Ghost Wolf (Avalon: Web of Magic #9)

by Rachel Roberts

  GHOST WOLF

  Copyright © 2013 Red Sky Entertainment, Inc.

  “Earth Song” Written by Debra Davis ©

  Big Old Soul Music, Lyrics Used by Permission

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher, except where permitted by law.

  Electronic Edition

  Published by Premier Digital Publishing, Inc.

  ISBN-10: 1938582632

  ISBN-13: 978-1-938582-63-9

  Cover art by Allison Strom

  Interior illustrations by Shiei

  “ADRIANE!”

  The explosion of the immense crystals shattered Emily’s call as the healer tried to reach her friend.

  “We have to go now!” Kara pulled Adriane from the crumbling chamber.

  “No!” The warrior shook free from the blazing star. She ran back inside, choking on the dust filled clouds of Black Fire as blasted rock rained from the roof.

  In the center of the chamber, a form shimmered: a lone wolf.

  Stormbringer’s silver coat and warm golden eyes were fading away as she pulled the last of the mistwolves to safety from the Dark Sorceress’s death traps.

  “Storm!” Adriane’s wolf stone ignited in a blaze of light, engulfing the fading wolf in golden fire. “I’m here!”

  But she was too late.

  Storm’s eyes focused on the warrior. “You must let me go.”

  “No!” Adriane cried, tightening her hold. She would never fail Stormbringer, not now, not ever!

  “Don’t leave me!” The warrior reached for her packmate, but her fingers clutched only empty air.

  With a thunderous boom, the chamber collapsed.

  “Storm!”

  THE FULL MOON rose, illuminating the forests of Ravenswood with a cold silver glow. Adriane Charday stood surrounded by the mass of great trees. She could not stop the memories, vivid with pain and terror, from flashing through her mind. The dreams of her first packmate were always the same: Stormbringer sacrificing herself to save the other mistwolves, with Adriane powerless to help her.

  The musky scent of fear filled her senses, a palpable trail on the soft breeze. She swung around, knowing that a doe and her yearling fawn were hiding in the brush behind her.

  Somewhere in the distance, a wolf howled—a high keening note that quickly descended in pitch. Adriane raised her face to the moon and howled. Another joined in, then a chorus echoing through the trees. Mistwolves!

  But something was wrong.

  The wolfsong filled her with inexplicable dread.

  Adriane stood for a moment, listening. A mournful, sliding yowl thrummed through her. Adriane recognized the call instantly. The mistwolves were in danger. The pack was lost, separated from its home. She knew what it was like to be lost and alone.

  She had to help!

  Her black eyes gleamed as she charged through the undergrowth, wildly dodging branches and leaping over fallen logs. She felt her lips draw back in a snarl.

  Suddenly, the forests around her started rippling and distorting. Earthy browns and greens shifted into bizarre blues and reds. Majestic trees took on jagged shapes as their colors wavered into ghostly purple hues. Even the familiar forest scents of pine and loam were lost in this unnatural wood.

  Panic ripped through her. What was happening?

  Adriane plunged ahead, ignoring the sharp brambles, as the forest lurched around her, warping into brilliant silver and red. Terrified, she cried out for help, but only a ragged howl tore from her throat.

  Something flashed in the distance. Her vision, sharpened with wolf’s eyes, locked onto a tower of bright light glowing in the depths of the trees. She ran toward it.

  Adriane barreled headlong into a secluded glade, drawn by feelings she could not name. She looked up at the massive tower, its pinnacle pointing like a stone finger to the sky.

  The Rocking Stone. She was in the magic glade of Ravenswood. Willow trees bordering the lake glowed within the stone’s light, their golden bark pulsing with power.

  Then her wolf senses were picking up something else, as if the forest itself was calling to her, calming her magic.

  A song, rising and falling like a mother’s lullaby, drifted across the glade. Adriane closed her eyes, feeling the magic with her wolf senses, letting the melody soothe her.

  “I have been waiting for you, warrior.”

  Adriane swung around, jewel light slashing across her eyes like fire. “Who’s there?”

