All That Glitters (Avalon: Web of Magic #2) (14 page)

“Please,” Kara sobbed, trying to lift the heavy cat. “I have to help my friend.”

“We must ride . . .”
the musical voice echoed strong and certain inside Kara’s mind.

The unicorn knelt before her. Kara stared, openmouthed, as she realized the creature had come to help her.

Gasping, she pulled and pushed and managed to hoist Lyra’s limp body across the unicorn’s neck. The great magical beast rose, standing tall and strong, his horn glowing like a crystal beacon pointing defiantly at the darkened sky.

Gripping a handful of silky mane, Kara leaped on the unicorn’s back. With a snort and a nod of his head, the unicorn bolted. Across the pavement of the parking lot and into fields beyond they ran. Kara could no longer make out features of the landscape that flew by in a blur. Faster and faster, they galloped across the open meadow—then, with a great leap they vanished, burning across the sky like a blazing star.

K
ARA STOOD ON
a beach, watching waves rolling lazily upon the warm sands. Thick mist obscured something hidden on the horizon. Roiling clouds sparkled with distant lightning. Under a dawning sky, the wind became whispers as dozens of willowy wraithlike figures surrounded her. Draped in delicate, flowing robes, they had enormous eyes, exotic in the half-light. Sparkling emerald hair cascaded over faces with beautiful pale skin, smooth and flawless, untouched by age and time.

Surely she was dreaming.

“Is she the one?”

“The unicorn came to her!”

Kara heard them talking, studying her. She sensed warmth, but something else, too. Expectation? Excitement?

“She wields the jewel!”

The wraiths swirled around her. One of them glided close to Kara, impossibly beautiful and flowing with light. Kara’s fear seemed to melt away.

“Where am I?” she asked.

“You are safe here, child.”

Another wraith floated around her. “The jewel you hold is the most powerful of magic. It has been lost to us for hundreds of years.”

“Many have suffered trying to retrieve this jewel.”

“You can’t take this.” Kara clutched the jewel. “I need it.”

“Do you think you are ready to wield its magic?”

Kara flashed on Lyra’s bleeding body somewhere at the edge of her mind. “My friend is hurt, dying because of me.” She felt her cheeks wet with tears.

“Sometimes magic brings loss.” The wraith sighed, a sound like the wind crying.

“Only those who truly understand can use the magic of Avalon.”

The first wraith faced Kara. “Close your eyes, child.”

Kara closed her eyes. A soft breeze dried her tears.

“Now open them.”

Kara blinked and stared out across the waters. The cloud of mist shimmered in the distance, hiding whatever lay underneath.

“Do you see any difference?”

“No,” Kara said, confused.

She struggled to see through the mist. Diamond light danced though the fog revealing the outline of an island. But the vision faded, no more than a mirage. She gazed across the empty waters in despair.

“Where is Avalon? How do we get there?”

“There are fairy maps to guide the blazing star.”

Kara’s heart sank. Phel had tried to give her a fairy map, and she had destroyed it. “I ruined everything, didn’t I?”

“Everything changes,” the first wraith said. “It is the way of magic. There is always another chance to make a difference.”

“I have to help my friend,” Kara pleaded. “Please, let me keep the jewel.”

“That is your choice. Go now. When you are ready, you will find your way back to us.”

“
Kara!” As they sang out her name, chills coursed through her body.

“Kara . . .”

The figures swirled around her, blazing into bright ribbons of light.

“Kara, are you all right?”

Grass tickled her nose as she opened her eyes. She was lying in an open field at Ravenswood. The dark sky was filled with menacing clouds. Slowly, shapes came into focus. Ozzie was looking down at her, concerned and frightened. Adriane was touching her shoulder, her face grim.

“What happened?” Kara asked, struggling to sit up. She must have passed out. She grasped the jewel still hanging around her neck and let out a sigh of relief.

“Storm brought us here,” Adriane told her.

Kara’s breath caught in her throat. “Lyra!”

“Emily’s trying to heal her,” Ozzie said worriedly. “But we need your help.”

Across the field, Emily leaned over the still body of the cat. Ronif, Rasha, Balthazar, and some of the other animals stood nearby. Kara got to her feet and rushed to Emily’s side. “Can you heal her?”

