“Give me the magic, healer!” the sorceress hissed.
Helpless, Emily grasped at precious tendrils of animal magic, letting them drift through her fingers, soft as gossamer threads.
“Emily!” Ozzie’s frantic voice suddenly sounded far away. “You have to resist her. Call your paladin, hurry!”
Emily understood. Her only hope was to summon the one creature bound to help her—even if it meant his own life would be in danger.
“Indi!” Emily whispered.
Fierce light illuminated the courtyard. A creature had materialized, a purple unicorn. Powerful magic streamed from his horn and swirled around Emily, forming a protective shield. Instantly the healer’s jewel shone brighter.
The sorceress was not intimidated. Her scornful laughter echoed over the city. “Oh, this is perfect.”
She waved a hand, summoning her shadow creatures. Dozens of them surged over the glittering shield, tearing away at Indi’s elemental magic.
Then the sorceress locked onto Emily’s rainbow jewel, trying to steal the magic of the animals connected to the healer’s key.
“Hang on, Emily.” The brave paladin protected his bonded even as his deep blue eyes flashed with pain.
With all their might, Lyra and Ozzie tried to help Indi strengthen his shield.
But the sorceress was too strong. With a tremendous tug, she grabbed for the magic and pulled it inside Avalon.
A sphere of golden light whirled through the haze like a glittering jewel.
“Well done, healer,” the sorceress exulted. Her shadow creatures screeched, snapping at this new source of magic.
But suddenly the glowing ball resisted, forcing the sorceress to lurch forward. Eyes wide, she tried to draw it closer, but something was stopping her. Snarling, she gave a final yank.
An animal sprang from the light, its white hide aglow with blazing magic. A mighty unicorn landed between Emily and the sorceress and rose up on his hind legs, his crystal horn reflecting magic like sparkles of rain.
“You!” the sorceress gasped. “You have been a constant thorn in my side. But you will not escape me this time!”
“It seems you’ve gotten everything you wanted, Miranda.” A clear voice spoke from within the ball of light.
The sorceress stepped back. “What spirit is this?”
“Don’t you recognize me, sister?” The shimmering magic alighted next to the unicorn. A beautiful young woman took form, long golden hair rippling down her back, a flowing white dress glittering along her ghostly figure.
She was an exact double of the sorceress.
“There’s two of them?” Ozzie asked in shock.
“Lucinda!” The sorceress stepped back. “Impossible, you… I—”
“You killed me? In a way you did. But I have been freed from your spell.”
Next to Lucinda and her unicorn paladin, another form shimmered into being, a handsome young man, shining with magic.
“It is over, Miranda,” Henry Gardener said.
“You do surprise me, Henry.” The sorceress narrowed her eyes. “But your tricks cannot help you here.”
“No!” With a terrible shriek, the Spider Witch leaped free of her web, legs twitching menacingly. Her mandibles clicked as she spoke angrily to the sorceress. “You told me she was dead!”
“She is dead to me,” the sorceress replied, cold as ice.
“You lied to me!” The Spider Witch sprang at the sorceress, eight legs ready to tear her apart.
The sorceress fired bolts of green at the witch, slamming her to the ground. The monstrous creature, once a mage, lay quivering at Lucinda’s feet, a swollen mass of mutated flesh. “Lucinda, forgive me,” the Spider Witch cried.
The Fairy Queen knelt and hugged her lost friend, trying to calm her inconsolable grief.
“You know better than anyone, Miranda.” Lucinda’s gaze shifted from her sister to the weeping form at her feet. “Sure as night turns to day, everything changes in its time.”
A black and silver mistwolf appeared at Gardener’s side, eyes glowing with a fierce light.
“Chain!” The Spider Witch could barely contain the shock of seeing her former paladin. She had bound the ghost wolf to her, but the spirit pack had broken her spell and set him free.
“It is over, Sylvan,” the mighty spirit packleader spoke. “You belong with us now.”
Thunder rocked overhead as thousands of spirit wolves broke across the skies in a wave of silver light, descending upon the Spider Witch, pulling apart the twisted red magic of her aura.
Emily watched, amazed, as a bright new pattern began to take shape.