  A willow tree near the lakeshore moved, rippling the radiant waters of the lake.

  Adriane approached cautiously and saw her—what appeared to be a tree was a figure, a fairy creature. Adriane knew instinctively that this was the source of the glade’s magic, the heart of Ravenswood. The extraordinary figure raised her head, grassy hair flowing down her back in long curling strands of green and brown. Sinuous branches unfurled into long arms stretching wide to embrace the glade and the surrounding forest. Moonlight danced across the bright flowers dotting her gown of velvety moss. Slender legs twisted down into strong roots.

  The forest creature turned her head expectantly, luminous eyes shifting from green to blue to brown, reflecting all the colors of the forest. Spotting Adriane, a smile as bright as sunlight spread across her beautiful features. “I have watched you with great joy, young warrior.”

  The voice flowed through Adriane, filling her with the sweetness of life.

  “Who—what are you?”

  “I am Orenda, a sylph bonded to this forest.”

  Bonded to the forest? Adriane and her friends, Emily and Kara, certainly knew about bonding with magical animals. It was essential to using their magical abilities. But this was something entirely different.

  Adriane looked closer. Silken threads snaked through the willow’s branches, forming a net that cut like wire. Green oozed from split bark, dripping like blood.

  The sylph shuddered in agony as the webbing tightened.

  Adriane gasped, her heart twisted by the sylph’s pain. “What’s happening to you?”

  “I am sick.”

  A profound sadness swept through Adriane.

  “I cannot protect my forest,” the wondrous creature said, her voice lilting like a soft breeze. “The magic of Ravenswood flows through you now.”

  Suddenly, webbing surged from the shadows, ensnaring Orenda’s willowy arms. The sylph jerked backward, grassy hair crackling. An immense cocoon was forming around her.

  Adriane swooned as dizzying waves of dark magic attacked the forest sylph. Gleaming strands closed tight, crushing the sylph’s graceful limbs with sickening cracks.

  Adriane desperately summoned her magic, her wolf stone casting a blaze of light across the glade. “Tell me what to do!”

  Orenda’s voice was urgent. “The ones that are lost must be found.”

  “Who is lost?”

  “The mistwolves,” the sylph whispered, the song of life all but crushed from her breath.

  Mistwolves? The mistwolves were on Aldenmor. “I don’t understand.”

  A vicious snarl rumbled from the woods.

  Adriane swung into a fighting stance as wolf eyes materialized in the gloom, glittering malevolently.

  The ghostly figure crept from the trees, circling the warrior. The mistwolf was massive. Cold blue light shimmered through its translucent body. One eye glowed blue, the other green. Silver teeth bared, lips pulled back, the creature snarled the death grin of a hunting wolf.

  “You do not belong with the wolves,” it
challenged. “A wolf protects the pack.”

  “Who are you?” Adriane tensed, torn between fleeing and fighting.

  “I am the pack leader,” the wolf snarled.

  “This is my home.” Adriane’s wolf stone blazed in warning. “You are the intruder.”

  The wolf circled, smelling its victim’s fear.

  “I don’t want to hurt you.” Adriane raised her jewel, glints of light edging along her arm.

  “It is your nature, human. You will always hurt the mistwolves.”

  Jaws snapping, the pack leader rushed in without warning, his shoulder ramming Adriane’s left side. Savage magic hit her like an electric shock. The wolf stone exploded in golden light.

  “No!” The air rushed from Adriane’s chest as the massive wolf pinned her to the ground. She tried to move, but her legs and arms were held motionless. Struggling, she rolled over and fell, landing hard.

  Suddenly her eyes flew open, though she hadn’t realized they were closed. Something black as night loomed over her, a snarling shadow barely visible in the darkness. Screaming, she rolled away, desperately trying to free her wolf stone and defend herself.

  The wolf’s wild emerald eyes locked onto her panicked gaze as she wrenched her wrist free, wolf stone sparking dangerously.

  “Dreamer?” Adriane breathed.

  Her packmate’s jet-black fur gleamed, the snowy star upon his chest reflecting the gold of her magic.

