Trial By Fire (Avalon: Web of Magic #6) (13 page)

The group had struggled along, using all their senses and jewels combined to find the right way through the catacombs. Exhausted, they had arrived at another intersection with tunnels branching off in all directions.

“How are you doing?” Adriane asked Zach.

“Fine.” He slumped against the wall. He was still weak from the spell.

“I have navigated these passageways before.”
Lyra shook her head. “
But the path lies hidden from me.”

There was a moment of depressed silence.

“Let’s rest here for a few minutes,” Emily suggested.

Adriane slid down next to Zach. Emily and Ozzie joined them, huddled close together. Nobody spoke. The only sound was the
pad, pad, pad
of Lyra’s paws on the stone floor as she paced, examining each joining tunnel for the correct way back to the surface.

Adriane sighed. Hopelessness washed over her, making her feel even more tired than she was.

“You know, you’re so lucky,” Zach said to Adriane, then looked at the others. “All of you.”

“Lucky?” Adriane echoed. “What do you mean?”

“I grew up alone. I never knew what it’s like to have friends. Except for Windy, of course, and now Drake.”

Everyone waited for him to continue.

“Then I met you.” He looked at Adriane, who blushed. “You have the best friends in the world.”

“It wasn’t always that way,” Emily said.

“When we first met Kara, we couldn’t stand her.” Adriane smiled.

“Really?”

“Oh yeah, she was the self-appointed Miss Perfect Princess of Popularity,” Adriane said.

“So what happened?” Zach asked, clearly interested.

Emily snorted. For a second, Adriane thought the red-headed girl was crying. But when Emily snorted again, it was clear that she was laughing.

“She’s just so… so likable,” Emily explained. “She’s smart, funny, confident—”

“Pink,” Adriane added.

“Remem—” Emily laughed again. “Remember when Kara had to talk to the whole school and the dragonflies stole her hat?”

Adriane nodded. Who could forget?

“That look on her face when her hair came tumbling out—rainbow colored!” Tears were streaming down Emily’s face. She could not stop cracking up.

Adriane laughed. “She freaked.”

“How’d that happen?” Zach asked.

Adriane recounted the story of Kara’s magical bad-hair day. “Emily totally saved her,” she explained. “She said that Kara had dyed her hair to symbolize the true meaning of Ravenswood, a tapestry of friends.” Adriane was cracking up now, too.

“I think the best part of friends is having those memories you share, moments that make you feel so good inside.” Zach smiled. “I’ll never forget the feeling I got flying with Windy. Always makes me smile.”

“I don’t see my friends from Colorado anymore,” Emily said. “But I still remember hot summer days and the old rope swing that dropped us right in this cool pond.”

“I never used to think much of friends.” Adriane gave each a shy smile. “I thought I didn’t need them. But that’s ’cause I’d never met anyone like Emily, Storm, Ozzie, or Lyra before.”

“And Kara,” Ozzie added.

“Yeah, and Kara,” she admitted. “Now, I couldn’t imagine a day without you crazy knuckleheads in my life.”

“Having friends makes everything better,” Ozzie chuckled.

“Like laughing till your face hurts,” Emily giggled.

“Sharing banana milkshakes.” Ozzie snuggled into Emily’s arm.

“Birthday parties,” Zach joined in, smiling at Adriane.

“Finding a true packmate.”
Lyra sat next to Zach who scratched behind her ears.

“Watching a sunrise.” Emily smiled, adding to the fun.

“Making chocolate chip pancakes.” Ozzie licked his lips.

“
Dancing to favorite songs,”
Lyra said, remembering mornings with Kara.

“Getting a hug.” Adriane spontaneously reached over and hugged Lyra. The cat licked Adriane’s cheek. Ozzie, Emily, and Zach hugged the cat at the same time, making Lyra purr with pleasure.

The laughter was contagious. It filled the halls, wafting like light summer rain, sending pure magic into the darkness of the catacombs.

T
HE GLOWING STRANDS
of the fairy maps surrounded Kara in hot white lights.

“You opened the correct combination of portals at your spellsinging debut,” the Dark Sorceress said in her sickeningly smooth voice. Her robes rustled as she circled Kara, raising her arms triumphantly. “Now, show me the final portal! Show me where the source of magic lies hidden!”

Kara was terrified. What was she doing? Her mind was spinning as she watched the maps. Yet with each star that blazed to life, she felt a connection, as if she were turning another key to unlock the final treasure. She was the center of the universe in a maelstrom of magic. And it was calling to her, building in ferocity, racing through her. The wonderful power, thrilling her senses. She controlled it all! Yes, I want it!

Had she screamed aloud? She couldn’t tell. Time had seemed to stop. She had no sense of herself, only of being carried away in the flow of an oncoming tidal wave of magic. Kara felt she would be crushed under its force, sweeping her away from everything she had known, everything that was real.

Suddenly, a strange image popped into Kara’s head—Ozzie with a thick creamy mustache. A banana milkshake? That ferret will eat anything! For a moment, Kara’s mind was jolted free from the spellsong.

Then it was viciously yanked back.

Kara was blinded. The maps were ablaze in lights as they merged, magic gathering along the final path of portals. Somewhere a wild animal shrieked. It was the sorceress.

Another image popped in Kara’s head. This time she saw Lyra dancing on her bed, covered in her clothes. Lyra, you silly!

Something was happening. Kara could feel her fingers moving. The spell was breaking. More pictures flashed through Kara’s mind—sharing a cheeseburger with Emily and hogging all the fries—handing Adriane a bracelet, a friendship bracelet.

She heard sounds—laughing? It was Emily and Adriane and Ozzie and… Lyra! They were laughing!