The witch’s bulky body seemed to collapse, long spider legs vanishing, bulky thorax melting away, until all that remained was a small figure—a teenage girl. Long red hair framing her delicate face, Sylvan turned damp golden eyes to Lucinda. “I am not worthy of your forgiveness, my queen.”
Lucinda hugged her. “It is time to come home, dear friend.”
“You have always been weak, Sylvan.” The sorceress seethed with anger. “You never accepted yourself as a dark mage until I showed you the way.” Magic flew from her fingers. “You have done what I require.”
Emily stared at the center of the courtyard where a single bright spot erupted in green fire. With a loud crack, the cocoon burst open, revealing what lay hidden.
Gardener’s eyes went wide. “The Well of Tears.”
Glowing strands snaked out of the well and through the very fabric of the city, as if Avalon itself was caught in a spider’s web.
Emily gasped, finally realizing what it was.
“What is that?” Ozzie asked.
“A nexus,” Emily breathed. “This well connects to every portal on the magic web.”
“The center of the web,” Lyra said.
The sorceress gazed at the glowing well. “At my command, my creatures will harvest all the magic I desire.”
“Our quest is over, Miranda.” Sylvan called, taking her place beside Chain and Gardener.
“The circle has turned, sisters,” the sorceress snapped. “Too bad you won’t be around to see the new web.”
With a flick of her wrist, the Dark Sorceress unleashed her shadow creatures. Howling spirit wolves ripped into the monsters, but the sorceress only laughed. The dark power of Avalon blazed around her as she mocked her former friends. “Give my regards to the spirit world.”
LUCINDA, SYLVAN, AND Gardener stood together as the shadow creatures attacked, driven mad with hunger. The white unicorn and Chain swirled a shield to protect their bondeds, pushing the monsters back. The Spirit Pack flowed around them, snarling.
“Emily.” Lyra’s pained green eyes looked up at the healer. “We must help Kara.”
“Hurry, Emily.” Indi strengthened the shield around his friends and stood close to his bonded.
Emily knelt beside Kara. In a few moments, she would be completely gone, her magic twisted beyond recognition.
“Steady, Emily,” Ozzie said, his brown eyes focused and strong. “I’m right here.”
Quickly Emily leaned over her friend and reached for her magical aura. Sheer terror forced her back as an image blasted into her mind.
Kara, alone in the storm-lashed woods, huddled against a stone wall. The Gates of Ravenswood loomed overhead, destroyed like the preserve itself.
Images of betrayal and lies flashed through Emily like lightning.
Kara stealing Lorelei’s unicorn horn.
Kara turning Phel over to the sheriff.
Kara destroying the Ravenswood Preserve in a thunderstorm of fury.
The blazing star screamed at the nightmarish horrors.
“It’s not working!” Emily sank to her knees, hands shaking.
Lyra howled in pain, feeling her bonded’s despair.
“Easy, Lyra.” Ozzie ran his paw over his friend’s neck. Emily noticed Lyra’s aura grow stronger with Ozzie’s touch.
She stared in wonder. Something had changed in Ozzie�
��s magic, or perhaps Ozzie himself had changed.
“Ozzie, what did you do?”
“I was just trying to help.” The ferret shuffled shyly.
“Well, whatever you’re doing keep doing it,” Emily urged.
“Gah!”
Ozzie leaped back as his magic erupted. Emily saw the dark aura surrounding Kara weaken, a fragment of pink shining through.
Kara clutched at Emily, eyes deep and frightened, glazed with tears. “I’m sorry,” she whimpered.
“No,” Emily whispered to her friend. “Kara, it’s not true.”
With the precision of a surgeon, she reached deep into Kara’s mind. Blue healing magic mixed with orange streamed over Kara. Fingers moving like a master weaver, Emily unraveled the knot of fear, pulling apart the layers of dark dreams.
Wrapped in Ozzie’s magic, Emily searched for the memories they shared. Emily’s jewel brightened to aqua as she infused her healing magic with all the love and laughter and friendship that Kara had given her.
Squeezing Kara’s hand tight, she smiled. “This is who you really are.”