  The mistwolf nosed twisted blankets away from her arms and legs, snapping at the air, his hackles raised.

  “Dreamer!” Adriane’s hands flew to protect her face. “It’s okay. It’s me,” she reassured her packmate, taking in the familiar scene of her own room. It had only been a dream.

  The dreamcatchers over her bed caught the moonlight, casting shadows like spider webs.

  “Packmate.” Dreamer’s voice sounded faintly in her mind, as if he were having trouble communicating.

  “Easy.” Adriane knelt and grabbed the wolf gently by the ears and stared at him, nose to nose. “Shhh. It’s okay.”

  She held her friend close, his heart pounding against her own.

  The wolf’s thoughts brushed at the edge of her mind.

  “What’s wrong?” Adriane asked, concentrating on the jagged connection.

  Dreamer stood back, his tail between his legs, ears flattened. No longer snarling, he tilted his head to one side, embarrassed and uncertain.

  A cold fear rushed through her. Something was wrong with his magic.

  Snarling in frustration, the wolf sent a flurry of jumbled images crashing into her mind.

  The forest of Ravenswood caught in the sickly gleam of a terrifying spider web—dark creatures hunting in the pale starlight—her grandmother, motionless, slumped over the kitchen table—

  “Dreamer!” Adriane gasped, reeling from the impact of the horrible images. “Is there something wrong with Gran?”

  Dreamer raised his nose and barked, confirming her fear. Adriane leaped to her feet and raced out of her bedroom, Dreamer on her heels. Fear was thick in her throat as she sped down the stairs and skidded into the kitchen.

  “Gran!” she cried.

  Just as in Dreamer’s vision, her grandmother sat at the round wooden table, slumped over a cup of tea.

  The old woman looked up slowly as Adriane rushed to her side, her face pale and drawn. “Little Bird…”

  “Gran, are you all right?” Adriane asked.

  Gran smiled weakly and gestured to the chair opposite hers. Silver and turquoise bracelets clanked on her thin wrists. Adriane turned and saw hot cocoa steaming in her favorite blue mug, as if Gran had expected her.

  Dreamer lay down near the table, head resting on his paws.

  Sitting down, Adriane closed her hands tightly around the warm drink and studied her grandmother. Nakoda had always been so vital and full of life; it was impossible to mark her with age. But now, deep lines ran from her eyes, creasing her weathered, dark skin like patches of worn leather. Her black eyes were sunken and glassy. Adriane breathed deeper. She had never seen Gran look so—old.

  Gran drew her long white braid over her shoulder. Her tired eyes sharpened and focused on Adriane. “The forest spirit is dying.”

  “The forest spirit?” Adriane echoed. First Dreamer had shown her images from her nightmare, and now it seemed Gran knew about the sylph.

  Gran nodded. “I know you feel it, too, Little Bird. The forest called to you.”

  Adriane fought to appear calm, but her heart was racing. It had been over a year since her parents had first brought her to Ravenswood, but the memory was still fresh. The forest had called to her then as well. It had given her something wonderful. She watched her grandmother study the gem upon Adriane’s wrist. The golden wolf stone pulsed with light.

  “Do you know why I insisted your mother bring you here?” Gran asked.

  Adriane shrugged, her long black hair falling over her face. “She and Dad were busy touring with their art.”

  Gran shook her head. “Your mother never had the gift. But you do.”

  “The forest spirit was just a dream,” Adriane insisted. “Wasn’t it?”

  “Just because it was a dream doesn’t mean it’s not real,” Gran said, a shadow of a smile deepening the wrinkles around her eyes and mouth. Her long, slender fingers reached out and covered Adriane’s precious stone of magic. “I was right to bring you here.”

  Startled, Adriane regarded the jewel on her black and turquoise wristband. She had found the wolf stone in the forest of Ravenswood not long after she had come to live here. Was it all supposed to happen this way? Had she been destined to meet Storm? And then to lose her?

  Gritting her teeth against the tears that always threatened when she thought about Storm, she looked down at her hands. And froze. Black dirt streaked her fingers and nails. Her blue T-shirt and sweatpants were covered with grass stains and mud.

