All's Fairy in Love and War (Avalon: Web of Magic #8)

by Rachel Roberts

  “Yes!” she answered. And she was!

  “Ewwww!” Heather shook her red hair and squealed, pulling herself away from Musso. “Where did you come from, Mars?”

  Molly and Tiffany took one look at the hobgoblin and ran offstage, screaming.

  “Back to normal,” Emily said, smiling.

  Adam shook his now human head as if he were waking from a dream. Scratchy donkey hair floated in the air around him. “And yet, to say the truth, reason and love keep little company together nowadays,” he kept reading, oblivious of any change.

  “I’m going back,” Kara said to Emily and Adriane.

  “We’re coming with you!” Emily said adamantly.

  “I’m the only one who can ride Starfire,” Kara said. “But I won’t be going alone.”

  Goldie popped onto Starfire’s neck, in front of Kara, little fist raised.

  “Let’s ride!” she squeaked.

  The horse kicked up onto his rear legs with a dramatic flare and charged up the center aisle, rocketing past the hooting and clapping students and out the main double doors. The standing ovation reverberated throughout the auditorium as cooling trails of flames vanished into thin air.

  FUELED BY THE power crystal, the Firemental stallion returned to the Fairy Realms. Landing on the shore of the mirror lake, Kara, Goldie, and Starfire instantly felt the change, as if the air itself had mutated. The sky above flashed and whirled in seething coils of purple and glowing green. A fairy quake tore through the forests, twisting trees into dark and horrible shapes. The Fairy Realms were unraveling, for the darkness of the Otherworlds had already spread into the lake mirror, seeping into the lands.

  Tangoo stood in the center of the mirror, the original power crystal in his raised hands, amplifying the towering beam of magic between the mirror and the Otherworlds.

  “Princess!”

  Kara turned to see Lorren running toward her, breathing hard.

  “Lorren!” she shouted, relieved.

  “Tangoo betrayed us all.”

  “I know.” She hesitated.

  “Listen to me,” he said, looking into her eyes. “Tangoo is spreading the magic of the Otherworlds through the network of mirrors he set up.”

  Kara flashed on all the mirrors she had seen since arriving here. They had been placed in the most magical parts of the Five Kingdoms. No wonder the realms were falling apart so fast.

  “You have to reverse the power!” he implored.

  “I… how?” Even with Starfire, the power crystal, and her unicorn jewel, the task seemed immense, beyond her abilities.

  “You are the blazing star, Kara,” he said. “You are connected to the magic of Avalon itself.”

  “Oh, for crying out loud!” Tangoo’s voice fell over them. “Give it up already, Princess. I’m sure my mistresses will be merciful if you join us.”

  “Stay away, Tangoo!” Lorren cried. “You’ve done enough.”

  “Oh, but my plan is just beginning.” He searched the forest for the hordes of creatures.

  “Looking for your crew?” Lorren flashed a grin.

  “Where are they?” Tangoo bellowed.

  “They ran into some ‘fairy’ bad trouble.” The boy let out a whistle.

  Dozens of armed creatures emerged from the woods and ran forward to join the Forest Prince. Elfan, Spinnel, and Colfax were in the lead.

  Kara recognized the creatures from the rave. They were Lorren’s friends from the Fairy Underground.

  Tangoo focused on Kara, his black eyes glinting with rage. “No matter, Princess, my plan to open the Otherworlds will succeed!” the sorcerer snarled. As if in response, the skies ripped open, sending beams of purple into the lake mirror.

  Kara steeled herself, Starfire strong beside her, Goldie on her shoulder. Closing her eyes, she focused her unicorn jewel into Starfire’s power crystal. Red-gold magic flared from his chest. She directed it toward the lake, trying to disrupt Tangoo’s connection to the Otherworlds.

  But Tangoo was not about to be foiled. He sent her magic slamming back at them. Flames skyrocketed from the stallion. Kara stumbled, reeling with the force of his attack.

  “Twinkle twinkle, blazing star… how I wonder when you’ll die!” the sorcerer snickered.

  A jagged firebolt screamed across the sky and plunged into the forest. Foul plumes of purple and green billowed in the distance.

