Emily nodded. “All five thousand of them.”
“We need to talk,” the warrior stated.
“Yeah, we can’t believe you’re not coming to the dance!” Kara said, offended.
Adriane glared at the blazing star. “I meant about Avalon.”
“Oh, right.” Kara was contrite.
“We’ve been preparing a very thorough presentation for you,” Adriane continued.
“Wait till you see,” Kara enthused. “You are going to come back and help us so fast!”
Emily paused. “I’m just here to return these books. That’s all.”
“Hi, Emily.” The gentle voice of Adriane’s grandmother, Nakoda, called from the second floor balcony. “It’s nice to see you again. You haven’t been around lately.”
“Yeah.” Emily stared at her tennis shoes.
Gran stuck her hands in the pockets of her dark green dress and surveyed the hubbub with twinkling black eyes. “Everything looks just wonderful.” She removed a letter from her pocket. “Anyone know anything about something called Savage Lips?”
“They’re only the coolest band around,” Joey raved.
“Well, they’re booked for your dance and ready to rock!” Gran announced.
A crowd of kids ran over, amid cries of, “That is dope!” and, “All right!”
Marcus gaped in awe. “Wow, how did we get them?”
“Ravenswood has quite the reputation thanks to all of you.” Gran chuckled. “Everyone wants to contribute to the good vibes and help protect our forest.”
“That is so awesome!” Joey said, impressed.
Adriane caught Kara’s gaze, gesturing at the back entrance to the manor. A flash of red hair disappeared inside. Emily had slipped away while no one was looking.
“Be right back.” Kara handed Molly her clipboard.
“Hey, Emily, wait up!” Adriane dashed inside the manor, Kara on her heels.
“I don’t want to talk about it!” Emily took two steps at a time and hurried along the third floor hallway, heading toward the double wooden doors of the library.
“Just stay for the presentation,” Kara said.
“I told you, I’m done.” Emily opened the tall doors—her heart catching when she saw a small figure perched on a stack of pillows, sitting at the computer.
Tweek turned from the monitor, fluffing Ozzie’s favorite pillow. Dreamer and Lyra stretched out in the rays of sun streaming from the open windows. The magical animals preferred to be in here instead of dodging kids outside.
“What are you doing?” Emily demanded. “It took Ozzie a long time to get his system organized!”
The twiggy guy cleared his throat. “Well, since I could never make sense of it, and I’m the only one using the computer now, it seemed logical to…” he trailed off uncomfortably.
Adriane and Kara flinched as Emily slammed her armload of books on the big oak library table and began sorting through them. Dreamer and Lyra padded over to her.
“Hi, Emily,” the mistwolf greeted her, nuzzling her hand with a cold nose.
“We miss you.” Lyra rubbed against Emily’s dark jeans.
The healer gently patted the animals, instinctively giving them a quick once over. But she said nothing.
“Okay, let’s show Emily what we got,” Kara instructed Tweek.
“Right. If you look here, you’ll see I’ve compiled all data on the current status of our quest for Avalon,” he said excitedly. “I have it all laid out on this chart.”
Tweek touched a few buttons and brought up a colorful graph.
Adriane read the bold headline. “Pie Chart of Doom?”
“Ahem, this pie chart contains every variable factor in our quest. Each section represents a percentage of importance in the overall mission,” the Experimental Fairimental explained.
The girls gathered round the computer. Every slice in the crowded pie chart was a different bright color.
Tweek pointed at a red section and began. “As you can see, Spider Witch Controls Web takes up 20%, Shadow Creature Army on Web comes in at 33%. Meanwhile, Fairimentals Hunkering Down at the Garden is holding steady at 11%, while Ravenswood, Phelower Capitol of the Web, just beat them out at 12%.” He took a breath and rattled on. “Otherworlds Attached to the Web 20%, Mages Have No Idea How to Get Back Into Avalon 65%, Avalon is Full of Dark Magic 30%, and Dark Sorceress Inside Avalon is a whopping 75%.”
“Tweek, this is ridiculous! That’s almost 270%!” Adriane exclaimed.
“I’m using my own system,” the Fairimental defended himself.
