Spellsinger (Avalon: Web of Magic #5)

by Rachel Roberts

  She scurried up the stairs to the library, determined to do what was right—put the unicorn horn back. Whatever happened onstage later would happen. At least she would do it on her own. She was through with the cheating, the lying. In the end, she knew she had only deceived herself.

  She reached the library door and was surprised to find it unlocked and open a crack. Then she heard sounds from within. Click-clack. Tap-tap-tap.

  Someone was using the computer!

  Kara grabbed the knob and swung the door open, ready to ask Emily or Adriane why the door was unlocked with so many strangers on the grounds.

  But it wasn’t Emily or Adriane at the computer. It was Johnny.

  Johnny Conrad sat at the keyboard to their secret computer, weird images flickering on the screen before him. He looked over at Kara and grinned. “Hey, what’s up?”

  “I—I—” she stammered. Trying to mask her surprise, she ran her hands through her mane of blond hair. “What are you doing in here?”

  The computer was way off-limits to anyone but the girls. The files held all kinds of secrets about… magic.

  Johnny looked confused. “I was just checking my e-mail. Adriane told me it would be okay. What, did I do something wrong?”

  Worried that someone else might walk in, Kara swung the door closed behind her. Johnny seemed relaxed and confident as ever, not at all like someone who was about to perform in front of thousands of people… in about ten minutes! “Aren’t you supposed to be, like, in your dressing room, getting ready?”

  “I don’t have a dressing room. This isn’t exactly the Staples Center, you know,” he joked. “Hey. Check this out. There’s a live web feed of the whole event.”

  Kara walked over and stared at the screen. A window was open. It displayed a live camera view of the stage and great lawns. Had Johnny seen her walking to the manor?

  “Adriane also showed me all these cool files you’ve set up for your website.” Johnny swung back around and hit some keys. Pictures of the animals appeared in windows. “It’s really great.”

  Kara drew a sharp breath. Crossing her arms over her chest, Kara cautiously came closer and got a better look at the screen. Had Adriane completely lost her mind? The girls had made a solemn pact to keep the computer secret!

  “So, you all set for your number?” Johnny got up and stretched like a sleek jungle cat. He moved to one of the large windows overlooking the event out back. The window was open and the sound of laughter drifted up to the library.

  “I guess.” Kara frowned as she joined him. They looked out at the vast crowd. Onstage, techies were finishing the last of the sound and light checks. “So... Adriane let you in here?” she asked.

  “Well, yeah.” Johnny smiled. Then his gaze narrowed. “What—did you think I picked the lock or something? If I wanted to be sneaky I would have snuck in at, like, three in the morning.”

  Good point, Kara realized. Yet...

  “I just don’t get why Adriane would do that,” Kara said suspiciously. “Some of the things we keep in here are… private.”

  For the first time, Johnny looked uncomfortable. “You and Adriane are friends, right?”

  “Of course. Why do you ask that?”

  Johnny pointed out the open window. Chants and cheers began to rise from the happy crowd. “Johnny! Johnny!”

  “Remember what we talked about, about what being a star means?” Johnny asked her.

  “Yes.” Kara felt the locket grow warm against her skin.

  “Stars have to make sacrifices. Look at the crowd out there. When you’re onstage, it’s all for them. ”

  Kara felt the excitement of performing starting to build.

  “They expect the best you can be,” Johnny reminded her, “and you have to deliver, no matter what it takes. Being one in a million means standing alone. It changes everything. People you thought were friends can turn on you, betray you.”

  The words snaked into Kara’s mind. Adriane has always been jealous of me.

  Johnny looked at her with his dark, soulful blue eyes. “How well do you really know Adriane?”

  Kara was taken aback. Had he read her mind? “I’ve only known her for a few months… Why?”

  “When you’re a star, friends can do things, act weird. Has anything happened recently? Anything that, I dunno, might have changed her?”

  The locket sparkled, tingling against her skin—and suddenly, Kara thought about the time Adriane had spent on Aldenmor... and in the Dark Sorceress’s dungeon. Was it possible that Adriane had come back changed somehow? That maybe the Dark Sorceress had gotten to her, had made her evil? It would sure explain why Adriane had been acting like such a little witch lately.

