Heart of Avalon (Avalon: Web of Magic #10): (2 page)

“Awesome!” Adriane declared, walking through the flowery archway.

“A gift from Fairy Queen Selinda,” Tasha explained proudly. “Imported piece by piece and supervised personally by—”

“Lorren!” Kara ran toward a cute goblin boy with spiky black hair and pale green skin. She had met the dashing Goblin Prince when she visited his home in the Fairy Realms.

He was setting up a tall mirror along with a blond teenage boy.

“Princess.” Lorren grinned as he and Zach gently placed the mirror in a sculpted metal stand.

Kara smiled her million-dollar blazing star smile.

“Hi, Zach,” Adriane said, beaming at the handsome blond teen. The only human, as far as they knew, who lived on Aldenmor, Zach had been raised by the mistwolves.

“Hi, Adriane.”

The four of them stood like statues, staring into one another’s eyes with silly grins.

Emily shifted uncomfortably. “This place is amazing.”

“Oh, hey Emily, Ozzie,” Zach greeted them warmly.

“Um… check out Tasha’s new mirror,” Lorren said.

“Quicksilver-edged coating for improved magical dispersion.” Tasha beamed, patting the silver frame.

“Uh… cool.” Kara smiled encouragingly.

“As you can see, you can see them,” Lorren continued.

“I had to install a visible edge,” the goblin girl explained, polishing a smudge off the mirror’s surface.

Lorren laughed. “Otherwise, you go out for a nice stroll, bonk into one of these babies, and end up in the frozen tundra.”

“Yeah,” Zach said, still feeling the icy chill. “That wasn’t funny.”

“Hey, where’s Drake?” Adriane asked.

“The sprites are giving him a bath.” Zach chuckled. “He wanted to be extra handsome for you.”

Adriane’s eyes sparkled with delight.

Lights suddenly appeared in the center of the ring. Grass, leaves, and petals swirled together, forming a tumbleweed figure composed of earthly matter.

“Welcome, mages,” Gwigg greeted in his gravely voice.

“Gwigg, you old twig!” Ozzie ran to the earth Fairimental, sticking a few stray flowers in place.

The Fairimental’s large quartz eyes glimmered in the sunlight. “Sir Ozymandias, you are looking especially fuzzy.”

“And whose fault is that?”

“We love it here,” Kara said.

The air twinkled with magic as a second Fairimental took form, a translucent figure floating in the gentle breeze.

“The seeds of this beautiful place were planted when you healed Aldenmor,” Ambia, the air Fairimental, said in a lilting voice. Prisms of color danced along her shifting form. “But the web is weak. Without the magic of Avalon it will fade away.”

“There is a power crystal somewhere on Aldenmor,” Gwigg announced.

“Where?” Adriane asked.

“We don’t know,” Ambia replied. “Marina discovered it.”

“Why not just ask her, then?” Emily realized the water Fairimental hadn’t greeted them at the lake.

“Because Marina is missing,” Gwigg rumbled ominously.

A Fairimental missing? This couldn’t be good.

“You must find the crystal,” Gwigg concluded.

Emily stepped close to the Fairimentals. “How do
I
get to Level Two?”

“Trust in the magic,” Ambia said gently. “Let it evolve in its own way.”

But what if mine never does?
Emily wanted to wail.

“Hey! Is this working?” A frantic voice suddenly filled the Fairy Ring.

The surface of the mirror flickered like television static.

“Yes, Marlin,” Zach said, rolling his eyes. “What is it now?”

Tasha adjusted the mirror until the image sharpened. A boy about their age looked out, brown eyes wide with panic in his handsome, pale green face. His light brown hair had a lime tint, with long bangs swept up in a curling wave. His jewel-studded silver robe fluttered in the wind.

“You must come right away!” He waved his arms in a clanking of rings and armbands. “The sea dragons are ruining the Wave Fest!”

“Prince Marlin, you are using unauthorized mirror transmissions,” Tasha scolded.

“This is the most important thing going on in Aldenmor!” Marlin exclaimed incredulously. “Attend me on the royal beach in five minutes. That’s an order!”