  Frantically, she pushed up the right leg of her pants. Streaks of dried blood marked her ankle—where she had run through the brambles in her dream. Or what she thought had been a dream.

  “The wolves… they call to me, Gran,” she told her grandmother quietly, head bowed. “Sometimes… I dream about running with them and never coming back.”

  Gran nodded, her grip tightening on Adriane’s wrist.

  “It seems Little Bird has found her true name,” Gran said, her tired eyes brightening. “Wolf Sister.”

  THE GOLDEN BROWN ferret’s voice echoed though the Ravenswood Manor library as Adriane walked in. Ozzie read dramatically, arms waving, nose twitching.

  ‘Listen, my friends, to this wondrous tale,

  Of a hero whose courage would not fail.

  When all seemed lost and our fate tragic,

  Along came a princess of strong heart and magic.

  With her jewel of power and fiery steed,

  She saved the Fairy Realms in its hour of need.

  She came from afar; she didn’t come in a car,

  This was the ride of the blazing star!’

  “Woot.” Ariel, a magical snow owl, nodded her feathery head, blinking her giant sky blue eyes. She was perched on the library ladder admiring Kara’s dazzling unicorn jewel. Sun streamed through the bay windows, sending sparkles of white, pink, and red dancing across the high-domed ceiling of the grand library.

  “Not bad,” Lyra, a leopard-like cat, said, washing her shoulder with long licks.

  “What is that, Ozzie?” Emily asked, walking over to the computer console. The workstation was set behind a secret panel in the library wall. Ozzie had officially become the computer expert mage, ordering supplies online for the preserve, as well as handling all the email.

  “Email from the Fairy Realms,” Ozzie reported, his golden ferret stone shining on his leather collar. “‘The Ballad of the Blazing Star.’”

  “Looks like you made quite an impression, as usual.” The red-haired healer smiled at Kara, and then turned to Adriane. “Hey, Adriane. What do
think of the blazing ballad?”

  With a grunt, Adriane plopped on the couch, propping her boots on the long oak table.

  “Are you okay?” Emily asked.

  “Just a little tired.”

  Gran still wasn’t feeling any better, and Dreamer had been agitated all morning. Adriane had been up early, checking the glade. In the light of day, everything seemed normal. No sign of the magical tree sylph. But she knew something was wrong. Seeing all her friends busy in the sunlit library made her hesitant to say anything—especially when she wasn’t even sure what to think herself.

  Adriane brushed her hair away from her face and concentrated on calling Dreamer. The mistwolf, a natural magic tracker, was canvassing the rest of the preserve. He would sniff out anything dangerous.

  Focusing on her wolf stone, she called with her mind. “Dreamer, where are you?”

  Jagged sparks flashed through Adriane’s mind.

  “I’ve never seen anything like it!” Tweek exclaimed, perching next to Ariel. Tweek was a small magical being composed of earth elements. An Experimental Fairimental, he had been assigned to mentor the mages. With Kara’s help, Tweek had augmented his leafy stick-figure body with flowers and vines.

  “It’s incredible, isn’t it?” Kara’s blue eyes sparkled as she twirled the glittering red, white, and pink gem attached to its silver chain.

  “I must say, this is the most impressive jewel I’ve ever seen,” Tweek proclaimed, his twiggy body rattling with excitement. “Of course, I’ve only been around for six weeks.”

  “What does it mean, Tweek?” Emily asked.

  “It means you are now a Level Two blazing star,” Tweek told Kara, his quartz eyes glistening.

  “Yeah, and it totally matches every outfit I own!” The blazing star held the jewel next to her sporty pink running pants, jean jacket, and denim hat embroidered with the Ravenswood logo.

  “That’s an accomplishment,” Lyra observed, green eyes twinkling.

  “Level Two?” Emily asked.

  “It usually takes years to advance to Level Two. You did it in two days!” Tweek rattled. “You’re breaking all the rules.”

  “Not the first time,” Kara quipped.

  “You mean our jewels can change more than once?” Emily asked, studying her rainbow healing gem encased on its silver band.