  “Adriane... went away for a little while,” Kara said. “She met some not-so-nice people.”

  “I’ve seen it before.” Johnny rubbed his temples. “Listen, I hate to be the one to tell you this, but it’s for your own good.”

  “What? Tell me,” Kara demanded.

  “Your friend Adriane has been asking me and Inky, right from the beginning, how she can get a record contract. She wants to sing her own song, which Inky thinks could be a single, onstage at the concert.”

  Kara flinched. The locket was even warmer now—but nowhere near as fiery as her anger. “What else?”

  “She said… she should be the blazing star. Not you.”

  Kara was speechless.

  Johnny nodded. “Does that mean anything to you? Was that, like, supposed to be a name you wanted to record under?”

  “I… I don’t believe that,” Kara stammered.

  Johnny’s eyes filled with sympathy. “Well, she’s in the ballroom right now, rehearsing.”

  Her brow furrowed in confusion and anger. She spun around and started pacing. “I cannot believe that girl!” Kara yelled. “She told me she wasn’t going to sing onstage. We had a deal!”

  Johnny watched her. “I’m sorry. But like I said, when you’re a star, friends can turn on you.”

  The locket flared—Kara was enraged. How could Adriane do this to her?

  Spellsinging under his breath so softly she wouldn’t hear it, wouldn’t detect his lips moving at all, he exerted just enough influence. He had to be careful, the talisman could focus her blazing star magic, but it was no match for the magic of the unicorns.

  “Why did you come to the library, Kara?”

  “Huh? I was going to return something…”

  “Remember what I said. You need to use whatever you can to show the world that you are the blazing star. That’s the only way you can beat Adriane.” A slight smile played across Johnny’s lips.

  “Oh, don’t worry about that. I am going to blaze so bright the entire audience will need sunglasses!” She didn't give another thought to returning the unicorn horn or leaving Johnny alone in the library. Kara stormed out of the room.

  The only thing she cared about right now was dealing with Adriane once and for all!

  Johnny Conrad watched her go. A cruel smile appeared on his perfect face.

  He hummed the first few notes of “Shine Your Light” and spread his fingers. A twinkling ball of stars winked into existence, floating in midair. He grinned as he stared at the sparkling fairy map, bright silver stars in its center, waiting to shine... so much like a blazing star.

  He was, of course, much more powerful than Kara as a spellsinger, but magic was more than spellsinging… much more.

  “Poor, confused little Kara,” Johnny sneered, raising his hand and touching the floating orb.

  The little fool. He knew her weaknesses, her vulnerabilities... She was so pathetically easy to read—and to manipulate. Completely ruled by emotions and with no gem of her own. Getting her to use the unicorn horn had been easy, although he had been surprised how powerful the magic was in her hands. But even that had proved a blessing in disguise. He chuckled at his selection of words.

  With her power—strengthened by her use of the unicorn horn—his spellsong could not fail. Ka
ra would spellsing the words that would unlock the fairy map. The portals between this world, Aldenmor, and Avalon itself would open in just the right order, laying the path for the sorceress to do as she pleased.

  He had to make very sure that Kara sang her song tonight. The locket could help to sway her, influence her, but it could not control her completely.

  There was one final thing left to do: to make her use her magic with enough force to trigger the map. She had to let her fire rage—and turn completely against her friends.

  He smiled, his voice musical, chiming and tremulous. Before him, the fairy map returned to its invisible hiding place. “Places to go, people to be...”

  Closing his eyes, he stood by the open window. He concentrated, reaching out with his otherworldly senses.

  “Show time,” Johnny said. Throwing his arms open wide, he allowed his form to shimmer and change, to melt as his arms transformed to wings. His body morphed into a large, dark bat.

  With a flutter of wings, the Skultum flew out the window.