  “You can feel it, can’t you?” he cried, eyes feverishly raised to the sky. “Dark magic seeps into the very core of the Fairy Realms, spreading like wildfire. Nothing can stop this, not even the blazing star.”

  The combination of the talismans, a power crystal, and the dark magic of the Otherworlds made Tangoo’s power immense.

  The earth rumbled beneath Kara’s feet as waves of spiraling light surged from the mirror lake, forcing dark magic into the lands. She could feel the very fabric of the Fairy Realms ripping apart.

  Lorren braced her, his hands on her shoulders. “Don’t be afraid to be who you are,” he said, green eyes locked to hers. “Use your magic, Kara.”

  Her magic. The magic of the blazing star. Lucinda told her the magic was strongest when it was used to help, to make others shine brightly.

  “I can’t do this alone.” Kara’s stomach twisted with panic. She needed her friends. But her jewel couldn’t reach Emily and Adriane across worlds.

  “I help!” Goldie flapped in the air, determination gleaming in her jeweled eyes.

  “Goldie!” Kara exclaimed, remembering that the mini had bounced a love spell to the other d-flies. But she needed a lot more magic than a love spell. “Can you connect me to Adriane’s and Emily’s magic?”

  Goldie leaped into the air, face scrunched in concentration.

  Kara held onto Starfire’s mane as another fairy quake warped through the forest behind them.

  Then Goldie flashed, her wings shimmering, strong and vibrant, eyes glowing radiantly. “Let’s rock!”

  Kara held up her jewel and drew diamond light as Starfire flamed red fire. She wove their magic into a band and sent it shooting into the dragonfly.

  “HooWeeeee!” The d-fly was engulfed in a flash of magic and blinked out.

  Kara bit her lip, carefully adjusting the magical flow. Goldie had never transferred so much power before. Was her little friend up to it?

  At first she didn’t think anything was happening.

  In her mind, Kara suddenly saw four bright flashes of magic. Goldie was linking with Fred, Fiona, Barney, and Blaze. Kara embraced the magic of each dragonfly, joining them to her and Starfire, until she had a view of all four of them, wingtips touching, twirling in a circle.

  “Go Kaaraa!” their happy voices squeaked.

  Kara practically shouted with joy as the dragonflies’ magic mixed with Starfire’s and Goldie’s. She had the weird sense of being two places at once. Her body was in the Fairy Realms on the lakeshore, but her mind was on Earth, where she could see the now empty stage of the school auditorium.

  Kara suddenly felt another boost of magic, kind and loving. She reached for it, connecting to the familiar blue magic of Emily’s healing stone. The red-haired girl stood in the center of the dragonfly ring, eyes closed, jewel pulsing.

  “Kara,” Emily said warmly. “Together we’ll weave a circle of friends.”

  A jolt of wolf fire shot through Kara, strong and determined. Kara grasped the magic of the wolf stone as Adriane joined the circle, hands clasped in Emily’s.

  “I was hoping for a warrior, not a Fairy Queen,” Kara said to her costumed friend.

  “You can put a wolf in pink clothing, but she’s still a wolf,” Adriane replied with a grin.

  “I can’t do this without you,” Kara cried.

  “We’re right here, with you,” they responded.

  But an important piece was still missing.

  Courageous, fuzzy magic suddenly filled the gap as Ozzie stepped into the ring. His ferret stone glowed with power as he gave his magic freely.

 
Reaching out, she took Ozzie’s gift.

  “We love you, Kara,” the ferret simply said.

  And she was flying, gliding on glowing streams of magic, threading her way to Ravenswood. She flew through the thick woods, rich with greens. Beside her ran a black mistwolf, strong and proud.

  Dreamer looked into Kara’s eyes. “I will always run with you, blazing star!”

  Kara felt the mistwolf’s magic join her growing network as she soared high into the sky. Over the open fields, she found Tweek, riding atop the beautiful snow-white owl, Ariel.

  “We are with you,” the little Earth Fairimental yelled.

  “As are we!” voices echoed into the skies.