Kara rushed into her bedroom, amazed to find the large orange cat lounging on her bed. Shyly, Kara accepted her extraordinary new friend. Lyra would always watch over her like a guardian angel.
Kara, wide-eyed, given the gift of the unicorn jewel from the fairy wraiths. She held it in wonder as the magic of the blazing star shone forth to heal Aldenmor.
Each memory made Kara’s aura grow stronger. Nightmares burned away as dazzling images shone through like sunlight.
Goldie bravely standing by Kara’s side, always ready to protect her bonded mage.
Ribbons of flame rushed past Kara as she opened her heart to the great fire stallion, Starfire. He had no one to love him. Now he had Kara.
An explosion erupted as a blazing ball of fire tore through the courtyard. Flames swirled into the shape of a stallion made completely of fire.
Two paladins now stood side by side in front of the mages.
An image of fluffy bunny slippers rushed through Kara’s mind.
Kara stirred, her bright blue eyes searching the faces of her friends. “Emily? Lyra? Starfire?”
“Hello, bonded.” Starfire leaned over Kara, snuffling the blazing star’s hair.
“I had the worst dream.” Kara brushed tears from her cheeks.
“That was close, even for you.” Lyra brushed against the blazing star.
Emily helped Kara to her feet. Her eyes went wide at the ferret standing before her.
“Ozzie!”
The ferret crossed his arms. “Just can’t stay out of trouble without me.”
A huge blast of magic rocked the courtyard. The sorceress, oblivious to what had Emily had just done, ripped away at the shield protecting her old friends.
“Lucinda!” Kara exclaimed.
The sorceress spun, surprise flashing across her pale face at the sight of Kara and Starfire.
Lucinda smiled at Kara. “I am glad to see you one last time, Kara.”
“I never forgot you,” Kara exclaimed. “How you and your unicorn helped me.”
“We were there because you needed to find us. You followed the true magic inside you. That is what makes you so powerful.”
“Once I followed your magic, sweet sister,” the sorceress snarled. “And you made me what I am.”
Lucinda smiled. “You and I are the same, sister.”
“No! We are not!” The sorceress shimmered in rage. “I have mastered transformational powers more than you could ever imagine.”
Throwing back her head, the sorceress let loose a deafening roar. Magic flew from her mouth, her eyes, her ears, shrouding everything in a dank green cloud. Bones twisting, her arms elongated, her fingers morphed into curved claws. Her face contorted in a devilish snarl as leathery wings erupted from her back. Red eyes glowed from a hideous dragon-like face. The beast that was the sorceress towered over them, long teeth gleaming, skin crackling with dark magic.
“I alone have fulfilled the destiny of Avalon.” The monster’s voice scraped like glass. “Now you shall bow before me, Lucinda!”
The monster shot a searing beam of fire at the Fairy Queen. The former mages were pushed back, their golden shield buckling under the attack. Dark magic wrapped around the ghostly bodies of the spirit wolves, slowing their movement to a crawl. Try as they might, they could not free themselves from the monster’s grasp.
Kara raised her jewel and diamond magic sparked down her arms.
Emily stopped her friend. “Kara, help me find Adriane and Dreamer!”
Kara pulled back sharply, suddenly aware the warrior and her bonded weren’t with them.
“Where are they?”
Emily swung her jewel. A blaze of shadowy magic raced across the ground.
The demon rose to its full height, preparing to unleash another barrage of twisted magic.
“You never understood,” Lucinda told her sister sadly. “True magic can only be given.”
The air exploded as two black wolves suddenly leaped from the mist.
Dreamer landed on the monster’s back and sunk his teeth deep into the tough hide. The other wolf ripped at spiked legs, growling in rage.
The demon roared with surprise and swung on the wolves, tearing them away. But it was enough time for Lucinda, Gardener, and Sylvan, backed by the spirit pack, to pin the writhing monster under a blanket of gold.
Two wolves snarled as they turned fierce animal eyes toward the mages.
“Dreamer!” Ozzie yelled, then stopped. “Wait, who’s the other wolf?”
Shadow magic whirled as the wolves shifted in and out of reality.
Emily reached out to the mysterious black wolf—and found a familiar aura.
