Everything was a mass of shadows and mist as the woodlands rushed past. Kara leaned forward, Goldie clutched close. She watched the timber begin to thicken steadily around them as they charged through leaf-strewn gullies, leaping over deep hollows and log jammed ravines.
Suddenly, Kara was jolted forward, nearly knocked off, as Starfire reared and spun. Flashes of black fur and snarling teeth were all Kara saw as the horse erupted in flames. Something huge had lunged into their path, sideswiping the stallion. The ridge-backed beast stood upright like a man, with a long, spiked tail keeping it balanced. Massive claws on long fingers flailed as it sprang forward on powerful legs. Kara’s jewel blasted diamond light, throwing the beast back as Starfire charged forward.
Three more of the things leaped from behind trees, trying to bring down the stallion.
“Are you okay?” Kara cried, watching fire trail behind them in long tendrils.
“Yes, hang on!” Starfire barreled between two beasts, knocking them apart.
Before them lay a twisting path of glowing purple trees arcing through the forest.
“They must be markers,” Kara exclaimed. “Follow them!”
Starfire galloped onto a wide path laid out like a bright racecourse. As he passed each purple tree, their trunks and branches flashed and glimmered back to green, illuminating the whole forest with an eerie emerald glow.
They were far from safe—more and more creatures were joining the race, closing in from all sides. There were packs of scaly lizards and dozens of snarling wolf-like creatures, all charging after them.
Two lizards blocked the stallion’s path, heedless of Starfire’s flaming hide. But the stallion leaped high, trailing fire over their howling fury.
Starfire staggered as he hit the ground, stumbling, unable to stop Kara from pitching forward. She watched in horror as Starfire lost all form, erupting into pure flame, then sprang instantly back to his horse shape. Fear ripped through her. Starfire was fading fast.
“Hang on, Starfire!” she cried. She could feel his magic depleting as if it were her own. The spell that Tangoo had used to create him had an expiration date; it was never designed to last. Now, whatever magic he had left, he was giving to Kara in a last desperate race to save the Fairy Realms.
Starfire plunged through towering oaks and elms that surged from the ground like massive spears. And still the creatures came after them.
Kara saw the line of purple trees end a short distance ahead, seeming to lead into a wide clearing. “We’re almost there!” she shouted.
They shot through the last line of trees like a blazing comet, streaking full force onto the field.
Behind them they heard the rush of mighty winds as the forest gave up its magic. Spirals of golden magic surged from the trees and launched into the field, drawn to the fire stallion and rider. Kara pulled Starfire in a tight circle.
She reached out, firing shafts of light from her fingers. She only had seconds to create the talisman.
“We are fire!” Starfire filled her with power.
“There it is!” Kara cried. A brilliant golden stone, sparkling with the magic of sun fire flew toward them.
Urging the horse forward, Kara sent her magic to ensnare the last talisman. The golden sunstone gushed light as she jammed it into the bag with the other talismans. The bag billowed, the elemental magic binding together in a storm of dazzling power.
“Go, go, go!”
Streaming magic, the stallion raced forward.
“Where’s the last mirror?” Kara cried to Starfire and Goldie, wind whipping her hair into her eyes. She scanned the area. Deep woods lay to the right, left, and behind her. Ahead lay a vast, open plain with rolling hills. Then something sparkled over the next hill, reflecting sunlight. “There!”
Despite the intense power surrounding the trio, Starfire was slowing down. Fearfully, Kara glanced behind them. The pack of beasts had broken from the woods and was gaining on them.
“Starfire, take the magic!” she screamed, pushing the bag of talismans against his fiery hide. “Use it for yourself!”
The horse ignored her. Head lowered, he pushed faster, shimmering in and out of shape.
Kara felt it before she saw it. The air above her rented, splitting open with a jagged tear. An incredible glittering jewel of blues and greens skimmed behind her just out of reach, gliding on the air streams of elemental magic.
The power crystal! The talismans had done what they were supposed to, attracted the power crystal of Avalon.
Behind them, the horde of beasts closed in, howling and roaring, driven mad with the desire for magic.
