Dark Mage (Avalon: Web of Magic, Book 11) (9 page)

Emily marched after the kobolds. Gray mist surrounded her, thick and suffocating, as if they were walking through murky water. Suddenly the fog vanished and she was standing in bright clear sunlight.

The kobolds wailed, shivering with fear.

Emily stared at the unbelievable vista before her, barely able to speak. “Oh… my…”

“Gah!”

“L
OOK AT THIS
place!” Kara whirled around, trying to take in everything at once.

The blazing star, Goldie, and Lyra had materialized on a wide promenade. Dozens of boutiques with windows tinted pink, purple, and green circled a splashy fountain of dancing waters. Jumbo screens flashed holographic ads against a pastel dome.

“She’s here!” A small purple spriggan twirled toward her, waving his arms excitedly.

As if on cue, a musical fanfare soared through the air with a dramatic flurry of bells and horns. Hundreds of excited fairy creatures tumbled out of storefronts, converging on Kara in a wave.

“Where are we?” Kara asked, startled by her welcome.

“Exactly where you want to be!” Three frog-like boggles wearing red tuxedos appeared behind her, nearly crying with joy.

“You have arrived in the greatest place on the web,” the first boggle declared.

“The Fashion Realm!” the second boggle cried proudly.

Kara’s eyes widened. “The Fashion Realm?”

“The best mall in the universe!” the crowd chorused.

“YippEE!” Kara squealed.

Colorful pixies and sprites swarmed around the blazing star. “We are here for you.”

“And you.” A silver sprite waved at Lyra.

“You, too.” A tiny green fairy pointed at Goldie.

Kara paused. “How did we get here?” she demanded of the fairy creatures.

Just a minute ago, she’d been buried in gross spider gunk. And now she was in, without a doubt, the most awesome place on the web. Definitely weird.

The boggles bowed. “Your wish is our command.”

Kara glanced at the amazing unicorn-shaped power crystal in her hands. The bright jewel swirled as if alive, responding to her every touch.

“What magic!” A pack of purple pixies flitted around Kara. “Let us bathe in your brilliance.”

Kara beamed, running a hand through her blonde tresses. “Ew.”

Her hair was streaked with dried spider goop, her suede jacket and jeans stained green.

Lyra shook her rear foot and growled at her muck-matted fur.

“We need a bath.” Goldie wrinkled her little nose, pulling icky strands from her wings.

Kara sighed. “I wish there was a salon here.”

Suddenly every fairy, pixie, spriggan, and sprite broke into dance. Like spinning tops, blazing star and blazing bondeds were ushered into a glorious salon and plopped into three custom sized shampoo chairs. Carrying armloads of supplies, the fairy creatures burst into song:

“Now this is what I call customer service,” Kara approved as a delighted fairy flew up and offered her a frosty glass. “Mmmm, my fave, raspberry lemonade.”

Dozens of sprites gently massaged her scalp, shampooing and conditioning her hair in a flurry of sweet smelling bubbles.

“Manicure, pedicure?” Two impeccably dressed sprites swooped to her side with a basket of pink nail polish, files and buffers. They beamed at Goldie and Lyra. “Wingicure, clawicure?”

The unicorn power crystal sat on the sink, pulsing hypnotically, bathing Kara’s face in swirling pink light. That’s odd, she thought dreamily, didn’t I just put that in my pocket?

“
Only Kara gives me a bath!”
Lyra tried to shake off the pixies rubbing and scrubbing at her.

“These fur care products are one hundred percent organic from the purest natural botanicals, flowers, fruits, and berries,” a blue pixie told the cat.

“Really?”

“Rose scented, too.”

“Excellent!” Kara yelled.

In her little chair, Goldie sat wrapped in a tiny robe, watching her wing tips and claws being polished and painted sunshine gold. The sprites sized up her cowlick before giving it a deftly designed clip.

The swelling chorus filled the salon over the hum of the blow dryers.

