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

by Rachel Roberts

  With one last enormous belch, Indi toppled over a pile of crates. Then, like a balloon losing air, the creature faded from view.

  “Anchors away!” Cribby firmly spun the wheel as the boat pulled out of the harbor.

  Back to his sea dragon form, Indi staggered to the end of the dock, gazing at Emily with wide eyes. Pieces of him sparkled as he tried to use Emily’s magic to shapeshift.

  “Wait!” Emily ran to the stern, causing the Flyer to tilt alarmingly.

  “Let him turn into a whale and swim to us,” Marlin said.

  “He can’t!” Emily cried. “He used all his magic to save us.”

  “Emeemee.” The creature held out his stubby arms.

  The bulwoggles reached for the shapeshifter. But before they could grab him, Indi fell forward, tumbling into the water.

  Cribby held the wheel firmly as the Flyer headed for the breakwater. “Off we go, then.”

  “Indi!” Emily screamed, searching the churning waters. There was no sign of him. Spray and foam obscured Emily’s view as she scrambled over the railing.

  “No, wait!” Marlin pulled the struggling girl back. “I’m a merboy.” His mouth twitched with a quick smile. “I can hold my breath for twenty minutes… I think.”

  Marlin threw off his robe and dove into the dark waters.

  “Turn us around!” Emily commanded Cribby.

  “Are ye all mad?” The sea elf held the fluttering sail with one hand, gripping the wheel with the other. “We’ll never make it outta here!”

  Water sloshed over the prow as the Fearless Flyer smacked into turbulent waves.

  Emily hung on to the railing, watching for any signs of the merboy.

  “He’ll never catch up!” she fretted.

  But suddenly a sparkling purple ball bobbed to the surface, held aloft by a pair of light green arms. Marlin was moving through the water at amazing speed. In no time the pair was alongside the boat.

  Emily stared opened mouthed. “How did you swim so fast?”

  “I didn’t.” Marlin was swiftly raised above the surface, astride an amazing creature. Huge sea green eyes blinked from a wide, horse-like head. Purple and green sparkles ran down her scales.

  A wild sea dragon!

  “Help!” Marlin clutched the creature’s neck.

  “Give me your hand.” Emily reached out.

  The dragon’s head swung to the boat and locked eyes with Emily. Instantly, she felt the creature’s pain. The dragon was suffering from the same virus as the sea dragons in Aquatania.

  “Save the merboy,” the dragon’s voice cried in Emily’s mind.

  Miranda helped Emily hoist the boy on board. In an instant, he was sprawled onto the deck, out of breath. Indi landed with a loud Thump!

  “Avast, ye crabbers!” Cribby yelled, turning the boat abruptly. “I’m coming aboot!”

  “What?” Emily asked.

  With a rush, the boom swung dangerously across the deck, missing Emily’s head by inches. Sails filled out as the vessel leaned into the wind and sped off.

  With a last look, the incredible sea dragon dove into the water, glistening fins vanishing in a spray of foam.

  “Emily, you see that?” the excited boy pointed.

  “That was totally amazing!”

  “Finally, we’re all on board.” Cribby smiled, heading the Fearless Flyer into open waters. “Swift as a gull, she is. Off we be—”

  “Niva!” Marlin yelled.

  “Turn around!” Cribby shouted. “Wait—who’s Niva?”

  “The sea dragon.” Marlin dashed over to the stern, searching the waves.

  “I ain’t taking a sea dragon on board, ya barnacle brain!” the elf captain cried.

  Emily’s eyes widened. “You heard her?”

  Marlin stumbled, his face reflecting fear and wonder. “How… why?”

  “Easy.” Emily eased him back to the cabin, feeling his forehead and checking his pulse.

  “I’m okay,” Marlin said, smiling weakly. “We made it.”

  “Of course we made it!” Cribby boasted as the sails snapped in the wind. “I ain’t Cribby the sea elf for nothing.”

  “Good job, elf,” Miranda said.

  “Hooya!” Cribby slapped a hand on her back. “Hey—who are you?”

  Emily crouched by Indi. The shapeshifter had coiled into a tight ball. She could barely sense her jewel, pulsing softly inside, keeping him alive.

  “What’s wrong with him?” Marlin asked.

  “He’s run out of magic,” Emily said worriedly, then turned to Miranda. “Can you help him?”

  “I believe I can,” the tall woman said.

  “Where did you come from?” Marlin asked.

  “There will be time for answers later.” The woman’s hypnotic voice washed over Emily. “You must all rest now.”

  The salty sea air made knots of Emily’s curls. She gazed at the golden sun sinking into the ocean. Little by little, she felt free, as if she hadn’t a worry in the world. At last she was on her way to Aquatania. Her heart soared, knowing she would soon be with Ozzie, Kara, Adriane, and her other friends. Everything was going to be all right.

