Heart of Avalon (Avalon: Web of Magic #10): (9 page)

E
MILY KNEW SHE
should be frightened as her feet silently slipped into the water.

“Come to us and slee—”

“—hooOOoop.”

Through the watery surface, the creature’s pale blue lips smiled reassuringly. Scales shimmered in the haze as slender hands reached for her. Emily barely felt their clawed fingers clasp her legs, dragging her down.

The spellsong washed over her with the endless rhythm of the ocean, calling her home.

“The ocean is your ho— ”

“—bLaaaRRrp!”

Her eyes drooped as she drifted away, slowly lowering herself overboard. The dream would last forever; she never wanted to come bac—

“—aAKKKKKKK!” A blaring noise suddenly cut through the spell. Emily’s eyes flew open and she screamed, grasping desperately for the boat railing.

The creatures thrashed and hissed like snakes. Iridescent hair of pale green, blue, and amber swayed with their every move. Glistening tails caught the sunlight as cold eyes reflected the blues and greens of the ocean.

Mermaids!

They were everywhere, sinuous, scaly bodies shimmering like ghosts in the water.

A mermaid floated upon the surface, pale lips covering rows of serrated teeth. Glittering eyes gazed out of a beautiful doll-like face. Emily could make out the unmistakable red aura of the water sickness shimmering around the mermaid.

“You cannot escape.” The mermaid’s voice was sharp as a knife, nothing like the gentle melody of the enchanting song.

“PhoOOoof!”

A purple unicorn muzzle pressed over the rail close to Emily’s face, horn shining bright.

The mermaids snarled and shrank back from Indi’s magic.

Emily grabbed on to her bonded’s neck as he pulled her from the water. She fell on the deck in a heap, scrambling away from the creatures. In a few seconds she would have been pulled under.

“FlooT! wHarK!” Indi honked wildly, shattering the last of the spell that held Marlin and Cribby.

The prince stared, openmouthed, at the wild creatures. “I don’t believe it!”

“I think it’s working,” Cribby said, stomping madly around the deck. He looked over the side and blanched. “Clam almighty!”

Marlin grabbed Emily’s arm, pulling her away from the railing. “Wild mermaids! Look, they still have tails! It’s so primitive.”

Emily gulped. “You mean you’ve never seen a real mermaid before?”

“No.” He shook his head. “Have you?”

“No.”

A blue-haired mermaid rose from the depths, gleaming eyes locked on Emily. “You bring darkness upon us.”

“I’m a healer,” Emily protested.

“You will kill us all,” another mermaid hissed.

Emily flashed on her dark visions—so many animals trapped in her web, their magic ripped away by her power.

“It was an accident.” Emily shrank back from the angry creature, ashamed. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“You can talk!” Marlin stared at the mermaids, astonished.

“Great prince.”

Dozens of ice-cold eyes focused on Marlin.

“You are the one.”

“Who, me?” Marlin goggled, shying away.

“You saved the sea dragon,” a mermaid said.

“Word travels fast,” he said.

“Talk to them,” Emily urged.

“I don’t speak fish.”

Cribby pushed the merboy forward. “Stop floundering.”

The mermaids swarmed around the boat. “We knew you would come, Prince. But why do you bring the dark witch?”

“She will destroy us,” another hissed.

Emily’s heart pounded. It was an
accident—
wasn’t it?

“What do you want from me?” Marlin asked.

The mermaids’ shimmering scales trailed magic in the dark water.

“You shall be a great king of legend and restore the magic of the oceans.”

“We have foreseen it.”

“Hey, did you hear that?” Marlin beamed at Emily. “I’m going to be famous.”

Emily stepped forward cautiously. “I—we want to heal the sea creatures.”

“You cannot,” the mermaid snarled.

Emily shrank back.

“The water magic is making us sick,” another mermaid wailed

“The water magic?” Emily repeated.

Of course! That’s why all the animals were infected. The virus was in the water itself. Panic raced along her spine. She couldn’t travel to the source of every stream, river, and lake—it would take forever. Healing the water would require elemental magic way beyond her abilities.

“No problem,” Marlin proclaimed, suddenly full of confidence. Then he turned to Emily. “How do we do that?”

“You must use great magic, merprince,” a mermaid told Marlin. “Find the Crystal Caves.”

Maybe this wouldn’t be impossible after all, Emily thought.

“The Crystal Caves don’t exist,” Marlin snorted. “They’re a child’s fairy tale!”

Emily’s heart sank. “Great.”

Then something tickled in the back of her mind. Emily turned to Indi. She had seen a place—a place with hundreds of magic jewels.

“Magic,”
Indi confirmed.

“Marlin, I think they do exist,” Emily said. “I saw them… in a vision.”

“That’s silly.”

“No,” she insisted. “There must be a power crystal there twisting all the water magic.”