The mirror abruptly went blank.

“What’s his deal?” Adriane asked.

“That’s the merprince of Aquatania,” Zach explained. “It’s a water city on the northern coasts of Aldenmor.”

“And he’s a spoiled snob,” Lorren added. “He thinks these mirrors are his own personal line to the Fairimentals.”

“The royal merfolk are fighting with the sea dragon riders.” Zach shook his head. “The royals are turning away from magic and claim the riders only care about themselves.”

“I’m friends with several dragon riders and their sea dragons,” Adriane protested. “They’re not like that at all.”

Zach nodded. “The Wave Fest is a goodwill party for the two groups to reconcile.”

“I’ll go,” Emily volunteered.

Everyone stared at the healer.

She shrugged. “Maybe I can help out with the sea dragons.”

“We’ll join you as soon as I’ve got the Level Two jewels logged,” Tasha said.

“That okay, Emily?” Adriane asked, taking Zach’s hand.

“Sure, Ozzie and I will call if we need anything.”

“The mirror should take you right there.” Lorren bowed to Emily, gesturing toward the flat, glimmering surface. “All you have to do is step through.”

“Let’s go,” Ozzie said.

“Later, ’gaters.” Kara waved.

Taking a deep breath, Emily closed her eyes and plunged through the mirror. It was like passing through a thin layer of chill water. She stepped out, gasping as dizzying waves of magic washed over her. Someone was in terrible pain.

E
MILY FOUND HERSELF
on a rocky beach in the middle of a magical carnival. All types of creatures from Aldenmor—mergirls and merboys, elves, goblins, dwarves, fairies, and spriggans—were enjoying the Wave Fest despite the gray skies. A giant octopus Oct-A-Whirl tossed seashells full of merchildren in the air. Their delighted whoops almost drowned out the buzz coming from dozens of brightly decorated stalls lining the beach.

Just offshore, a sprawling city of vast translucent bubbles rose from the aquamarine surf.

Behind Emily, the mirror bent and remolded itself around Ozzie’s body as he stepped through. “Wow, Aquatania,” he marveled.

“Ouch!” Pain pulsed up Emily’s arm as a spray of purple sparks burst from her jewel.

“What?” Concern furrowed Ozzie’s furry brow.

“Someone’s hurt.”

The ferret jumped to attention, scanning the crowds. “Over there.”

Down the beach, a group of merteens were facing off with the same merprince who’d spoken through the mirror. His elaborate silver robes and jewelry made him twinkle like a sparkler.

“Your dragons are ruining everything!” the merprince shouted.

“Oh, no!” Emily gasped. Dozens of huge green, purple, and blue sea dragons lay motionless in the surf. Waves lapped over their iridescent scales, tugging long, coiled tails back and forth in the tide. “Let’s go, Ozzie.”

“Call off the Wave Fest!” A tall merboy wearing a shiny green and blue body suit was in the merprince’s face, his sea blue eyes flashing with worry and anger. “These dragons are sick.”

“Well, get them back in the water,” the prince retorted.

“They shouldn’t be moved.” Emily stepped forward self-consciously.

The bejeweled merprince faced Emily and Ozzie. “Who are you?”

“I’m Emily, a healer. And this is Ozzie.”

The merprince scowled at Ozzie. “I asked for a Fairimental, not a
furry
mental.”

“gAh!” Ozzie bristled, his fur ruffling. “I’m a mage!”

The tall merboy who’d been at odds with the merprince shook Emily’s hand. “I’m Jaaran.” He motioned to the other merteens. All wore star-shaped jewels on bracelets or necklaces. “These are the dragon riders of Aquatania.”

Emily felt their anguish and fear for their bonded sea dragons.

“I’m Ozzie of Farthingdale.” Ozzie puffed out his furry chest and waggled his magic jewel. “Perhaps you’ve heard of it.”

The loud merprince pushed in front of Emily. “
I
am Prince Marlin.”