Starfire raced up an incline and skidded to an abrupt stop, fire spilling across the damp ground.
Kara’s heart sank.
It wasn’t a mirror she had seen reflecting the light.
Before them stretched an immense lake with deep blue waters as smooth as glass.
No way could the horse bound over it. It would be death for the fire stallion to jump into it. Kara swung Starfire around, but it was too late.
The creatures were fanning out on all sides, surrounding them, edging closer and closer.
The power crystal bobbed gently, floating on the mass of elemental magic behind her. She desperately tried to pull the crystal to her, but every second that went by, she felt the stallion fading away, and with it, her own magic.
Suddenly she heard the thwack-thwack of flapping wings overhead. A giant bat dove into the charging beasts. Glittering sword flashing, the masked rider shouted and screamed, fighting the monsters and pushing them back.
“Lorren!”
Kara jumped off Starfire, hit the ground, and slipped, the world spinning dizzyingly around her. She was so weak. But she grabbed the silver pack of talismans and struggled forward, each step a Herculean effort. Screaming, Kara reached out, desperately trying to pull the power crystal toward her.
“Over here! Throw it here!”
Suddenly, another bat and masked rider swooped from the skies. A second Forest Prince? What was going on?
“Princess, throw it to me!” the first boy yelled, struggling to block the magic-starved beasts from advancing.
Goldie fluttered wildly about Kara’s head, blocking the second masked rider’s grasping hands.
She blinked in disbelief. One of them was the real Lorren. The other, an imposter. She hesitated, not knowing which Lorren to trust.
“Princess, I’m the real me!” the first boy yelled as the beasts pushed past him, advancing on Kara. “Can’t you see what he’s trying to do?”
Goldie shot in front of Kara protectively.
“Don’t believe that imposter!” the other rider called.
“Hey, look! Magic!” the first masked rider yelled to the creatures. Pulling out a small, clam-shaped object, he flipped it open.
“Princess! You’re so pale!” the object exclaimed. “Do you need some blush?”
It was Mirabelle! Kara searched her pockets frantically. She must have dropped the small compact when she escaped from the Spider Witch’s lair.
“Ahhh!” The mirror screamed shut as the horde of beasts turned and grabbed for the enchanted object. Lorren took off, the mass of creatures giving chase.
“Lorren!” That had to be Lorren. But then who was the other—
The second rider angled his bat and swatted Goldie away. With a black-gloved hand, he reached out and wrested the bag of elemental talismans from Kara. She was too weak to resist.
The power crystal swerved away from Kara and flew to the rider.
“What are you doing?” she shouted.
“What I’m trying to do is remove that pimply pimpernel of a prince from ever irritating me again,” the masked rider cackled.
“Tangoo!” Kara exclaimed.
“Oh come now, don’t act so surprised. You think I could stand one more day listening to that constant bickering? Fairies complaining, goblins fighting, trolls bellowing, elves whining, do this, Tangoo, do that, Tangoo, s
ave us, Tangoo, blah, blah, blah!” he groused. “I’m amazed I didn’t turn myself into quicksilver!”
Fear tore through Kara as realization struck home.
The sorcerer’s black eyes shone behind the dark mask. “The time has come for a new order in the Fairy Realms and the construction of a new web.”
“Lyra, what about Lyra?” Kara sobbed.
“Ah, yes. I know how strong the bond is between mages and their animals. How could you resist getting the crystal for me?” He laughed. “My quicksilver spells work much too well. Say bye-bye to your wretched kitty.”
It wasn’t Kara’s magic that hurt Lyra! This was all set up, carefully orchestrated by Tangoo. Now he was going to steal the power crystal and blame the whole thing on the Forest Prince. She had been wrong about Lorren from the start.
“Nice job collecting the magic, Princess, but I have a much better use for it.” Tangoo held up the bag of talismans in one hand and turned the power crystal toward the lake. Light flashed from the crystal, spilling over the waters. The surface glimmered with intense blue, then rippled to gray as the entire lake transformed into solid quicksilver.
“The lake is the last mirror!” Kara realized.