“You must have made a mistake,” Kara said, aghast. “We told you to prepare a chart detailing why we can’t give up the quest!”
“With all our accomplishments!” Adriane chided.
“You told me to assemble the data and this is it,” Tweek insisted.
Emily, intrigued despite her resolve, squinted. “What’s that teeny little bar over there?”
“Oh, that’s Mages Find Avalon and Win.”
“.05%?” Kara exclaimed.
“So, in conclusion,” Tweek concluded, “the mages, that’s you, have about as much chance as a—”
“I think we’ve heard quite enough out of you,” Kara stated, closing the file.
Emily couldn’t help but think how Ozzie would have handled the presentation. Always the optimist, he would have told them all that really mattered was their commitment and their desire to do the right thing. What she wouldn’t give to hear one of his rallying speeches. The furry ferret had been the glue that’d held the quest together. At least for her.
Adriane frowned. “Tweek, there are other factors. Like what exactly the Dark Sorceress is doing inside Avalon.”
“Yeah,” Kara agreed. “I don’t see that on your Pie Chart of Doom.”
“She could be doing anything.” Tweek’s twigs puffed out in alarm. “Transforming into some horrible dark monster, preparing to unleash the magic of Avalon onto the web and turn us into horrible monsters—she’s surrounded by enormous quantities of magic. 80%! I better make another chart.”
Adriane threw her hands in the air, exasperated. “We have to do something.”
Kara fretted. “Even if we did get into Avalon, with the Spider Witch controlling the web, magic won’t flow where it’s supposed to.”
“Unless it’s rewoven.” Tweek pointed a twig. “Underyour control.”
Adriane and Kara faced Emily.
“I told you, I’m not using magic. Period.” Her face was set in a blank expression. “You’ll find another way.”
“There is no other way!” Kara exclaimed, reaching the end of her patience. “You’re the only one who can weave magic!”
Tweek punched at the keyboard and a glowing map projected on the library ceiling. The pattern of diamond grids shone brightly. “As you can see, I have extrapolated a map of what the Spider Witch’s web looks like now.” Tweek’s jewel sputtered and sparked. “Pathways have been rerouted. Portals are realigned. The web is strong, which means without a total reweaving, she would control everything. Then surely… all will be lost.”
Emily glanced at the web with haunted eyes.
“What’s happening over there?” Adriane pointed to the center where greens and blacks twisted and changed, warping before their eyes.
“Avalon.” Tweek rattled like a wind-up toy as his jewel erupted with bright blue light. “Something is happening, but it’s like I can’t see what’s right in front of my eyes.”
“Um, Tweek, are you okay?” Kara asked.
“What?” A jolt rattled the Experimental Fairimental, making his quartz eyes spin like tops. “By the Great Tree! It’s a message from my fellowmentals! They want all three of you at The Garden in Aldenmor immediately, ASAP, and right now!”
“Finally.” Kara breathed a sigh of relief. “We’ve been waiting long enough for some answers.”
“I’ll alert my pack to stand guard over Ravenswood,” the warrior said.
“You he
ard the twig, let’s go,” Kara said.
Dreamer and Lyra padded to their bondeds, ready for action.
Emily turned and hurried toward the door.
Kara stepped forward, linking her arm in Emily’s. “They said three. Not two. You are going with us if I have to drag you there. Comprende?”
Emily opened her mouth to speak.
Kara held up her finger. “No ifs, ands, or feathers.”
Adriane took hold of Emily’s other arm. “We go together, Emily.”
“The pack never leaves anyone behind.” Dreamer gazed at Emily with his deep green eyes.
Lyra nodded, tail twitching. “This time, we stay together.”
Emily looked from Adriane to Kara, reading the determination in the sparkling blue and shining black eyes. There was no arguing with either of them when they had their minds set on something.
“Fine. I’ll go one last time to say goodbye, but then I’m really done. After that, this will all be your problem.”
TASHA STOOD WAITING as the mages stepped through the shimmering mirror onto a stone pathway. “How was the jump?” the goblin teen asked.
Dreamer and Lyra followed the mages down a grassy green hill that led them to The Garden, the Fairimental’s stronghold on Aldenmor.
