some sort of famous sculpture artist had done it, not tiny little Petra. Albert didn’t know the guy had it in him to be so creative.
    The base of the float was made up of glittering gold coins—old ones that, apparently, Lucinda had given to Petra to use, as long as he promised to return them (with interest). The Guildacker’s wings were covered in some sort of sparkling purple webbing. Albert reached up to touch it, but Leroy stopped him.
    â€œThat’s that crazy moss stuff that made my fingers go all balloony on me last term.”
    â€œOh, yikes.” Albert pulled his hand away just in time.
    â€œI had to wear special gloves for that part,” Petra said. He stepped up beside Albert in the shadows cast by the Guildacker float’s widespread wings.
    â€œThis is really awesome, Petra. But what’s it for?” Albert asked.
    Petra bobbed on his toes. “The Float Parade, of course!”
    Albert just stared.
    â€œOh, riiiight,” Petra squeaked. “You don’t know about the parade. Technically, it’s usually just for Pures, since we’re the only ones here during the holidays.”
    Birdie hopped down from the Guildacker’s back, careful not to mess it up with her boots. “I’ve never heard of it.”
    Even Leroy shook his head. “I’m coming up empty, dudes.”
    â€œIt’s only the biggest Pure event of the year,” Petra explained, eyes as wide as the coins on the float. “First there’s the Float Parade. Then there’s a dance and a dinner, and whoever’s float gets the most votes wins. It’s a huge Core tradition for the Pures. And since you guys are here for the emergency session, the Professors have decided that everyone gets to join!”
    â€œI can’t wait!” Birdie giggled and clapped. “And you’re so going to win the float competition. It looks just like Jadar!”
    â€œI was hoping you’d say that,” Petra’s cheeks grew redas cherries. “And I might have also been hoping that you three would, um, ride on the float. Please say yes! It’ll be just like last year, when you guys saved Calderon! The entire Core will go nuts when they see it!”
    Albert didn’t really like being in the spotlight. He was good at saving the world from behind the scenes, then slipping quietly away with his best friends and dog.
    But Petra looked so excited, and Albert couldn’t even imagine how much time his friend had put into building this thing. It was cooler the longer he looked at it, with tons of detail. Even the Guildacker’s claws looked razor-sharp, made of copper pipes that Petra had somehow chiseled into outspread talons.
    â€œI’m game if you guys are,” Albert said.
    â€œIt would be an honor, bro,” Leroy said, patting