Rainbow light sparkled as Kara spun out of the salon, smiling and waving to her adoring fairy fans. Her beautiful face appeared on the jumbotron screens throughout the mall, lustrous hair swirling, shining, and rippling in golden waves around her.

“She’s energized, sparkilized, and dancersized!” the boggles chanted, applauding.

Lyra ran after her.
“Kara, shouldn’t we be heading back?”

But Kara was in the groove, dancing with the crowd through the mall.

“Lyra!” Kara suddenly screamed.

With a ferocious roar, Lyra leaped to her bonded, ready to protect her.
“What is it?”

“Look!”

Colorful signs adorned every storefront:

TODAY ONLY, BLAZING STARS TAKE 99% OFF!

“Grrrrr!”
Lyra grrrred.
“You’re under a shopping spell.”

Then she saw it.

“Blingo.”

Kara rushed inside the boutique directly in front of her. In the window floated a knee-length, crimson satin dress with tiny rhinestone stars glittering along the hem. It was so beautiful she thought she would cry. How amazing would she look wearing this to the school dance?

But wait! Next to that was another even more perfect outfit. A jade jersey halter dress and next to that was a scarlet ruched taffeta dress and jackets with fur trim—

“Stop the spell!” Kara commanded in a blaze of jewel bits.

The music echoed away as she examined the collar closely. “Is that faux fur?”

“Of course,” the shop spriggan answered. “The finest in synthetics.”

“All righty then.” Kara beamed, then frowned. “Does this come in my size?”

“What do you wear?”

“Four.”

“They’re all size four!” the spriggan cried.

“Woo-hoo!” Kara yelped, stomping around Lyra.

Goldie joyfully somersaulted over Kara. “Do you have anything in a size .02?”

“Absotootly!” The spriggan beamed.

“Ooo, I can’t decide.” Kara skipped from store to store.

“Kara!”
Lyra bolted after the blazing power shopper.

A dozen dwarves leaped into the air, then landed in a row with arms crossed, feet kicking out.

Spriggans and pixies cartwheeled out of their stores carrying cashmere wraps, chiffon dresses, jackets and—

“Shoes!” Kara was so happy she could barely breathe.

Glorious shoes in every style and color, pair after pair, each more awesome than the last.

“I’ll take those!” She pointed to a pair of strappy gold heels. “And that and that and that!”

Wrapped shoeboxes and shopping bags flew through the air practically burying Goldie as the d-fly tottered beneath the growing pile.

“That should last me until back to school shopping.” Kara grinned in satisfaction.

Pixies chased Lyra with pink, silver, and rhinestone collars.

“I don’t need a new collar, I have thirty-five already!”
the cat yelled.
“Kara!”

“Amazing!” Kara leaped and shouted. She grabbed Lyra’s front paws and danced her back and forth, caught in a frenzied fashion fever.

“Snap out of it!”
Lyra roared. “
We have to find the unicorns!”

“Not now, this is everything I ever wanted!”

Arms held high, Kara shimmied and swayed. The music picked up, moving faster and louder.

Beaming, Kara headed toward the shiny escalators. There were at least three levels she hadn’t even seen!

“Kara!”
Lyra pushed through a wall of gift boxes, locking her green eyes on her bonded’s.
“You’re under a spell.”

“Must… fight it… stop… shopping!” Goldie landed on Kara’s shoulder, paws shaking Kara’s neck.

All at once, Kara felt dizzy, as if she were seeing everything through a haze.

Lights and glass, steel and chrome spun around her, as the boggles, pixies, and spriggans disappeared back into their stores.

“Wow.” She inhaled deeply, then looked at Lyra. “Hey! How come they all knew I was going to be here when
I
didn’t know I was going to be here?”

Her eyes strayed to the glowing power crystal in her hand. How did that get there?

“There’s something very strange about that jewel.”
Lyra swished her tail.

“I don’t remember Tasha saying anything about a power-shopping crystal,” Kara said slowly.