Marlin eyed the mermaids. “If the water magic is bad, why can’t you go fix it yourselves?”

“We are bound to this place.”

“You mean you’re trapped here?” Emily asked.

Marlin smiled brightly at the mermaids. “I officially decree you’re free to go.”

“There is nowhere left for us.” The mermaids looked away, eyes glistening with pain. “We are all that remain.”

Emily couldn’t help thinking of what it must have been like once upon a time, when incredible creatures like sea dragons and these mermaids filled the world.

“You must help us find this magic,” the healer pleaded. “Please.”

“Such power is not safe in your hands,” the mermaid told her scornfully.

Emily was stunned.

“You really saw this place?” Marlin asked Emily.

She and Indi nodded.

“And you think there’s a power crystal there?”

“It would make sense for one to be drawn to all that magic.”

The merprince took a deep breath and spoke to the mermaids. “If I promise to heal the water magic, you must let us all go, including the, um, witch.”

The mermaids scowled. “She belongs to the sea.”

“I am the great merking and I won’t leave without her!”

The mermaids swam in a tight circle, blue, amber, and green hair swirling in a gleaming cloud.

“You shall all be free, but heed our warning.”

“How do we find the Crystal Caves?” Marlin asked.

“Behind the Rainbow Veil you will find what you are looking for.”

“The Rainbow Veil?” Emily repeated.

“The moon and sun will show you the way.” Ice-cold eyes locked on Emily’s. “Be warned, witch, the darkness is upon you.”

Goosebumps prickled along Emily’s arms as the mermaids slipped silently beneath the waters and vanished.

“Nobody’s goin’ nowheres, mermatey,” Cribby whispered hoarsely.

“Why’s that?” Marlin asked.

The elf leaped to his feet. “Because, ya scrubwheel, we’re held fast in these rocks!”

But suddenly, a thick mist blew across the deck, setting the Flyer free from the mermaid’s spell.

“Avast!” Cribby grabbed the wheel.

Through the rolling fog, flashing lights began swirling, faster and faster. The water around the Flyer surged, catching the boat in a whirlpool. In its churning center, pearly blue and green magic crackled as a shimmering portal swirled open.

“I hope you know what you’re doing,” Marlin called out.

“Me too.” Emily hugged Indi close.

The unicorn looked at her with eyes full of trust. Finally Emily had what she always wanted, a bonded animal. But it wasn’t at all as she’d imagined. Instead of stronger magic for healing, she had accidentally used her powerful magic to hurt—even kill—animals.

The mermaids’ words were a chilling reminder of what Miranda had told her: her magic would only cause pain.

“I
’LL BE A MAGE’S
monkey!” Cribby exclaimed, turning his charts upside down. “We’re halfway up the Snake River!”

The Fearless Flyer floated through dense jungle. Along the banks, thick vines curled into the swift waters. Colorful birds swept through moss-laden trees.

“The mermaids were guarding a portal.” Marlin shielded his eyes from the sudden sunlight dancing over the deck. “How weird is that?”

Emily shot the merprince an exasperated look.

Marlin raised his hands in defense. “I’m still new to this magic stuff. I guess it can get plenty weird.”

“Hooobop!” Indi pranced across the deck practicing his singing.

“You have no idea,” Emily muttered. When it came to magic, weird was only the beginning.

“Onward to the Crystal Caves, Captain Cribby,” Marlin called to the sea elf.

Cribby shuddered. “We’ll never survive to tell the tale.”

“What makes you say that?” Emily asked.

“Anyone who’s ever tried has never been seen, heard from, or sung of again. Just a final painful shriek and then—ArK.”

“What?”

“ArrRRkkKK!” Cribby repeated loudly.

“Oh.” Marlin shook his head.

“We can heal the water magic there, I know it,” Emily insisted.

“And jus’ what ye be lookin’ fer in these caves?” Cribby asked in a hushed tone.

“Jewels,” she said. “Hundreds of them.”

“Merman the mainsail!”

Marlin pulled the rigging tight, sending the Flyer leaning into the wind.

Emily gazed down the river as it curved out of sight. Fear wormed its way into her heart. Would she be able to heal the water magic without hurting anyone else?

Indi pressed close to Emily’s side, sensing her worry. “
We make magic together.”

She leaned against Indi’s soft mane. She wasn’t alone anymore. No matter what happened, her bonded was there to help her.

When this was over they’d have all the time they needed to grow together and work on their magic. She couldn’t wait to show him the forests of Ravenswood. He was going to love it there with all the other magical animals—although she’d have to be careful. Her mom would faint if she saw a purple unicorn poking around the Pet Palace! There was so much they had to look forward to, all the things she had longed to do when she finally bonded with an animal.

“It’s not just sea dragons, is it?” Marlin asked, breaking her thoughts.