  Below, the animals from Ravenswood stood together in the field, their voices joined in support. She welcomed them all to the expanding network, their magic thrilling her senses, filling her with new strength. She wrapped the magic of her friends around her.

  There was no stopping her now.

  As if summoned by her thoughts, the glimmering Ravenswood portal spiraled open in the field below, beckoning her on.

  Kara shot through the portal and reached out for Aldenmor. She soared over the wondrous lands, now strong and vibrant, healed by the magic of her friends.

  The howl of the mistwolves filled her with joy as the wolfsong washed through her senses. The pack, hundreds strong, thundered over a hill, lending their fierce strength to Kara. Bolstered by their power, the blazing star flew faster over the magical world, soaring above the glittering blue oceans. Merpeople and seadragons cheered as Kara wove them into the ever-growing tapestry of magic and life.

  She swept over the old desert lair of the Dark Sorceress, now covered over with brilliant gardens. A sandy-haired boy stood beside a huge red dragon, sending Kara their magic through a bright red dragon stone. She felt Adriane’s golden magic surge with happiness at the sight of her two friends, Zach and Drake.

  Whirling figures of earth, air, and water converged.

  “The magic is with you now and forever!” Gwigg, the Earth Fairimental called out.

  Kara gasped as the incredible power of the Fairimentals joined her circle of friends. She reached to Starfire, his fire taming her, keeping her in control.

  Blazing with light, Kara soared across the lands as Aldenmor itself—the trees, the mountains, every living thing, big and small—sent its magic to her.

  Kara could barely contain the building forces as she flung herself across the glittering magic web. Careening along arcs of stars, she reached for the most powerful of magical animals. Dazzling flashes popped along the looping strands. Crystal horns in all colors of the rainbow flooded Kara with power as the unicorns’ mighty hooves thundered across the web. Thirty smaller horns chorused in perfect harmony as the Unicorn Academy happily added their song.

  The rush of power made Kara laugh aloud. It thrilled through every part of her being. Everyone was giving his or her unique magic to Kara, each link connecting to everything else.

  She was ready!

  Kara soared into the Fairy Realms and swept through the Fairy Ring. The kings and queens quickly gathered the crowds into the center of the ring. Clasping hands, they all joined together to aid the blazing star.

  Kara sped through the Fairy Realms like lightning, releasing her network’s vast well of magic through the mountains, forests, lakes, rivers—into the very fabric of the land.

  She attacked the darkness seeping through the mirrors, and sent it crackling back through the lake to where she stood, arms raised, golden hair whipped by the magical forces.

  She had never held such immense power before. It rushed through her, around her, over her—she was moving too fast, flying too high. She vaguely sensed her physical body enveloped in a tempest of light. She was losing herself as the magic poured out of her.

  Something was tugging insistently at her mind. She realized Emily and Adriane were trying desperately to pull her back.

  There was too much magic flooding through her. She was blazing out of control. Even Starfire could not pull her back now.

  “Everyone uses the blazing star.”

  Through the dazzling brilliance, a presence was worming its way into Kara’s mind, calling to her, drawing her in. Desperate, she grabbed for it and felt another magic, dark and compelling.

  “With your power, we will surely open the Gates of Avalon.”

  Anger welled inside Kara. Everyone was after her power, using her for their own ends. The kings and queens were no different from the packs of magic-starved creatures, or even Lorren. None of them cared what happened to her as long as her magic was theirs to use.

  “It is time for you to become who you really are!”

  The magical network flickered, its brilliant light taking on darker hues. Kara felt the magic of the Otherworlds working through her, infecting each level of her network.

  The white-hot center of her magic blazed as the seductive force engulfed her. She felt the need, the hunger for more magic. It would never be enough.

  “There is always more.”

  With a start, she realized she could turn on her friends, twist the magic of all those linked to her, take anything her heart desired. And no one could stop her!

  “No!” Kara screamed, reaching for someone to help her.

  She felt herself drowning, spiraling into the darkness, burning out like a blazing sunset.

  “Kara.”

  Falling through the seething patterns of magic, she wondered where that voice was coming from.

  “Kara! Hang on to me.” Someone was supporting her with pure, strong magic.