  THROWING OPEN THE double doors, Kara stomped into the large ballroom. The clip-clop of her boots against the hardwood floors echoed in the empty space. All of the band’s equipment had been moved out. The formal dining table, which had been moved to the side, was covered with bottles of water, fresh fruit in large bowls, and platters with sandwiches, cakes, and other leftover sweet treats. Drapes covered the immense windows, leaving the room dark.

  Kara stopped and stared in utter amazement as she saw what hung on the walls. The heavy wood-framed pictures of wilderness scenes were gone. In their place were posters, each featuring Adriane singing, dancing, and playing guitar. They read: #1 HOT HOT HOTTIE, THE NEW MUSIC SENSATION, OOPS, I WIN AGAIN!

  Kara was stunned.

  Suddenly, a spotlight splashed onto the wood floor at one end of the room. From the dark shadows, Adriane stepped into the center of it. She was decked out in shiny silver pants, black crop top emblazoned with the words Rock ‘N Roll Warrior, silver boots, and sunglasses. Her hair was layered in streaks of red, gold, and pink. She had a sparkling purple metal-flake guitar strapped across her back. With a swift martial arts move, she swung the guitar in position and strummed a loud chord.

  The chord filled the room, resonating with power. Kara stood in total shock as Adriane began to sing.

  One, two—take a look at you

  You’re standing there, you think I care

  But don’t you know

  Anything you can do

  I can do better

  The spotlight followed Adriane as she moved around the room, singing and dancing like a superstar.

  Three, four—you’re such a bore

  It’s all about me, can’t you see

  That in the end

  Anything you can do

  I can do better

  “That’s enough!” Kara yelled in fury.

  Adriane strummed the guitar one more time, then swung it back over her shoulder. “And that’s just my warm up number,” she said coolly.

  “You look totally… stupid!” Kara announced.

  Adriane laughed. “You’re funny.”

  Kara crossed her arms. “We had a deal! You said you weren’t going to sing in the show.”

  “I said I wasn’t going to sing in the contest! You’re the one sneaking around getting your own spot! Why shouldn’t I get my own spot? I’m so much better than you’ll ever be!” Adriane taunted her.

  “Are not!” Kara yelled.

  “Am, too!” Adriane retorted.

  “Not!”

  “Too!”

  “You think all this magic is going to make you a star?” Kara waved her arm around the room.

  “Hey, you started it,” Adriane said, cruel glimmers of dark delight dancing in her eyes. “You’re the one who cheated. You stole the horn.”

  Kara’s face flushed. How had Adriane discovered that?

  “So don’t lecture me about magic, cheater!” Adriane snickered.

  Kara shook her head. “This can’t be happening.”

  “But it is,” Adriane said, walking to the table and taking a swig from a water bottle. She chucked the plastic bottle against the wall and swung her guitar into position. “You know what you are? You’re a blazing dud! I’m the one who’s going to shine tonight!”

  “That’s my spot and no one’s going to take it from me!” Kara shot back angrily.

  Adriane spun around and played a fast series of notes, fingers running up the guitar neck, sending out sounds so loud Kara thought they’d make her head explode. Adriane played faster and jumped, doing a split in the air. She landed, stomping her boots on the floor. A fiery crimson streak of energy ripped from the instrument and slammed into the wall, missing Kara by inches.

  “Hey! This is my new jacket!”

  Adriane strolled to the table and tasted a piece of cake while Kara struggled to her feet.

  “I don’t know what’s gotten into you,” Kara said quickly, “but there’s only one spot open in the show. And that spot is for me!”

  Adriane giggled. She gripped her guitar again. “Really? You think you’re gonna be up for that, Miss Clueless, or should I say, Miss Jewel-less?”

  Kara saw Adriane's lips begin to move, and a soft song rose into the air. Was Adriane spellsinging? Then, whirling, Adriane jammed on her guitar, letting loose another volley of crimson bolts at Kara.

  But this time, Kara was ready for her. She leaped out of the way, holding up the unicorn horn like a light saber.

  Desperately, she tried to remember the spellsongs she had seen. The “Spell of Silence” came to her—but the words were all scrambled. For some reason, she just couldn’t remember it right. Other spellsongs flashed in her mind. All she needed was a chance, a few seconds to deliver one of the songs—

  “Look at you!” Adriane sneered. “You’re magically impaired!”