“Easy,” Kara replied, distracted by all the commotion in the courtyard. Creatures, big and small, bustled in and out of several newly constructed buildings. Tents had been erected everywhere. The aroma of stews and roasted veggies filled the air, coming from a multitude of cooking pots scattered throughout the encampment.
Adriane zipped her leather jacket. They had left the warm early summer of Ravenswood for the cool wind of fall. Grey skies churned overhead, a portent of colder days to come.
“One good thing about the new web, it’s very stable.” Tasha eyed Emily as she led the mages around the tents. “Portal and mirror jumps should be extremely smooth.”
“What’s going on here?” Adriane asked as spriggans and pixies scurried past, arms full of supplies. The creatures avoided all contact with the mages, giving them a wide berth.
“All available space is being taken by the refugees,” Tasha explained, leading the mages toward the lake.
“Refugees?” Kara asked.
“The Garden is open to all who want shelter,” Tasha explained, walking the mages onto the main grounds.
The normally peaceful sanctuary had become a whirlwind of nervous activity. It seemed half of Aldenmor had set up camp in the rolling hills and sprawling flower-filled fields around the lakeshore. Bright tents of assorted sizes housed trolls, pixies, spriggans, and countless others. Adding to the crowded chaos, the animals who lived full time in The Garden wandered around in clusters, dodging groups of patrolling mistwolves and grazing unicorns. The Garden was filled to capacity.
“They’ve been coming from all over Aldenmor.” Tasha stepped aside to make way for a clan of brownies carrying tents, pots, and supplies. “The Fairimentals are going to address everybody.”
“Finally, someone has a plan,” Kara approved.
The mages crossed a lush meadow as young cats, griffins, and other creatures kept their eyes on the healer, stepping back as she walked by.
“How’s she doing?” Tasha whispered to Kara and Adriane, glancing at Emily, who trailed behind them, her eyes downcast.
“She’ll be okay,” Kara replied, meeting Adriane’s gaze.
“Hey, Emily, look!” Adriane called over her shoulder as she spotted a herd of baby wildebeests and ran over to pet them. The size of hippos, these “babies” would have been extinct if the mages hadn’t healed Aldenmor.
Emily’s face brightened as she joined Adriane, stretching her hand toward the wooly creatures. But her gesture was met with frightened snorts—the babies turned tail and galloped away.
“It’s the dark mage,” a spriggan hissed. “What is she doing here?”
Hundreds of wary eyes focused on the red haired girl.
Emily swallowed hard, her heart aching. “They think I’m going to hurt them again.”
“Memo to Aldenmor,” Kara announced, cupping her mouth like a megaphone. “Emily’s fine. She’s not under the Spider Witch’s spell any longer.”
“So you say,” a purple spriggan fretted, hopping from foot to foot.
“This was a bad idea,” Emily said, wincing as the animals scrambled aside, terrified of the dark mage. “I should leave.”
Kara pulled Emily close as Adriane, Tasha, Dreamer, and Lyra huddled around the worried girl. “It’s okay. We’re right here.”
“We won’t let anything happen to you,” Adriane assured her as the animals pressed close. “You got it?”
Emily nodded.
The warrior and the blazing star marched Emily past the circular amphitheater known as the Fairy Ring. The flower-covered structure was jammed with more refugees.
“Kara!” Lorren ran up to Kara, giving her a quick hug. He nodded to the others and patted Lyra. “How’s Emily doing?”
“Not great.”
Out of nowhere, a joyful roar thundered across The Garden. It came from a fiery red dragon swooping overhead. Skimming across the grassy meadow, he came to a stop as two teenage boys, one blond, and one green, slipped off his back.
“Hi, Mama!” the dragon rumbled happily.
“Drake!” Adriane scritched her baby boy’s nose.
“’Sup?” Zach greeted the warrior, eying the blazing star warily.
Adriane smiled at the blond dragon rider. “That’s what we want to know.”
“Emily!” A tall, handsome merboy beamed at Emily. He wore the traditional garb of the merfolk dragon riders, a wet suit several shades darker than his green skin, which set off the emerald tinge in his brown hair and eyes. A bright star-shaped jewel hung from a chain around his neck. “I’ve been trying to get in touch with you. Didn’t you get my d-fly calls?”
