Spellsinger (Avalon: Web of Magic #5)

SPELLSINGER

Copyright © 2012 Red Sky Entertainment, Inc.

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 Premiere Digital Publishing, Inc.

Made in the U.S.A.

ISBN-10:   1938582594

ISBN-13:   978-1-938582-59-2

Cover and interior illustrations by Allison Strom

I’m in my moon phase, my pink days

When everything is okay

I am beautiful, invincible

Perfectly impossible

The music blasted through Kara’s stereo, filling her bedroom with the rockin’ sounds of B*Tween. She slid across the polished wood floor, wildly shaking her head of golden hair. Stomping her pink-socked feet to the beat, she spun into a carefully choreographed move and leaped into her closet.

I’m a free bird, a magic word

The sweetest sound you’ve ever heard

I’ve got a sure thing, a gold ring

I’m waking up my wildest dreams

Clothes went flying, piling up everywhere. Kara hopped out, pulling on a pair of jeans and slipping into a blue sweater at the same time. Lyra’s spotted head popped out from a mound of clothes as Kara spun past the bed, pulling the cat up by her front paws, sweeping the big animal back and forth.

Kara bent low, feeling the rhythm launch into a jangling wave of guitars and synths. Lyra fell back into a pile of stuffed animals as Kara bounded high into the air, flinging her arms wide. Spinning around, she grabbed her hair dryer and sang into it:

And nothing in this world can change it

Turn me round or rearrange me

Love is all that matters lately ‘cause

I’m on a supernatural high

Kara’s voice rang out, loud, happy—and completely off key. But that didn’t matter. Lyra lay on her back in the middle of Kara’s stuffed audience tapping her paws. Kara dove into the fluffy mountain and tickled the cat’s belly, causing Lyra to yelp as they both sang along with their favorite new band.

Kara was multitasking: dressing, dancing, singing, and celebrating all at the same time. She was so cool—life was so cool. Since she had received word that B*Tween would play at the Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve benefit concert, Kara had been pumped, playing their new songs nonstop. No one believed she could really pull this off, but she had stayed focused and determined, stationing herself at Town Hall every day for the past two weeks. A barrage of e-mails and a phone call from her dad, Mayor Davies, had convinced B*Tween’s manager that the popular girl band could make a stop in Stonehill.

She danced over to her desk, stuffed a stack of papers into her new briefcase, and snapped it closed. When she put her mind to something, there wasn’t anything she couldn’t do. And for the first time since Kara had convinced her dad to let her, Adriane, and Emily become tour guides for the preserve, the council actually seemed excited. All except Beasley Windor, who had made it her personal task to keep an eye on the girls. Mrs. Windor had wanted the old Ravenswood Manor torn down and the land redeveloped into a country club and golf course. But thanks to Kara, this was going to be the event of the year and it would be Ravenswood—1, Windor—0.

Outside, a horn honked. Kara turned to Lyra. “It's show time!”

“
Already?”
Lyra peeked out from the behind the bed where she had toppled onto a comfortable pillow.

Kara heard the cat's voice in her mind. At first it had felt odd, but now it was like second nature, as if she and the magical cat had been best friends forever.

She opened the big window over her desk. “I’ll see you at Ravenswood.”

Lyra leaped to the windowsill, brushing her face against Kara’s. “
Later.
”

“Love you.” Kara gave the cat a quick kiss and ran for the door.

She took the stairs two at a time. “Mom! I’m going! Dad’s taking me over to Ravenswood!”

“Okay,” Mrs. Davies called from her study. She sounded preoccupied; she was probably working on another divorce case or something.

“I have a big meeting with the council about the benefit!” Kara yelled. For a second she wished her mom would show just a little interest in all of her hard work at Ravenswood. Well, this concert would be hard to ignore! Cheered by that thought, she shot out the front door, bolting into a crisp October morning.

“
Are you okay?
” Lyra peeked out from behind a hedge.

“Of course. Go before my dad sees you,” Kara urged as the big cat slunk into the woods bordering the Davies’ property. A golden glow ran up and down the cat’s spotted back as two large wings unfolded.

“And don’t let anyone see you flying!”

“
Cats don’t fly.
” In a moment, Lyra was soaring over the Chitakaway River and into the dense woodlands beyond.

Kara ran across the front lawn to the dark green Lexus waiting in the driveway. She hopped into the passenger seat, popping down the sun visor to check her hair in the mirror. “Hi, Daddy.”