  Kara gripped the horn tight. “Be... quiet!”

  Power rippled through Kara, and Adriane darted back, her fingers moving over the frets in a blur. A crackling red shield appeared around her. The shield buckled in a half dozen places as the magic from the unicorn horn crashed into it—but it didn’t yield.

  “What’s the problem, Kara?” Adriane asked, her guitar wailing again, crimson sparkles of energy surrounding her. “Can’t take the heat? You gonna wimp out onstage, too?”

  “Stop it!” Kara commanded. The table rattled with energy. A chocolate layer cake lifted and smashed into Adriane’s face, making her gasp in surprise.

  Kara laughed.

  Wiping off the chocolate, Adriane walked to the table and eyed the row of pastries. “Messy, huh?”

  Kara’s eyes went wide. “Oh no! Don’t even think it!”

  Adriane strummed the guitar again. Kara dove into the corner, waving the horn about, expertly defending her clothes from flying fruit, cookies, pretzels, and dip.

  Kara stood up triumphantly. Then she looked down. There was a big stain right on the front pocket of her jacket! “That’s it!” she screamed.

  Holding up the horn, Kara sent a blazing arc of blue fire hurtling across the room, exploding into the table, sending food, dishes, and Adriane flying. Adriane landed with a graceless oomf! as her crimson shield faded away.

  “The truth is, you don’t have what it takes,” Adriane shot back, rising on wobbly legs. “I’m the one Johnny really wants to sing with.”

  “You are, like, so deluded!” Kara said, raising the horn again. “I’m glad I took the horn!” She tingled with delight—and felt matching warmth against her heart from Johnny’s locket—as Adriane’s face went pale.

  “So I can teach you a lesson,” Kara said, advancing on the other girl. “Lesson one: You have no... taste!”

  Kara waved the horn in a circle like a wand, releasing sparkles of magic. The posters glowed with light, and suddenly the pictures of Adriane were all replaced by images of Kara. She was dressed in the coolest outfits, singing and dancing like a star. A blazing star!
>
  Kara smiled in satisfaction. She was ready to rock!

  CAROLYN FLETCHER DROVE the green Explorer through the gates of Ravenswood. Emily sat in the passenger seat, nervously looking out the window. Cars were parked along the driveway backing up past the gate and all the way down Tioga Road. Crowds of people were walking toward the back of the preserve, some carrying picnic baskets.

  “Look at all these cars,” Carolyn commented. “This is really incredible, Em. And all the people! I can’t wait to see Mrs. Windor’s face when she—”

  “Healer!”

  Emily jumped against the shoulder strap. “Storm?”

  “It’s a beautiful day, hon,” Carolyn said to her. “No chance of a storm.”

  “Come quickly!”

  “What is it?” Emily frantically scanned the grounds.

  “It’s just a bit of traffic. Emily, are you all right?”

  “Adriane has been hurt! We’re at the cottage.”

  “Mom! Stop the car!”

  “What?”

  “Let me out! I have to… fix something!”

  Carolyn pulled the car to the side as Emily bolted out the door. “I’ll catch up to you later!” she yelled as she ran across the front lawn to the far side of the manor.

  Storm practically bowled her over as she rounded the cobblestone path to Adriane’s cottage. The mistwolf’s fur bristled with distress.

  “Something’s happened to her,” Stormbringer said.

  Emily burst through the front door. Adriane was on the floor. Gran lay on the couch. Emily ran to Adriane and checked her pulse. Then she moved to check Gran.

  “Ahhhh!”

  Emily swung around at the scream. Ozzie stood in the doorway, mouth open. He was flanked by Lyra, Ronif, and a few other quiffles. Four pegasii stood behind him along with brimbees, wommels, and pooxim, all peering into the cottage.

  Ozzie ran over and looked into Adriane’s face. “She’s dead!”

  “No, Ozzie,” Emily said calmly. “She’s sleeping. So is Gran.”

  Ozzie flopped to the floor. “Thank goodness.”