  Kara had a fleeting image of orange-spotted fur and sparking emerald eyes.

  With a jolt, Kara came back to herself, trembling on the shores of the mirror lake.

  “Lyra?” she whispered. She reached for her friend. Lyra had never left her. The cat was always there, looking out for her. Watching over her.

  Kara reached for the silver heart talisman, easily wresting its power from Tangoo’s grasp. She sent the full force of her network through the quicksilver heart and focused on Lyra. She felt her friend’s magic blaze to life, warm and loving.

  Holding tight to Lyra, Kara let her friend’s love wash over her, spreading back down the network.

  One by one, she gently let her friends go, breaking the hold of the dark forces.

  Kara opened her eyes and stared at the mirror lake.

  Starfire and Goldie were right by her side. Lorren stood nearby, watching her carefully.

  Suddenly the boy leaped in the air and whooped. “You did it!”

  Kara looked around. The lands were stable. No fairy quakes, no jagged lightning in the skies above. She had saved the Fairy Realms. No, she realized. Her friends had saved it through her.

  A scream turned her attention back to the lake. Tangoo stood on the mirror, shaking with fear.

  Kara had reversed the flow of magic. The mirror was sending strong magic from the Fairy Realms, closing the Otherworlds.

  She faced Tangoo, her heart filled with rage.

  Tangoo held the power crystal in his hand. “If you join us, the power will be yours,” he said, flustered. “You can rule as you were meant to!”

  Kara’s ice blue eyes burned into the sorcerer. “Don’t put it in your Day Planner.”

  She held up her unicorn jewel and fired.

  Flaming magic seared through the air. Tangoo swung the crystal to deflect the blast as Kara’s fury smashed into him. Blinded by the raging fire, her magic bored into the power crystal with the full wrath of the blazing star. The jewel splintered and cracked, shattering into dust.

  Screaming, Tangoo was caught in the mirror’s powerful beam and sent hurtling up through the rift and into the Otherworlds.

  The sky whirled with purples and greens. Great winds screeched over the rippling quicksilver. With a final burst of light, the rift closed. The lake shimmered and transformed back to shining crystal waters.

  Kara stared at the blue sky, frozen.
She had destroyed a power crystal, a crucial part of finding Avalon’s magic. At the final moment, she had lost control of her magic after all.

  Lorren stared at her open mouthed. “You had it! You could have taken the crystal.”

  Kara hung her head. He was right. Tangoo was helpless. She could have easily taken the power crystal.

  “You still have another.”

  “Starfire!” She watched as the stallion’s form rippled and wavered.

  With a jolt of panic, Kara realized the stallion had let go of the second power crystal.

  “No, you don’t have to do this!” she cried.

  “It is my choice,” Starfire said gently. “Avalon’s magic beckons to me, I belong there now. I am with you blazing star, now and forever.”

  In a flash of Firemental magic, Starfire’s stallion form dissolved and vanished.

  Kara looked down, feeling the power crystal heavy in her hands.

  “What happened to Starfire?” Lorren asked.

  “He’s free,” Kara murmured. Her heart ached, but she did not feel the unbearable loss that she had expected. The stallion was still with her, a warm spark in the heart of her magic. He would give her strength and temper her fire forever, whether he was physically by her side or not.

  She looked at Lorren and deposited the crystal into his hands. “This is what you wanted, isn’t it?”

  “A second crystal!” Lorren looked at her, amazed. “How did you do it, Princess?”

  “I didn’t. My friends did,” she told him.

  From out of the golden glow of the setting sun, shimmering wings glittered. A large leopard-like cat, lustrous spotted coat bright and healthy, emerald eyes twinkling, flew across the lake.

  Kara ran to the shore, tears streaming down her face.

  The cat landed beside her.

  Flinging her arms around Lyra’s neck, Kara cried happily. “You’re okay!”

  “I’m glad to see you are in one piece, too,” Lyra purred. “Your magic reversed the quicksilver spell in time.”

  Kara drew back, looking at her friend. “You saved me.” She shivered with the memory of the dark magic pulling her under.

  “I am always with you.”