Kara’s hands flew to her mouth. “Adriane.”
TWO BLACK WOLVES snapped at the demon sorceress with flashing teeth. Dreamer lunged at its legs, drawing a massive swipe of claws. Silent as a shadow, the second black wolf sprang, ramming into the monster’s side.
“That can’t be Adriane,” Kara breathed.
“She’s trapped in mistwolf form,” Lyra growled. “I feared that would happen.”
“We have to help her!” Ozzie cried.
Emily reached out, trying to touch the warrior’s mind. Anger, raw and feral, slammed into her senses. The dream spell had tapped into her friend’s deepest fears, destroying all she had become. Adriane was no longer packleader, friend, warrior. Mistwolf magic had fused with the dark shadow lodged in her soul and created a vicious wolf. Hate radiated from her aura, rage burned in her eyes.
Emily reached for her friend. Searing images ripped through her until she could hardly breathe.
Animals wounded by Black Fire in the Dark Sorceress’s dungeon.
The Black Fire running through her veins.
Mistwolves trapped in giant crystals.
Adriane trying to save Stormbringer as her best friend faded away.
The images cycled over and over, a crushing barrage of pain and loss that would never end.
Emily understood all too well.
The Dark Sorceress had inflicted so much hurt that her attempt to turn Adriane into a dark mage had backfired. The black wolf only wanted revenge against the monster who had nearly exterminated the mistwolves and taken away her first packmate. The aching hollow in Adriane’s heart where Storm should have been throbbed like an open wound.
The sorceress realized her mistake, but twisted the knife deeper. “The mistwolves will be the first to fall to the dark mages!” With blood-curdling shrieks, the shadow creatures tore away at the Spirit Pack, ripping apart their magic.
The black wolf threw back her head, howling with fury. Strong paws hit the monster square on the chest, sending it crashing to the ground. The wolf’s sharp teeth gleamed as they snapped at the demon’s throat.
“Adriane, no!” Emily cried. Adriane was dangerously close to crossing the line. The healer had to bring her friend back now, or lose her fore
ver to the black heart of hate.
Ghost wolves surrounded Adriane, trying to pull her away, but she snapped at them, guarding her prey. No one was going to deny her the kill.
“Kara!” Emily cried desperately.
The blazing star ignited in diamond magic. Fists forward, she sent blazing fire to Emily. Together, they swept their magic over Adriane.
The black wolf yelped. Her dark aura was wavering.
The sorceress threw her attacker aside. Staggering to her feet, she slashed wildly at the ghost wolves.
Retreating into the shadows, eyes aflame, the black wolf stared at the mages and vanished into mist.
“Adriane!” Emily screamed.
Suddenly the healer was bolstered by a surge of orange light. Ozzie’s jewel flashed as he wrapped his magic around hers. Reaching out, the ferret found the thread of Adriane’s shadowy aura. Kara supercharged the connection until Emily had a firm grasp.
The warrior resisted, hostile, afraid, but Emily pressed deeper. Buried beneath the shadows, Emily found what she was looking for.
The giant speckled egg cracked open, revealing two golden eyes imprinting on Adriane with a dragon’s unconditional love.
“Mama!” Drake called. The dragon’s powerful magic swept through Adriane, giving everything he had to help his mama.
“Ozzie, go!” Emily cried.
The ferret wove his orange light around Drake’s red magic, letting it sink into the mist.
Emily smiled as bright images cut through the darkness like a rising moon.
Adriane knelt beside Dreamer, sharing his grief, his loneliness, as two lone wolves were forever joined.
The searing pain of Storm’s greatest sacrifice ripped through Adriane, a never-ending nightmare. But the warrior had followed her heart, refusing to give up, and just as the magic had taken her packmate, it had brought her back again. Storm had come home to the one she loved most.
Silver light blazed beside Kara and Emily, pulling together into a silver and white wolf. The black wolf that was Adriane sprang from the shadows, snarling. The two wolves stood nose-to-nose, calm golden eyes meeting a dark, angry glare.
“This is not the way, warrior.” Stormbringer faced down her bonded. “Open yourself to what is real.”
Full Circle (Avalon: Web of Magic #12) Page 12