Lyra lay in the grass, her beautiful fur caked with blood. “She’s not responding to my magic.” Emily wiped at her eyes, red from tears. “I couldn’t help her when she was burned, either.”

“Yes you did, Emily!” Kara gripped Emily’s shoulders, making the girl look at her. “You healed Ozzie, you healed Ariel, you even healed Phel! You kept Lyra from dying. You can do it again.”

“But I had Phel’s magic to help me,” Emily cried.

“And now you’ve got ours!” Kara held up her jewel, radiant in her hand. She called to the animals, “We need your help.”

“Hurry everyone, gather round!” Ozzie ran about, herding the animals closer.

“Tell us what to do, Emily,” Adriane pleaded.

“Concentrate as hard as you can on giving her strength.”

The cat’s sides barely rose and fell with her shallow breaths.

Kara tried to visualize pushing her own energy into Lyra, reviving her, healing her. Light from her jewel began to pulse between her fingers.

Ronif suddenly looked past the huddled group. “We have company.”

A dozen banshees surrounded them. Rain pasted their filthy rags to their sickly glowing bodies.

“Keep focused on Lyra!” Kara ordered.

With piercing wails, the banshees began to close in on them, arms outstretched, grasping. The weeping cries broke the animals’ concentration and Lyra’s breathing grew ragged and weaker.

“What do we do?” Rasha asked.

“There’s too many of them!” Ozzie looked around frantically.

“You have to keep them away!” Emily exclaimed. “We need time!”

Adriane sprang to her feet. “We’ll hold them back. Storm!”

“I am here.”
The mistwolf materialized from the shadows, golden eyes shining.

The banshees shambled forward, weeping madly. Facing the creatures, Adriane and Storm stood side by side. Arms crossed in front of her, the warrior assumed a fighting stance. Storm’s eyes blazed, matching the gold light that flashed from Adriane’s gem.

“Stay with me, Storm.” Adriane swung her arm, streaming arcs of bright magic. She whirled around, spinning the light into a ring. Storm crouched low, teeth bared, as Adriane turned faster, building ring upon ring of magic. Faster and faster she spun, surrounded by expanding loops of golden fire.

Kara bent over Lyra and grasped Emily’s hand. White diamond sparkles burst from Kara’s jewel, running up and down her arms like electricity. With a wave, the magic leaped into Emily’s jewel.

“Focus on her heartbeat. Keep it strong,” Emily instructed. Green-blue light from her rainbow gem began to pulse in a steady rhythm.

Kara’s jewel fell into sync with Emily’s, flashing with the beat of their hearts.

“That’s it,” Emily said.

Magic streamed out of Emily’s jewel, enveloping the cat in a cocoon of light.

Suddenly the light shifted as if it were being pulled away. “I can’t hold it!” Emily cried. The magic flew apart, spreading wildly out across the field.

Kara felt Lyra’s pulse drop. “Don’t let her go, Emily!”

“Hurry,” Ozzie urged, watching the banshees approach.

Kara saw Adriane spinning like a top. Black hair whirling around her, Adriane began to rise into the air. She flipped into a somersault and sent the glowing rings of magic flying outward. Waves of light crashed into the banshees, knocking them back with the force of the blow. The warrior whipped golden fire into a huge ring about her head. Then with a snap of her wrist, the ring soared over the banshees and floated down around them. The warrior pulled tight, trying to keep the banshees away from Kara. Suddenly the golden magic burst apart, splintering across the field.

The banshees scrambled forward again, reaching madly for Kara.

Power exploded from Kara’s jewel, blasting diamond fire around the field. Magic zigzagged like wild lightning. Suddenly, the ground trembled; the air twisted and ripped open. Amazed, the girls and animals looked into the looming maw of the portal.

“T
HE PORTAL’S OPENED
!” Ozzie screamed.

Glistening strands sparkled behind the thick, swirling mist that covered the portal. Wind whipped at the girls as they backed away.

The banshees staggered backward, covering their faces.

In a shimmering green flash, a black-cloaked figure took form and stepped out of the portal. Long, slender fingers drew back the hood, revealing green animal eyes and cool, porcelain skin framed by silvery hair slashed by a bolt of lighting.

It was her—the woman in the mirror. The Dark Sorceress.

“So, it has come to pass,” the sorceress sneered. “Three new mages. Clumsy and inept, yet you wield magic.”