“Kara,” Starfire was on his knees, breathing hard, fire streaming from his form. He struggled to stay whole, but Kara felt his Firemental magic breaking away. There wasn’t much time left until he dissolved into pure elemental energy.
“He needs the talismans!” Kara screamed to Tangoo.
“The Firemental has served his purpose beyond all my expectations,” Tangoo said, smiling evilly. “In fact, so have you, Princess.”
Kara felt the magic drain from her. She fell to the stallion’s side, hugging him fiercely, as if she could keep his life from slipping away.
“Please,” Kara pleaded. “He needs the elemental magic!”
“And I just happen to have an extra-special talisman, just for him.” Tangoo reached into his pocket and held up a sparkling dark blue flower.
“No!” Kara screamed, realizing what it was. The second Blue Rose.
But it was too late. Tangoo threw the deadly magic at the stallion. The talisman exploded into Starfire. Sparkling black energy raced over his body, eating away the last of the elemental spell.
Starfire’s eyes locked with Kara.
“Remember me,” he said. The horse erupted into a final ball of flame and vanished.
Kara was hurled backward. She tumbled down the incline, sliding out across the slippery surface of the lake mirror.
“Time to say bye-bye, Princess,” the goblin sorcerer sneered.
Helpless and too weak to stop it, Kara’s unicorn jewel exploded with the last of her power. She was enveloped in light as a crackling beam shot from the lake and sizzled through the air. All of her magic was wrested from her, reflected into a blazing beacon reaching high in the sky.
Already weakened by constant lighting, the sky crackled and ripped, revealing a swirling mass of electric purple. Her breath caught in a silent scream. She was looking into the Otherworlds.
Kara felt the mirror drop away below her as she fell through—and landed with blinding lights shining in her face and the thunder of applause in her ears.
Kara blinked the light from her eyes, expecting to see fairies and elves and trolls in the Fairy Ring.
Instead, she saw her math teacher, her brother, and the entire student body of Stonehill Middle School on their feet, clapping.
The mirror had dropped her center stage, right in the middle of the school play.
KARA STOOD FROZEN in shock, the last of her radiant magic drifting away like dying embers. Her jewel lay cold and lifeless against her heaving chest. Starfire was gone, and soon the Fairy Realms would follow. And Lyra. All because of her.
Eyes stinging with tears, she looked offstage, desperately searching for Emily.
“I will sing! Hee Honk!” A familiar sounding boy was standing next to her, wearing an amazingly realistic donkey costume. Even his long hairy ears were twitching. “That they shall hear I am not afraid.”
She then remembered the play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Adam was reading the character of Nick Bottom, who gets turned into a donkey. He didn’t even notice she had just crashed the play.
A tall girl with long blond hair wearing a bright pink fairy princess costume hung on the donkey’s arm—was that Adriane?
“I pray thee gentle mortal, sing again,” Adriane read dramatically from the donkey’s book. “Mine ear is much enarmour’d of thy note.”
Kara gasped at hearing her own voice coming from the warrior’s mouth.
“Holy Gah!”
Offstage, Ozzie was hopping up and down, waving his gleaming ferret stone. He was trying to contain Barney, Fred, Blaze, and Fiona inside Emily’s backpack as they chattered with Goldie.
Thank goodness Goldie was okay.
Emily stood next to them, face scrunched in concentration, her rainbow jewel pulsing. But Kara couldn’t hear what the healer was trying to say.
Finally Emily just blurted out, “Kara! Can you hear me?”
“It’s gone!” Kara wailed. “It’s all gone.”
Tiffany, Heather, and Molly, their eyes twinkling under the spell of love, tackled Musso, sliding across the stage in a heap. Heather plopped French fries down the hobgoblin’s mouth. “Here you go, my dashing, handsome, lovebug!”
Molly held a plate piled high with chocolate treats. “Sweets for my gorgeous green cookie.”
“Splaff!” Fries flew out of Musso’s mouth as the hobgoblin met Kara’s gaze. “Princess!” He scrambled to his feet, looking everywhere. “There must be a portal here somewhere!”
The three fairies chased after him as Kyle suddenly sprinted across the stage.