“She’s the healer mage!” A mergirl with green skin and hair braided with glittering pearls sat on the surf’s edge. She gently stroked her sea dragon’s horse-like head as the creature whined softly, its large golden eyes dull and glassy. “I’m Kee-lyn.”

Emily marveled at the dragons. They were incredible creatures with long, sleek bodies and wide aerodynamic fins built for speed. Powerful hind legs could propel them through the rough oceans, while shorter forelegs were used for balance.

“You. Healer. Fix these dragons before the Wave Fest is completely ruined,” the prince commanded.

“Give her some room,” Ozzie ordered.

Emily knelt beside Kee-lyn’s dragon.

“I’m Emily,” she said softly to the animal. “What’s your name?”

“Meerka.” The dragon’s voice echoed weakly in her mind. “The warrior mage is my friend.”

“Mine too.” Emily smiled. Setting her backpack down in the sand, she patted the dragon and took a deep breath. “Easy, Meerka. I won’t hurt you.”

Holding up her rainbow jewel, Emily placed her hand on Meerka’s neck. The dragon’s smooth scales felt slightly warm.

“Ozzie.”

The ferret was instantly at the healer’s side, orange stone glowing as he added his magic to hers.

The healer opened her senses, trying to feel what Meerka felt. The dragon’s heart thrummed with a steady pulse as Emily searched for wounds, cuts, or broken bones.

Physically, Meerka seemed okay. But something was making the dragon sick. Emily pushed deeper, trying to find the source of the illness. Tendrils like fine silk brushed her mind. The dragon’s magic flickered like a weak flame, threatening to extinguish with each breath. Something was eating away at Meerka’s magic like a virus!

Emily sent glowing blue and green healing light cascading over the dragon’s immense body. She visualized the animal becoming healthy, picturing the strong muscles and bright, colorful scales.

Her rainbow jewel sparked with an electrical charge.

Emily recoiled as the dragon groaned in pain.

“Emily.” Ozzie’s concerned voice grounded the healer.

“It’s okay.” Emily stroked Meerka’s head, feeling increasingly nervous.

She’d healed many kinds of injuries, but this was completely different. The sickness eating away at Meerka was something she had never encountered before. A broken bone or burns from Black Fire was one thing—broken magic was something else altogether. She had no clue how to put the deteriorating magic back together. Was healing Meerka simply beyond her Level One skills?

She sat back and sighed, trying not to let the dragon riders see her worry. Unless Emily learned how to cure Meerka, all the sea dragons could lose their magic.

Get a grip, she scolded herself. Kara and Adriane would be here soon to help.

“Good. All fixed. Let’s go,” Prince Marlin ordered.

“It’s not all fixed,” Emily said tersely. “The dragons have to stay here and rest.”

“They’re blocking the goodwill ceremony!” The prince tapped his royal foot impatiently.

“Do you have any idea what made them sick?” Emily asked.

“Magic,” Marlin spat, and gestured offshore.

Emily’s attention was drawn to a brightly colored splash on the horizon, like fireworks in the middle of the day. “What is that?”

“The wild magic storm cloud,” Marlin informed her. “It’s all those sea dragons’ fault! Magic attracts magic. Everyone knows that.”

“What does a jerk attract?” Jaaran yelled.

“Where are the rest of your dragons?” Emily asked, scanning the large group of riders.

“There are no more,” a merboy said sadly.

“Since the Dark Sorceress hunted so many, very few dragon riders even
have
bonded dragons.” Jaaran sighed. “These are the last of the sea dragons.”

Emily’s heart went out to them. So many riders and no dragons to bond with.

“You can heal them, right?” Kee-lyn implored, holding Meerka tight.

Emily hesitated, but she couldn’t lie to the dragon riders.

“I’m not sure. If we can’t find a treatment… they could lose their magic.”

“Proves everything I’ve been saying for months.” Marlin crossed his arms. “The time of magic is over.”

“What about the pups?” another rider asked.

“Pups?” Ozzie looked around.

“The dragon babies.”

“Take me to them.” Emily anxiously slipped the straps of her backpack over her shoulders.