“Hello, Marlin.” Emily stood stiffly as the cute merprince hugged her.
“You should see all the sea dragons you helped save, the hatchlings are humongous!” he said excitedly, oblivious to her coolness.
“That’s nice.” Emily turned her back on him and abruptly walked away.
“Where are you going?” Marlin held up a data crystal. “I have all the egg reports.”
Kara stopped him. “She’s not herself yet.”
Marlin swallowed hard and nodded, hurt and bewildered by Emily’s behavior.
The blazing star smiled sympathetically and turned to rejoin Tasha, but Zach stopped her in her tracks.
Kara hesitated, uncertain. “Hey, Zach.”
Things had been tense between them since she’d taken control of his magic to help save a cave full of sea dragon eggs. But now Kara was even less sure what Zach thought of her. At the Gates of Avalon, she had stabbed Drake, using an enchanted dagger. She’d done it to reach the shadow dragon hiding inside of him. Drake hadn’t been harmed, but Kara understood how protective a mage could be of his bonded.
“Drake told me everything,” Zach said.
Kara nodded, relieved. “I know I was acting pretty crazy, but I would never hurt him.”
“That shadow dragon would have killed him.” Zach patted his bonded dragon.
“And all the other dragons, too,” Drake pointed out. “The shadow dragon wanted to steal their magic.”
“But how did you know it would work?” Zach asked her.
“’Cause I’m the blazing star, that’s how.” Kara grinned.
Adriane gave her a look, then sighed.
Drake snorted a puff of steam as Zach smiled warmly.
“Mages!”
Three wondrous creatures had materialized by the lakeshore: Gwigg, Ambia, and Marina. Green swirls of elemental magic trailed after Gwigg, the Earth Fairimental. A larger and leafier version of Tweek, Gwigg resembled a tumbleweed jammed full of moss and flowers.
“Welcome, mages.” Gentle breezes swirled from the nearly translucent figure of Ambia, the Air Fairimental. The
sun glinted off the gentle curves in her wavy hair and slim figure, making her seem a creature composed of light as much as of air.
Various delegations of spriggans, pixies, fairies, trolls, boggles, and assorted creatures hurried toward them, eager to hear what the Fairimentals had to say.
“We need some answers,” Kara addressed the magical beings. “How do we get back into Avalon?”
“You cannot. The gates are closed and you no longer have the key,” the Earth Fairimental announced. “It is only a matter of time before the Dark Sorceress unleashes a devastating wave of dark magic onto the web.”
Kara exchanged a panicked look with Adriane. This was not what they were expecting the Fairimentals to say.
“How do we stop her?” Kara asked.
“There is only one thing you can do,” Marina the Water Fairimental announced, her watery form shimmering on the lake’s surface.
“Anything we can do to help,” Adriane vowed.
Gwigg continued, “We need your magic to create a shield that will hide us from the sorceress.”
“We will store your magic in the Crystal Keep.” The Water Fairimental pointed at the gleaming dome on the other side of the Fairy Ring.
Adriane frowned. “You asked us here just to charge the batteries for your shield?”
Ambia spoke, her voice floating on the breeze. “The time of magic is over, the mages have failed. Our enemies will find and destroy us.”
“We will fight with every tooth and claw!” Moonshadow growled, leading his mistwolf pack down the grassy hill to the lake.
The mistwolves howled in agreement.
“The sorceress is too strong. We cannot win,” Gwigg responded. “Therefore, we must protect The Garden.”
“What?” Kara blurted. “You’re giving up?”
“The healer became the dark mage,” Gwigg intoned. “Destruction is inevitable.”
Emily lowered her head as the crowd erupted in panicked confusion.
“Why? Why did you betray us?” shouted a spriggan.
“She saved us only to destroy us!” charged a brownie.
“Off with her jewel!” demanded a dwarf.
“One mage has always gone dark before,” Ambia said. “You were the last chance to break the cycle.”
Full Circle (Avalon: Web of Magic #12) Page 4