“Be gone, thou fawning, dizzy-eyed giglet!” he screamed.
Hot on his heels, Rae charged after him. “Come hither, thou cutiest patootiest!”
They plowed through the Fairy Ring, running circles around the actors.
Had the entire world gone nuts? Kara felt a nudging at her side. “Here,” the donkey whispered, shoving a book into her hands and pointing to lines.
She stared at the book—it was the scene where her character, Queen Titania, falls in love with the Nick Bottom donkey.
“Wow! Two fairy queens!” someone in the audience exclaimed, as others cheered.
“Cool outfit,” someone called out.
“Ride on, Titania!”
Startled, Kara blurted out her line, “What angel wakes me from my flower bed—” and burst into tears.
“She’s good.”
Zzzappp!
A beam of golden wolf magic prickled up Kara’s arm.
“Ouch!” Kara staggered back.
The audience, riveted now, clapped at the innovative special effects.
Adriane grabbed the donkey, gem blazing. “Nobody sweet-talks my hee-hunk!”
Someone wearing a paper-mache’ wall costume suddenly ran onstage, pushed past the three leaping fairies and hopping hobgoblin, and stood between the two queens. A rainbow gem glowed from the wall’s wrist, protruding from the costume’s side.
“Emily!” Kara cried. “Everything’s gone wrong! My magic is all gone, I lost Starfire, and Lyra’s almost melted, the goblin sorcerer betrayed everyone, he’s opening the Otherworlds, Lorren is being chased by monsters, the Fairy Realms are falling apart—”
“What page is that?” the donkey asked, scratching his head.
“I have to go back!” Kara exclaimed, holding up her jewel.
“Put the jewel down and step away from the donkey!” Adriane yelled, storming around the wall.
“What is with her?” Kara asked.
“They’re all under love spells,” Emily explained. “Courtesy of the d-flies.”
Kara gulped. So that was what Goldie had intercepted in Tangoo’s lab!
Musso barged over. “Where’s the portal?”
Heather, Tiffany, and Molly scrambled after the hobgob
lin.
Adriane raised her glowing wolf stone.
Everyone onstage was crowding around Kara.
“Starfire!” she cried. “I need you!”
Whoosh!
A fireball hurtled over the astonished audience and landed onstage.
The flames shimmered and took shape.
Kara’s breath caught in her throat.
Strong and proud, the magnificent fire stallion stood before her.
“Starfire!” Kara flung her arms around his neck, sobbing in disbelief.
Magic surged through her, filling her jewel with fire and her heart with joy.
The stallion looked down, and Kara followed his gaze. Set into his powerful flaming chest was a gleaming crystal, pulsing with magic.
“You got it!” Kara exclaimed.
“Our magic attracted a second power crystal,” the stallion explained.
“Two crystals!” She turned to Emily and gasped. “We got two crystals!”
“It’s those Ravenswood girls with their wild animals!” Kara’s math teacher yelled disapprovingly.
“That is one amazing costume,” the drama teacher gaped. “It really looks like it’s on fire!”
“What kind of stunt is this?” the principal demanded.
Kara stammered.
Emily swept off the wall costume and smiled broadly to the audience. “We’d like to take this opportunity to announce the blazing-hot new tourist season at the Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve!” she cried out. “Everyone is invited to come on over and meet the animals! You won’t believe your eyes!”
Emily took a bow as the audience cheered the impressive publicity stunt.
Kara leaped onto the stallion’s back, her heart soaring as the magic rushed through her, fueled by the love of her bonded horse.
“Kara, give me a boost,” Emily said. “Let’s break these spells.”
Aided by Starfire’s strength, the blazing star reached out and grasped Emily’s hand. Instead of a flashy magic flare, Kara sent soft tendrils into Emily’s jewel.
The healer smiled, impressed by Kara’s elegant control. Her rainbow gem glowed bright blue, sending a spark of magic to the wolf stone on Adriane’s wrist.
The warrior blinked and shook her head, staring incredulously at the fire stallion. “Kara? What’s going on? Are you all right?”
All's Fairy in Love and War (Avalon: Web of Magic #8) Page 13