She sensed the pull of the jewel’s magic, but it didn’t feel like the other power crystals the mages had found.

“I wish I knew more about this power crystal,” she mused.

She looked up, eyes widening. Directly across from her was a store she hadn’t noticed before:

The windows glittered with dazzling objects.

“Hey, look at that.” Kara grasped the power crystal and headed toward the sparkling store.

“Wait, come back!”
Lyra and Goldie followed their brave leader into the most dangerous boutique of all: a jewelry store.

“B
Y THE GODS
!”
The dragon’s purple eyes widened with astonishment as he stomped toward Adriane, Drake, and Fred on his two enormous feet.

He was about Drake’s size, but his horse-like head was longer and more slender. His black scales glinted in the sunlight, and deep purple slashes zigzagged across his leathery wings like lightning in the night sky.

Adriane spun into fighting position, wolf stone blazing as she faced the fearsome black creature. “That’s close enough!”

Dreamer snarled and Fred dove into Adriane’s pocket.

Ignoring the warrior and her wolf, the dragon focused on Drake.
“It is a sign from the High Wyvern! A red crystal dragon to aid me on my quest and endure all the pain—rrr, I mean, share the glory with me.”

“Hi,”
Drake answered. “
I’m on a quest, too.”

The black dragon motioned to Adriane and Dreamer, his long forked tongue snaking from his tooth-filled snout.
“And you brought snacks.”

Drake rumbled indignantly.
“That is my mama.”

The black dragon blinked as if puzzled, then roared with laughter.
“Brother, you must be mad with the heat.”

“What did you do to us back there?” Adriane demanded.

“Silence, pitiful human!”
Silver spikes along his sinewy neck reflected glints of sun as the dragon’s head snaked menacingly. “
Only the great red dragon may speak to me.”

“Fine,” the warrior growled. “Drake, ask him.”

“What did you do to us?”
Drake repeated.

The beast stomped indignantly, sending dust and rocks flying.
“Can it be true? A dragon bonded with a human? Unthinkable!”

“Think whatever you want,” Adriane said. In other circumstances, meeting another dragon would’ve been cool. But this one was getting on her nerves. “Just answer the question: What happened?”

The dragon’s giant eyes flicked toward the warrior, sizing up the girl and her magic. He snarled and addressed Drake.
“You were attacked by the most reviled enemy of our race, a shadow dragon. It uses fear as a weapon.”

“Shadow dragon?” Adriane asked. Tasha had mentioned dangerous creatures being spotted all along the web. But shadow creatures! The warrior remembered fighting a horde of the ferocious magic feeders on the Spirit Trail. They would need powerful magic to survive outside the astral planes.

The dragon puffed out his chest.
“I, the greatest warrior since Dwrrlgaarowlrowl the Noxious, shall defeat this creature and return a hero!”

“Hey.” Adriane waved. “I’m over here.”

The dragon snorted, releasing a lick of fire.
“I would rather die than become a slave to the humans.”

“We can arrange that,” the warrior snapped, “but we need to find that shadow dragon. It has something we want.”

The dragon hesitated, then gave in to curiosity.
“Speak, human.”

“The creature you’re after has a powerful jewel. Do you know anything about it?”

The dragon thought for a minute. “
So that is why I could not vanquish the beast. It is being aided by your foul magic!”

“We’re not helping it!
” Drake protested.

“We need to find it,” Adriane told him.

“I have been tracking the shadow dragon for days. I had the beast right where he wanted me until you showed up.”
He loomed over Adriane, but took a step back when Dreamer snarled.

Adriane narrowed her eyes. “How come you didn’t follow it?”

“Rrrrr,”
the dragon rumbled.
“He’d be expecting that.”

Dreamer snorted.
“You were scared, too.”

“Silence!”
The dragon fired a burst of flame over the mistwolf’s head.
“I fear nothing!”

“That’s enough out of you.” Silver fire burst from Adriane’s fingers, singeing the tip of the dragon’s nose.

