Trial By Fire (Avalon: Web of Magic #6) (7 page)

“The mistwolves.”

Before she could react, the sea erupted. Geysers of water spiraled high into the air around them. Adriane and Storm watched, astonished, as several sea dragons leaped, arcing high into the air and gracefully diving nose-first back into the water. They were amazing creatures. And atop each rode a merboy or mergirl! One sea dragon cut through the rolling ocean currents, swimming alongside Adriane and Storm. It snorted and opened translucent lids to reveal large turquoise eyes.

On its back sat a girl, long green hair flowing in the wind. Like the merboy, she had webbed fingers and toes. A sea-green shell sparkled around her neck. “Meerka sends her thanks to you. As do I, mage,” she said. Her webbed fingers formed a fist and tapped her chest.

Adriane noticed the ragged wounds along the creature’s side. This was the one they had saved from the snow monsters.

“I am Kee-Lyn,” the mergirl said, pulling Meerka close alongside Jaaran’s sea dragon. “The beasts caught us off guard and attacked.” Her voice lilted like waves lapping on the shore. “They are not from this realm of Aldenmor. They appeared out of nowhere.”

“I know the feeling,” the warrior said. “I’m Adriane and this is Storm. Is Meerka all right?”

“If not for you, Meerka would have been killed.” Kee-Lyn hugged her sea dragon’s thick, scaled neck. “The sea heals her now.”

Meerka turned her eyes on Adriane.
“You fight well. The magic is with you.”

Adriane gazed into the dragon’s deep eyes.

“She is a warrior,”
Storm said.

Satisfied, Meerka turned back to the sea.

“When did the mistwolves call to you?”
Storm asked.

“Two days ago.” Jaaran swung his mount in a tight circle as the others slowed to a stop. “The packleader told us their wolf sister would come under the rain of lights.”

Salt spray stung her face as Adriane turned her gaze skyward. Bands of light shimmered under roiling clouds.

“How could Moonshadow have known that?” Adriane asked Storm.

“The lights may be a reaction to the portals Kara opened with her spellsinging,”
Storm mused.
“And he has the other fairy map.”

“How magnificent to bond with a mistwolf,” the mergirl said with reverence and awe.

Adriane nodded proudly. “Stormbringer and I are from Earth. We both run with the pack.”

“The sea dragons and mistwolves run the same path now,” Jaaran told them.

“How so?”
Storm asked.

“Once, long ago, there were thousands of sea dragons as there were mistwolves. Not anymore.”

“The Dark Sorceress hunts them for their magic,” Kee-Lyn explained, her ocean-blue eyes full of grief.

Adriane understood. “I have been in her lair. I know she covets the magic of such great creatures.”

The riders looked at one another, astonished.

“You escaped the dark circle?” Jaaran asked.

“With the help of the pack and a boy named Zach,” Adriane explained. “I thought there were no other humans on Aldenmor until I met him.”

“We are descended from humans thousands of years ago,” Jaaran said, “but our home now is in the great oceans with the sea dragons.”

It was Adriane’s turn to look astonished. The animals of Ravenswood had told the mages that once, long ago, humans and animals worked together to make strong magic. But those were stories, legends of a time long past. This was real, happening now.

As if sensing the warrior’s thoughts, Jaaran added, “The magic of Aldenmor grows weaker each day. And with it so does the race of merfolk.”

“You also wear jewels. They must have magic,” Adriane observed.

“These are the Jewels of the Sea.” Jaaran held up the sparkling jewel from his chest. “We are the select few chosen to ride with the dragons to protect our world.”

“And one day we, too, shall be mages, friend,” Kee-Lyn added proudly.

“I am honored to be called friend by you,” Adriane told them.

Meerka raised her head to the sky above.
“When the lights appear, magic will rain.”

“Magic rain?” Adriane glanced at her packmate.

“It was the last message from the Fairimentals before they vanished,” Jaaran said.

The Fairimentals! “Do you know what’s happened to them?”

Kee-Lyn’s face fell. “We fear for them,” she said sadly. “We fear the Dark Sorceress has taken their magic. Soon the seas will suffer the same fate.”

“My friend, the blazing star mage, opened a fairy map,” Adriane said. “We think the portals could lead to the magic of Avalon.”

“So it could be dark or light rain that falls,” Kee-lyn replied.

“I don’t understand,” Adriane said.

“Magic is only as good as those who use it,” Jaaran explained.

Adriane hadn’t considered that the magic they were searching for could be dark or light. The battle to save Aldenmor would depend on magic that could heal—not hurt.

“You and your friends must find Avalon before the sorceress.” Kee-lyn swung her dragon in a wide circle.

Abruptly all the sea dragons came to a stop in the middle of open waters.

“We are here,” Jaaran announced.

“You said you know a portal that can take us to Mount Hope.” Adriane looked around, confused.

Large ice floes drifted in the distance, and beyond a stark coastline spotted with browns and greens.

With a snort, Meerka pointed her great head into the waters.

“In the coral forest, below,” Kee-Lyn explained.

Adriane focused on her wolf stone. The jewel blazed to life with an amber glow. There
was
strong magic here.

She concentrated and the amber jewel grew warm and began to shimmer. When the shimmer became a broad arc of light, Adriane waved her arm, forming a circle. Storm pressed close to her, and the magic bubble enveloped them.

“We’re ready,” Adriane said.

Kee-Lyn looked into Adriane’s eyes and nodded. “The magic is with you.”

Meerka rolled her body forward in a smooth motion, and suddenly Adriane was watching the surface light fall away like a hazy dream.

They sank fast, watching thousands of bubbles circle around them.

Below, the immense forest of coral revealed itself, like a jungle across the sea floor.