“Over here.” Jaaran hurried around a jagged rock outcropping.

“I have to prepare my speech,” the merprince grumbled as he followed.

Emily glared at him as she pulled her jacket tight against the sharp winds whistling through the high cliff walls.

But the healer forgot all about Marlin when she saw the pups. The plump, seal-like babies huddled together, trembling, golden eyes wide with fear. Their soft, scaly bodies ranged from pearly pale blues to deep emerald greens.

Emily knelt beside the closest pup. Power suddenly gathered in her jewel, tingling up and down her arm.

“HaBlaaHHH!”

Pups rolled across the sand as a purple blur erupted from the center of the pile.

A purple dragon barreled toward Emily, its deep blue eyes gleaming.

“Who are you?” Ozzie eyed the strange creature suspiciously.

“Ooooooo.” The pup reached for Ozzie’s jewel.

“Hey, don’t touch the ferret!” Ozzie yelped.

“Schmootek!” The purple pup shoved the ferret aside, its wide mouth open in a toothy grin as it scampered up to the healer.

“Hi, there.” Emily reached down and patted this odd dragon.

“Blooop.” The creature’s wide face crumpled into a pathetic grimace. He pointed at his big toe and whimpered, shining blue eyes locked on the rainbow jewel.

“All right, let’s take a look at you.”

The creature sat on his rump, wide feet splayed. His skin was smooth, and instead of fins, he had big—toes?

“You don’t look like a sea dragon.” Brushing red curls from her face, she picked up a foot and inspected it.

The creature eyed her jewel intently.

Emily felt his soft neck, trying to find his pulse. Nothing. She couldn’t feel a thing! The pup stared up at her with glinting blue eyes, his chest rising and falling with each breath. Maybe I’m just really tired, she thought.

“What’s wrong, Emily?” Ozzie asked.

“I don’t know.” The healer swallowed, her throat closing in panic. Her rainbow gem wasn’t picking up anything.

“Beebee!” The creature suddenly leaped into Emily’s lap and grabbed at her jewel with lumpy fingers.

“Get away from her!” Ozzie yelled, prying the creature away.

“Haka!” Purple lips stretched wide, the plump dragon suddenly let go and ran away.

At the same exact moment, thunder crashed overhead as flecks of light sparkled in the clouds.

The rainbow jewel pulsed deeply, startling Emily. Pinpoints of magic prickled up her arms. Danger!

Screaming erupted from the beach. But Emily’s eyes were locked on the dazzling lights twisting from the dark, billowing clouds.

“Oh no!” Ozzie screamed.

They had seen these before. Tornadoes of wild magic. She and Adriane had been caught in one, and it had temporarily switched their magic. Even Ozzie had been transformed into a berret.

Scrambling around the dunes, she saw several cyclones whirl across the beach.

“Stay out of their way!” Emily yelled at the crowds running for cover.

Spirals of orange, silver, red, and blue advanced dangerously, digging deep trenches in the sand, tearing into food stands and overturning the Oct-A-Whirl. And in the middle of the chaos, the purple sea dragon shimmied and shook, attracting the twisters like bees to honey.

“What is that?” Prince Marlin demanded, pointing at the dancing purple creature.

Emily shrugged. “It’s your ocean.”

Barreling through the crowded carnival, the baby dragon sent pixies and elves flying—the tornadoes chasing after him.

Jaaran and the dragon riders circled their dragons, star-shaped jewels crackling with power as they formed a pearly protective shield.

“Emily, watch out!” Ozzie yelled, pointing over her shoulder.

The purple sea dragon was racing straight for her, mouth opened, tongue waggling—three sparkling twisters bearing down behind him.

“Beebee!”

“Emily!” Ozzie stepped in front of the healer.

“Ozzie!” Emily reached out. But the sea dragon smacked straight into the ferret.

“Gahhhhh!” The brave ferret tumbled head over tail as the twisters engulfed him.

The sky overhead suddenly disappeared in a funnel of swirling colors. Caught in the full force of the churning magic, Emily took one last gulp of air as the world flashed brilliant white.