The Fall of Babel (The Books of Babel #4)

by Josiah Bancroft

“Now, the trick to climbing a tree is that, first, you have to give it a good look up and down.” Now barefoot, Marya felt the grass, soft as fur, beneath her toes. “You have to picture your trajectory, plan your ascent. It’s good to be prepared. Of course, there are some risks you can’t take while standing on the ground. Branches snap. You lose your grip.” Olivet frowned and gummed upon her tongue. Though Marya knew the display was unrelated, she couldn’t help but respond conversationally: “Oh, I know. It’d be nice if you could just leap straight to the top or be carried up the whole way. Honestly, the easiest way to surmount a tall tree is to be born in a high nest. But for ones like you and me, the only thing that happens quickly is a fall.”