The Broomstick Collection: Books 1–4. Nathan Reed

and then we’ll move on to the practical flying exercises. Shall we begin?”

      Jessica’s mouth was so dry she couldn’t speak but she nodded. Underneath her cloak, her lucky mascot, now called Berkeley, gave her knee a comforting ruffle.

      Shar Pintake cleared her throat. “Very well. At Milky Way junctions, who has the right of way, those already on the Way or those entering?”

      That was easy. “The riders on the Way,” Jessica answered, “have the right of way at all times except when the phoenix is rising.”

      “Excellent, now tell us, if you can, the difference between ducking and diving.”

      “A witch ducks to avoid an obstacle by bobbing and dipping the broom in a sideways direction. Diving is avoiding a crash by leaping and free-falling.”

      “Mmm,” said Shar Pintake. “What is the braking distance for a broom travelling at two Earth centuries per witch minute?”

      Jessica gulped. “Six broomstick lengths?” she suggested uncertainly.

      Shar Pintake noisily sucked more air in between her teeth. Her colleagues looked up, quizzically.

      “Oh dear,” thought Jessica, “that must be the wrong answer.”

      Next the three witches began to circle their cauldron, chanting:

      “Broom riders, broom riders,

       Hither, thither, they must fly,

       Never failing to observe

      The ground rules of the sky.”

      Then Shar Pintake plunged her hand into the pot and pulled out a pack of cards. “What does this road sign mean?” she barked, holding up a circular sign with a ring of witches.

      “That means there’s a witches’ coven in session at the next roundabout.”

      “And this?”

      “A dragon in a triangle means you should expect slow-moving traffic with heavy loads.”

      Shar Pintake sniffed. “A cauldron lying on its side?”

      “Slippery airspace because of a spilt brew?” Jessica guessed.

      The questions came thick and fast with the three examiners taking turns to pull cards from the pack. Jessica’s head was spinning as she swivelled to face each of them in turn. If only she had spent more time studying the W3 Rule Book.

      “And finally,” Shar Pintake said with a loud sigh, “can you identify this hazard?”

      Jessica peered at the sign. It was very peculiar. It could have been an old-fashioned pointy witch’s hat lying on its side. Or it might have been a jelly bag flying on a pole. Jessica hadn’t the faintest idea. She chewed her bottom lip.

      “We’ll come back to that later,” Shar Pintake announced after a long embarrassing silence. “Now go to chimney pot three and we’ll start the flying exercises.”

      Jessica flew off. Things were not going well at all.

      “I’ve failed,” she said to Berkeley. “Miss Strega will never forgive me.”