The beast went cross-eyed as he pulled his head back sharply.

Adriane lowered her arm, letting the magic dissipate into harmless sparks. “What’s your name?”

The dragon turned his back on Adriane, moving surprisingly fast for a creature so large. His long spiked tail swished across the red sand.
“I do not speak with humans,”
he huffed.

Adriane sighed. “Ask him what his name is, Drake.”

“I’m Drake. What’s your name?”

The black dragon slowly turned, head raised high in the air.
“I am the great hunter, Gwylrrtrwrx.”

Adriane blinked at the incomprehensible grumble. “What did he say?”

Drake cocked his head.
“I think his name is Runs-With-Tail.”

“Rrrr, it is my training name until I complete my warrior quest. I will slay the shadow dragon and then I will be given a full name.”

“So, Runs, um, Gwyx, it seems we’re on the same quest. You want the shadow dragon, we want the jewel,” Adriane said.

“Dragon Home is counting on me. They sent me because I’m their greatest warrior.”

“Do you know how to fight this creature?” Adriane did not want to be rendered helpless again by the shadow dragon’s strange power.

“Of course I know!”
he roared, then eyed Drake.
“Rrrr, the question is, how would
you
fight it, brother Drake?”

Drake considered.
“He will not be as strong without the power crystal.”

“Exactly! We will take its power source and I will annihilate, eviscerate, mashed potato—!”

“Hold that thought, Megatron.” Adriane leaned in close to her friends.

“In the name of the High Wyvern, I command you to help me on my quest
!” the black dragon bellowed.

“Uh uh.” Adriane held up a finger. Gwyx flinched.

Drake lowered his giant head as Fred hopped onto Adriane’s shoulder.

Gwyx inched closer, trying to eavesdrop.

“Pffffft!” Fred shot a raspberry and the big dragon leaped back.

“What do you think, Team Wolf?” Adriane whispered.

Dreamer shifted uneasily.
“I smelled Gwyx, but I couldn’t track the shadow dragon
.”

“Since Gwyx can, I think we should team up,” the warrior stated.

“He said this place is Dragon Home,”
Drake said excitedly.

The warrior smiled. “We should learn more about it.”

“I don’t trust him,”
Dreamer snarled.

“There is something strange about him,” Adriane conceded.

“I don’t like how he speaks to you.”
Drake huffed a puff of smoke.

“Every culture is different,” Adriane said calmly. “For now, you’re the boss.”

“Right.” Fred nodded.

“No, I meant Drake. We’ll play along with him until we find the crystal.”

“Okay, Mama.”

Adriane patted Drake, then offered Gwyx a dramatic bow. “The great red dragon will address you.”

“Ah, excellent.”

“We will go with you,”
Drake announced.

“
Splendid!”
Gwyx beamed, then quickly scowled.
“I am accustomed to battling alone, but I cannot deny my brother if he wishes to accompany me.”

“It is an honor to aid to such a great warrior as you,” Adriane gushed.

“I’ll show him who he thinks we are!”

“
You will tell me more about Dragon Home?”
Drake asked eagerly.

Adriane grinned. None of them had met another full sized dragon before—not even Drake. Maybe her baby boy would learn more about his own kind.

“Brother, you have only to ask. I only pity you for taking abuse from such a… loud human.”

“RoaRR!” Drake agreed angrily, then winked a big golden eye at Adriane.

The warrior stifled her giggles. “Master Drake, those hunters will be here soon. We must bustle.”

Gwyx lifted his head high.
“I, the greatest warrior of Dragon Home, shall find the shadow dragon!”

The warrior hopped into Drake’s saddle. Dreamer scrambled up behind her.

Adriane gave Gwyx the most respectful look she could muster. “Lead on, O mighty hunter.”

“To victory!”
Gwyx trumpeted, bellowing a jet of fire into the air.

With a beat of mighty wings, the two dragons soared into the reddened skies.