All That Glitters (Avalon: Web of Magic #2) (16 page)

credhead:
it’s not like they give good parties and they’re pretty far down the food chain as far as clothes go

kstar:
so they don’t know clothes, that’s not everything

There was silence. All texts ceased ringing. Maybe she had gone too far with that one. But she was sure now of one thing.

kstar:
Ravenswood is really important to me. U know, credhead’s got singing lessons, ggmolly’s helping her mom with catering, bbunny has dance class, pretty soon we’ll be trying out for all sorts of stuff. Does that mean we stop being friends?

goodgollymolly:
no :D

“Kara, we’re almost ready!” Adriane shouted down the hall.

Kara closed down her IMs with an unaccustomed feeling. Was there anyone who really understood her?

The door pushed open and Lyra walked into the sitting room. Her spotted fur shone in the sunlight streaming through the big windows.

“Where have you been?” Kara asked, annoyed.

Lyra stretched hugely.
“I thought you would like some space.”

“I don’t need space.” Kara glanced at the cat and back to the screen. “I like company.”

“Really? I hadn’t noticed.”
The big cat padded over and plumped down next to Kara’s chair.

Kara sighed and gently scratched Lyra’s neck. “It’s just I always have all this stuff going on, school, friends, parties, and shopping. Before, I didn’t have to choose, I was like a passenger in a car.” She looked at the cat. “But now, this time . . . I’m driving the car.” She pouted. “I don’t know how to drive. I’m too young.”

“Maybe you are too young,”
Lyra agreed. The big cat gazed evenly at the blond-haired girl.
“But you made a good choice, and I have faith that you will make more good choices.”

Kara smiled and gestured to her backpack sitting on the floor. “You like cat food?”

Lyra sniffed.
“Then again I could be wrong.”

“Kara, come on!” Adriane called out.

“Okay!” Kara called back. She shut down her laptop, picked up her backpack, and ran down the hall.

In the library, Adriane and Emily sat at the console looking at the RWPS homepage. Storm was stretched out by the window soaking up the sun. Ozzie, Balthazar, Ronif, and Rasha were examining the screen, comparing it to a printout propped up beside them.

“So, we’re, like, live?” Kara asked, laying her backpack on the table.

Emily smiled. “As soon as we connect to the council’s server.”

“That’s great. What about the second level?”

“All we have to do is enter our password, and we’ll have access,” Adriane said.

“Anyone else who knows the password will be able to access us, too,” Emily added.

They all looked at the keypad.

“Okay, are we ready?” Emily asked excitedly.

“Not quite,” Kara said, standing beside the table.

Emily and Adriane looked at her.

“Before we open the site to the world . . .” The girls and animals studied her curiously. “. . . while this is still ours, at least for the next few minutes . . . I just wanted to . . . I mean, I thought we could . . . oh, never mind.” Kara opened her backpack, pulled out a small box tied with a pink ribbon and handed it to Emily. “This is for you.”

Emily’s eyes went wide. Adriane gave the gift a quick glance.

“Is it my birthday already?” Emily giggled.

“Go on, just open it,” Kara instructed.

Emily untied the pretty ribbon, opened the box and lifted out a sparkling silver bracelet. “Kara . . . it’s beautiful!”

“Yeah, the clasp will hold your jewel securely around your wrist, see?” Kara helped Emily remove the jewel from its woven setting, attach it to the silver clasp, and lock the bracelet.

Emily held her arm up. The bracelet and jewel were a dazzling combination. “I love it, Kara. Thank you,” she said, beaming.

Kara smiled, then looked at Adriane. The dark-haired girl quickly turned away as Kara reached in her backpack and held out another box.

“I can’t take your gift,” Adriane said, eyes downcast.

“Yes, you can, and you will!” Kara ordered. “If you’re going to keep doing all that fancy jumping and flying stuff, how do you expect your jewel to stay in place, huh?”

Adriane’s mouth twitched in a smile.

“Take it . . . please.” Kara held out the box. “I want you to have it.”

Adriane slowly took the box from Kara. She opened it and held up an exquisite black wristband inlaid with turquoise.

“This is too much . . .” Adriane gasped.

“You like it?”

“I . . . yeah, I do.”

“You’re welcome.” Kara smiled at her.

Adriane smiled back.

“How could one ferret be so right?” Ozzie burst out. “I think I might cry!”

All three girls looked at the ferret.

“I’ve found all three mages, the healer, the warrior, and the blazing star! How great am I?”

They all laughed, bound together by the magic they shared and the friendship they were learning to trust.

“Okay! Let’s get this club happening!” Kara exclaimed.

Emily sat at the console and connected to the council server.

Adriane stood next to Kara. “Remember when I told you the magic didn’t like you?”

“Vaguely.”

“I was wrong,” Adriane admitted.

Kara arched an eyebrow. “Even though I gave it back?”

“It likes you
because
you gave it back,” Adriane said.

Kara and Adriane smiled at each other. Emily couldn’t help but smile, too, as the connection was made.

“Congratulations, ladies and gents!” Emily announced. “The RWPS homepage is live. I think it would only be fitting that our esteemed president be the one to officially open the magic web.” She grinned at Kara. “Would you do the honors, please?”

Kara smiled at her friends and typed in the password that would announce to the world they had arrived: Avalon.

Lyra is an exotic leopard-like magical winged cat. Only those with magic can see her magnificent wings. The magic cats of Aldenmor vary in size and coloring and possess a keen intelligence, sharp intuitive senses, and deep empathy for others.

Unicorns are the most legendary and powerful of all magical animals—highly sought after and coveted by those seeking magic. Fast as lightning, unicorns can run upon the magic web itself, transporting themselves and their rider anywhere on the web without the need of a portal.