Kara remembered what B*Tween had told her:
No demon can possess you if you maintain the ability to turn and laugh at it.

Her friends had sent her magic and she reached for it, embracing it like… a friend.

The spell faded. Kara quickly hid the smile that broke across her face. The Dark Sorceress glared at her through slitted, narrowed eyes.

Can she hear them, too? Kara wondered. Quickly, Kara started waving her arms again. Without moving her head, she looked for a way out. Then she noticed that the fairy maps had stopped spinning. They now hung in the air above her, but all the lights had winked out. The barren starscape pulsed dully against the darkened ceiling.

The sorceress seemed to have noticed, too. She was eyeing one corner of the map.

Kara followed her gaze. At the far edge of the map, one tiny light moved. It was traveling on the strands, racing nearer and nearer to Kara.

“That’s it!” the sorceress cried. “That’s the final portal. Open it!”

Kara swung her arms wildly, keeping one eye on the approaching light. It was moving fast, getting bigger. The light was suddenly running on—legs?! No, wait. It was taking the shape of a horse. No! A
unicorn!

The realization hit Kara hard. The Dark Sorceress had tried to use Kara to lure the unicorn to her once before. Kara remembered how the sorceress had coveted the most magical of all animals.

Now, once again, the unicorn was traveling the web, coming for her!

“No!” Kara cried. This time the cry was out of her mouth before she could stop it.

The fairy maps exploded in light. Momentarily blinded, Kara fell.

She struggled to her feet, blinking. Silken hair flicked across her shoulder, but it was not the Dark Sorceress’s tresses—it was a long tail.

The unicorn stood in the room, as magnificent as Kara remembered. White hide smooth as snow rippled over his muscled body. His long mane and tail ruffled like silk. And upon his forehead, his crystalline horn flowed with rainbow light.

The Dark Sorceress saw the unicorn at the same moment Kara did. Her eyes flew wide with rage. “You! What is this trickery?”

The mighty unicorn turned his deep golden eyes to Kara. Waves of emotion surged through the girl, sure, strong, and loving.

Then, in a voice as clear as rain and powerful as the breaking dawn, he spoke.
“We must ride.”

Kara bolted for the unicorn.

The sorceress snarled with rage. Somehow the girl had broken her binding spell! With the strength of an animal, she lunged at Kara.

Kara ducked. With a leap, she was on the unicorn’s back, grabbing hold of his silken mane, burying her face in his neck.

The creature gave a fierce snort, reared upon its hind legs, and leaped.

In a flash of light, unicorn and rider vanished.

L
YRA YOWLED, PACING
like a trapped animal. “
Kara’s gone!”

“What do you mean?” Emily asked.

“She’s not in the lair anymore. I’m sure of it!”

Adriane and Emily exchanged worried glances.

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Emily said as calmly as she could.

“C’mon, we have to get out of here.” Zach stood on wobbly legs.

“Okay, we’ll just have to choose a direction and go.” Adriane helped brace the boy.

“And end up somewhere worse?” Ozzie cried. “Who knows what’s lurking in this place!”

Lyra had stopped pacing. The cat stood stock still. “What is it, Lyra?” Emily asked.

“Something comes,”
the cat said softly.

A high-pitched howl pierced the air, echoing through the tunnel like a ghost.

Lyra turned toward the sound. Adriane grasped the cat’s shoulder. Down the dark hall, the strange cry echoed. It was coming closer.

The warrior raised her wolf stone, and golden fire sparked dangerously around her fist. “Stay behind me,” she ordered.

Another howl filled the corridor, short and mournful.

Adriane crept lightly down the hall, the others close behind. She put a finger to her lips and motioned for them to stay where they were.

The howl turned into a wailing cry as Adriane slowly approached. Whatever had come was just around the corner.

With a wave of her arm, Adriane spun into position. Sweeping her stone before her, she leaped into the darkness.

There was a scuffle and a loud
yelp!

“Adriane!” Ozzie screamed, running to their friend.

“We’re rescued,” Adriane said, calmly walking back into the corridor.

Behind her, a small fuzzy head peeked around the corner.

“Dreamer!” Emily cried, elated.

The group quickly surrounded the perplexed little mistwolf, hugging and scratching, rubbing, and hugging some more. Dreamer rolled about, happily barking and wagging his tail.

“I don’t know who’s happier to be found, us or Dreamer,” Ozzie observed.

“How’d you find us?” Adriane knelt, staring into the pup’s large green eyes. The mistwolf cocked his head. Adriane’s mind flashed on quick images: long, dark, scary corridors, the gleam of her wolf stone, a small wet nose sniffing the air.

“You tracked our magic?” Adriane guessed, impressed.

Dreamer barked.

“Good boy.” Adriane rubbed his scruffy neck. “Can you take us to Storm?”

The pup looked over his shoulder and growled. Then he barked.

“Okay, then.” Adriane got to her feet. “Looks like Dreamer here is a natural magic tracker. Don’t be scared,” she said to the mistwolf. “I’m here now. Take us to Storm.”

K
ARA FELT NO
fear. They were running on the web itself, following the pathway of portals she had opened. Beneath the unicorn’s pounding hooves the endless strands shimmered with pure energy.

The unicorn raced faster and faster. Kara leaned forward atop the animal’s broad, smooth back. The pathways of light beneath his alabaster hooves glowed brighter as trails of sparkling magic streamed from his mane and tail. On his forehead, his horn shone brightly, illuminated from within.

The unicorn drew strength from
her,
and she willed with all her heart for whatever magic she possessed to be given, freely and unconditionally. In that eternal moment, unicorn and rider became one, blazing forever across the infinite web of hope, dreams, and renewal.