Emily shook her head.

“The whole ocean is in danger, my entire kingdom.” Realization filled the merteen’s eyes with sadness. “I was taught to prepare for a world without magic. Then, I find Niva, you find Indi,
and
we bump into
real
mermaids. I don’t know anything anymore.”

“You can’t deny what you are, Marlin,” Emily told him. “You’re connected to the water and its magic. You always were.”

“Yeah, next you’re going to tell me Avalon really exists,” he scoffed. When Emily didn’t smile, he continued. “If Avalon were real, magic wouldn’t be disappearing, would it?”

“Avalon’s been lost for a long time.” Emily turned away, Miranda’s words haunting her. “We need to find nine power crystals or the magic of Avalon could wind up in the hands of terrible people.”

“If you can classify the Spider Witch and the Dark Sorceress as ‘people,’” Marlin quipped. “What do these crystals do?”

“Open the Gates of Avalon. But they’re unstable and very dangerous, powerful enough to twist magic.”

“How many have you got so far?” the merprince asked.

“Four, but one was destroyed. So that’s five more to go.”

“But if you’ve destroyed one, you’ll never get enough.”

Emily had no answer for that.

“You think there’s one in the crystal caves?” Marlin asked.

“Yes.”

“And it’s twisting the water magic.”

Emily nodded.

“Well, what do we do with them once we collect them all?”

“I don’t know,” Emily admitted. “We don’t know where the Gates of Avalon are.”

Marlin shook his head. “Geez, nobody really seems to know anything about magic.”

“Some things are worth fighting for—even if they seem impossible,” Emily said quietly.

“I turned my back on magic, and now the dragons could become extinct because of me.”

“No, Marlin,” she said, looking into his eyes. “They’re dying because the magic is sick. And if what the mermaids said is true, you must help them. And Niva.”

“I…” Marlin cast his eyes down. “Emily, I don’t know what to do.”

“You can protect the magic that’s left before it’s too late.”

“Truth is, the merkingdom needs a warrior, a dragon rider, not me. I don’t deserve to be heir,” he said in a small voice.

Underneath all his snobbiness and arrogance, Marlin was just scared of failing, afraid of disappointing his people. She understood that better than anyone.

“I didn’t choose to be a healer,” Emily said. “But I am. We have to do the best we can with what’s given to us.”

Marlin gazed at her, his brown eyes softening as he smiled.

“Need some help here, mateys!” Cribby called. “These sails ain’t gonna trim themselves.”

“Okay.” Marlin slapped his knees and stood up, offering a hand to Emily. “Let’s go get a power crystal and save the world.”

“Heading forty degrees port,” Cribby directed.

Emily got to her feet and looked ahead. They had come to a fork in the river. One branch continued through more jungle. The other branch churned into ominous dark canyons.

She felt magic tickling up and down her arms, pulling her forward.

“There,”
Indi said, and pointed his horn toward the canyons.

“We have to go that way,” Emily called to Cribby.

“Don’t be absurd, ya muckwiggle,” the elf protested. “That river ain’t even on the charts.”

“That’s where we have to go.”

“You heard her, turn this boat,” Marlin ordered.

The sea elf grumbled. “That’ll teach me for ferrying a mage, a merprince and a…” Cribby looked at Indi. “What kind of a beastie are you?”

“The most beautiful unicorn on the web,”
Indi tooted.

“Yeah, well, would ye mind tootin’ over yonder.” The captain pushed Indi aside, pulling the ropes tightly over the supply barrels. “Gonna be a rough ride. Winds are fierce through these canyons.”

The Flyer bobbed like a top as it passed into the shadows of the sheer canyons. Caves pockmarked the cliff walls like dark eyes watching.

Emily stood beneath the mast, Indi by her side. She flushed as Marlin hovered protectively close. Swirling whirlpools shot geysers spiraling high in the air. The twisting waters cascaded over them, covering the Flyer with spray.

“It ain’t all tweetybirds and pretty monkeys out there,” Cribby warned, hunching behind the wheel.

“No?” Marlin asked.

“Nohoho!” the elf grimaced. “There’s monsters bigger than yer house lurkin’. Lurkin’, I tell ya!”

“Monsters?” Emily shivered.

The sun sank behind thick clouds, sending shifting pools of inky shadows over the wooden deck. The wind was a constant sigh, like the whispering of angry spirits.

“Great beasties with claws that could rrrrrrrrip ye to pieces!” Cribby continued.

“And big teeth that could rrrrrrrrrr—”

A loud noise clanked behind the cabin.

Emily stopped short. Something was hiding in the darkness on the other side of the boat!

Indi stepped in front of Emily, horn glowing with bright colors.

Marlin’s hand slid to his knife hilt.