They dove below towering reefs of vivid orange, red, purple, and blue. And the sea teemed with a cornucopia of colorful fish, plants, and sea creatures unlike Adriane had ever seen—or imagined. Schools of large sea horses swam through swaying kelp, front hooves kicking, fishtails fanning. Horse heads with flowing green manes peered curiously, watching the dragons and the strange creatures inside the magical globe.

“Kelpies,”
Storm observed, her golden eyes focused intently on the bubble wall.
“Sea horses.”

“It’s incredible.” Adriane was overwhelmed by the magnificent beauty. Would there be enough time to save it all?

“Is this where you live?” she asked.

“We live down the coastline on the far side of the kelp forests,” Kee-lyn said. “In Aquatania.”

“One day we will take you there,” Jaaran offered.

“I would like that.” Adriane smiled.

The sea dragons banked under a coral bridge and arrived at an immense underwater cave at the base of the reef.

“This is it,” Kee-Lyn said. “The portal is just inside the mouth of the cave.”

“Thank you,” Adriane said. “I hope we will meet again.”

“As do we, warrior mage,”
Meerka said.

“We stand ready to fight or die with our world!” Jaaran raised his fist in a salute. “Good luck, mage.”

“We pledge ourselves to your service,” Kee-lyn vowed.

Adriane rested her hands on Storm’s soft silver fur and drew strength from the mistwolf. Whatever grand scheme was unfolding, she and her friends had a destiny to fulfill.

She was a warrior. And ready or not, she would fight for this world.

Adriane raised her arm, and the bubble moved forward, lightly floating from the dragon’s back. With a backward glance at her new friends, she and Storm entered the cave and were swallowed by a burst of light.

“W
HO ARE YOU
?” The figure poked Emily with a sharp-pointed spear. Its face was particularly hideous, a viper’s open mouth baring long fangs below deadly glowing eyes. A dozen others stood around her, each face more monstrous than the next. Their spears were raised and ready.

“My name is Emily. I mean you no harm.” She struggled to remain calm.

One of the creatures pointed at her wrist. Her jewel pulsed with reds and blacks. “What is that dark power?” it asked.

“She carries the darkness!” another yelled.

“A witch!” came a shout.

“No, I…” Emily began.

“Hey, you! Leave her alon-
aggaagaagaag!”
Ozzie’s voice came tumbling down the ravine as the ferret rolled into a heap at Emily’s side.
“Doof!”

He sprang to his feet, boldly pushing the spear away from Emily.

“What is this sorcery?” the creature asked, clearly taken aback by the talking ferret.

“A woodland spirit!” someone shouted.

“I am not a spirit.” Ozzie faced the creatures. “Take off that war mask, Crusp. You look like a tree wart!” Ozzie turned to Emily. “Are you all right?”

“I think so,” she replied. Emily then noticed that all the short creatures wore wooden masks! Which accounted for the scary faces.

The one Ozzie spoke to stepped back, clearly shaken. “How do you know my name, Spirit?”

“Talk!” Another poked a spear at Ozzie’s rump.

“Yeee! Watch it, Tonin! Or I’ll tell Auntie Melba to whack your elfish bottom!”

The figures were clearly flabbergasted, talking and muttering to each other.

“And the price tag is still stuck on the back!” Ozzie pointed to Crusp’s head.

Crusp slipped off his wooden mask. A frightened face with big eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a small nose and mouth greeted them. Masses of curly brown hair flopped over his head.

The other elves removed their masks as well. They stood about four feet tall, handsome and strong with thickets of long curly hair. Some were clean-shaven, some had neatly trimmed beards and mustaches.

“You know my name. Who are you, Woodland Spirit?” Crusp asked.

“Don’t you recognize your cousin, Ozymandius?” Ozzie demanded.

The elves gasped.

“Ozymandius?” Another elf stepped forward. “That elf was whisked away by dark forces. He’s gone!”

“Well, now I’m back!” Ozzie stomped toward the shaken elves. “And this is my friend, Emily. A great mage.”

“A mage?!”

“That’s right, knothead!” Ozzie shouted.

“This is nonsense!” Tonin stepped forward. “You... you’re a…”

“Don’t say it! The Fairimentals transformed me so I could find Emily and her friends.”

“Ridiculous! You’re all fuzzy!” Crusp exclaimed.

“Ozzie…” Emily moaned softly, rubbing at her wrist.

“Elven war masks are for decorating your house. No one
wears
these.”

“Goblin riders have come to the Moorgroves. We have to protect our homes!” Tonin declared.

“With a spear? Have you all gone looney?”

“Ozzie…” Emily said again, louder.

“What!” He turned around. “Oo! What is it?” he asked, running to Emily’s side.

“That way.” She pointed, her wrist ablaze. The pain was worse, which meant someone nearby was also in pain.

The elves looked at the section of woods where she pointed.

“No way!” Crusp stated. “No one goes there. There is darkness and poison.”

“Who’s sick?” Ozzie leaped to his feet, brazenly facing the elves.

“Brackie and his family,” Tonin said sadly. “The entire farm, herd beasts, even the colgies have been stricken. They are in isolation.”

“Elves are infected?” Ozzie was jumping up and down. “You bimbots! She can help!”

“She can?” Whispers of suspicion ran through the group.

“Look, you elven wingdip!” Ozzie was out of patience. “Take us to Brackie’s farm! Now!”

Crusp looked to Tonin and the others. “All right,” the elf finally said. “But if you use dark magic against us, you will both die.”

“Nice talk, Crusp!” Ozzie kicked the elf’s leg as they started off down a trail. “Coming from an elf that cheated through every game of pushball.”