A shadow grew across the foredeck, taking the shape of a huge figure, arms raised with long claws.

“Unhand that mage!” a deep voice boomed.

“What the—” Cribby stuttered, falling over his sandals.

“Who’s there?” Marlin called out.

“I be the dread pirate of—”

A series of whispers followed.

“What?”

“The dread pirate of Dingly Dell!”

“Oh, no!” Cribby gasped. “Who?”

“Unhand the mage, or face the wrath of the great beast of—”

Marlin and Emily looked at each other.

Another shadow rose over the deck: a massive, four-legged creature, hunched and ready to spring.

“The great beast with big teeth!” the voice called out.

“The mage is unharmed.” Marlin raised his hands. “You are making a mistake.”

“It is you who have made the mistake, sir!”

With a shake of his head, Indi’s horn lit up like a spotlight, piercing the shadows. There on the deck stood a golden brown ferret and a large, spotted cat.

“I laugh, I scoff, I—gah!” Ozzie jumped back into the shadows.

“Ozzie!” Emily ran to the ferret. Scooping him up in her arms, she hugged him tight. “You’re okay!”

“Can’t—breathe—!”

“Lyra!” Emily embraced the cat, squashing the ferret against Lyra’s side.

“Are you all right?”
Lyra nuzzled tears off Emily’s face.

“I’m fine,” the healer cried. “I’m just so glad to see you.”

“—ferret—is—being—squeezed!”

“Whoohoo—oop.” Indi pranced across the deck, bumping into Emily’s legs.

“What’s going on here?” Ozzie scrambled from Emily’s arms, glaring at Cribby and Marlin. “Did you kidnap her?”

“No!”

“No!”

“Honk!”

“Oh, well. All right, then.” Ozzie petted the strange unicorn standing beside him. “And who’s this handsome creature?”

“He ate my jewel,” Emily said.

“GaH!” Ozzie kicked Indi’s foreleg.

“How did you find me?” the healer asked.

“You’re welcome.” Ozzie puffed up his chest.

“Where are the others?

“Um—somewhere between portals.”

Emily was suddenly concerned again. “Are they all right?

“They’re—” Ozzie looked around. “It’s a long story.”

“We tried to contact you, but couldn’t get through.”
Lyra examined Indi up and down.

“I locked onto your jewel,” Ozzie explained. “We tried to follow it and we got caught in your magic. The others got tossed.”

Emily met Ozzie’s concerned gaze, and looked away. She had hurt her friends, and now they were lost because of her. “I tried to cure the sea animals and it got out of control and—”

“It’s okay,”
Lyra purred.

“Great beasts!” Cribby yelled, finally finding his voice. “A flying cat and a talking weasel!”

“That’s Lyra, and this is Ozzie,” Emily introduced her friends.

“Hey, it’s you again,” Marlin said.

Ozzie marched up to the prince. “If you’ve touched one hair on this mage, I’ll—”

“Ozzie,” Emily said, pulling the ferret back by his tail. “It’s okay. Marlin’s a friend.”

“Humph!”

Suddenly Ozzie slid to the prow as the Flyer plunged into a swell of choppy water. Emily grabbed the wooden railing, stumbling as the small boat pitched into the rapids.

Ozzie squeezed in between Emily and Indi. “So, anyway, I was blown somewhere in the middle of the ocean and this big dumb turtle—”

“Hey, guys?”
Lyra tried to break in.

“Not now, in a second—” Ozzie waved at the cat. “Adriane and Kara couldn’t just jump through one portal. Nooooooo, they had to jump though four!”

The rapids churned and roiled, getting stronger and stronger. Foam sprayed the deck as the craft dipped in the swirling waters.

“Guys!”
Lyra tried to break in again.
“There’s a huge—”

“Hey, what’s that noise?” Ozzie asked suddenly.

The mighty boom rumbled across the river, rattling the small boat.

“Avast!” Cribby frantically spun the wheel as the noise turned to a deep thudding.

Ahead of them a wall of foam sprayed skyward and—where was the river? It just seemed to vanish.

The roar of pounding water filled their ears.

“Um… what is that?” Ozzie squeaked.

“It’s a giant waterfall, ya fish-tongued sea weasel!”

“GAH!”

“Hang on!” Marlin clung to the railing as the Flyer plunged forward.

Indi planted his hooves wide apart on the deck, steadying himself and Emily.

Oh no! I must have made a mistake, Emily thought, clutching Indi with one hand, Ozzie with the other.

“Turn the ship around!” Cribby screamed, but it was too late.

There was a moment of weightlessness as the prow hung over the falls, suspended on the crest—

Emily’s stomach lurched as the ship pitched forward. She was looking straight down at least twenty-five stories! Foam and spray crashed against the rocks below.

With a final shudder, the Flyer plummeted over the waterfall.

“Skagawagger!”