  But first she needed to rest for a few minutes. Cribby and Marlin were nodding off, sinking to the deck.

  She was so tired… so tired.

  The last rays of sunset vanished as darkness closed in.

  “ARE YOU SURE it’s here?” Lorren asked.

  The sky had darkened to glowing purple as the group huddled around Tasha. Mount Hope loomed above them, its majestic peak towering over mountains that stretched hundreds of miles on either side.

  “See those trees?” Zach pointed to a section of thick forest behind them. A line of firs stood in a tight formation, as if pointing to a wooded hollow. “Many hidden portals are identified by natural markers. I bet that’s one of them.”

  “It’s right here on the fairy map,” the goblin girl confirmed, then turned to Adriane and Kara. “How are you at opening portals?”

  “My unicorn magic can open them,” said Kara.

  “Okay. We’ll use the signals from Emily’s jewel to guide us through.” Tasha tapped a series of buttons. “Ozzie will lock onto the rainbow stone… which is right—”

  “Right where?” The ferret stuck his snout close to the screen.

  Tasha’s green forehead wrinkled in concentration.

  “What’s wrong?” Adriane asked.

  “These readings—” Tasha pointed to the colors streaming onto her jewel locator—“it’s definitely Emily’s jewel.”

  “But?” Ozzie prompted her.

  “Something’s wrong. See there—these purples are darker.”

  “What does that mean?” Kara asked.

  Tasha took a deep breath, then her words came rushing out. “Emily’s magic is very weak. It’s almost gone.”

  The dull roar of wind rushing down the mountain seemed supernaturally loud.

  “Then what are we waiting for!” Ozzie shouted.

  The group hopped onto bats, cat, and dragon.

  “Let’s do it.” Kara raised her hands, crisscrossing the air with diamond pink sparkles.

  The magic of the blazing star turned bright red, swirling into a deep circle of lights. In a surge of energy, an immense portal flashed open. The gateway hung in the air, tendrils of mist beckoning them like ghostly fingers. Inside, lightning spiked along looping strands of the magic web.

  Adriane, Zach, and Ozzie raised their jewels.

  “Everybody twist beams of magic together into a rope,” Tasha instructed, locking the locations of the other three portals into her magic meter. “We’ll need the strongest force possible to pull us through all four portals.”

  Silver light blazed from Adriane’s wrist as she coiled an arc of wolf magic overhead.

  “I’ll take the lead. I know how to braid.” Kara wove a band of blazing pink power around the wolf magic. The two crackling beams bounced and wavered, once again repelled by each other.

 
; “Zach,” Tasha cried. “Can you hold them together?”

  The boy shot a beam of red dragon magic, binding the pink and silver strands together. The rope crackled but held firm.

  “Okay, then.” Kara twisted the beams into a shimmering braid. With a tug, she pulled tight.

  The warrior belted one end of the magic braid around the group, holding them together.

  “We go on one.” Adriane swung the other end over her head like a lasso.

  “Ready…” Kara called out.

  Faster and faster, the chain swung, gathering power.

  “Set…” Zach leaned forward in Drake’s saddle.

  Lights flared from the portal, attracted to the mages’ brilliant magic.

  “One!” Ozzie screamed.

  The warrior flung the glowing chain through the portal.

  “Hold it steady!” Tasha called out.

  The rope uncoiled at alarming speed, shooting through the open gateway.

  “It’s through the second one,” Tasha announced, following the chain’s path as it stretched across the small screen. “We need more power!”

  Drake roared, sending a blast of dragon fire blazing through Zach’s jewel.

  “We’re through the third!” Tasha cried. “Ozzie, go!”

  Ozzie squeezed his eyes shut in concentration as ferret magic streamed from his gem. Power surged along the rope as he reached for Emily’s jewel. With a shuddering jolt, ferret fur stood on end. “I got her!”

  “Hang on!” Adriane yelled.

  The rope snapped taut, yanking everyone into the swirling abyss.

  WIND RUFFLED EMILY’S copper curls as the Fearless Flyer coasted across endless ocean.

  Something tickled at the back of her mind. Thoughts were cloudy, unfocused, just out of reach. She couldn’t remember exactly what had happened after they’d escaped Port Tuga. They’d learned little from the strange woman, Miranda. She was a mage, yet carried no jewel. She had escaped with them from Port Tuga—then everyone suddenly fell asleep.

  The dark shape of Cribby slouched against the wheel, gently snoring. Marlin dozed by the mast. Indi lay curled in a tight ball, motionless and barely breathing.

  “Healer.”

  Emily slowly turned.

  Miranda stood tall and regal at the prow. Brilliant swathes of crystal starlight reflected off the ocean’s surface, as if she were enveloped in the magic web itself.

  “Tell me.” Miranda’s voice drew Emily closer. “Why are you so troubled?”

  “I… lost my healing jewel, and the sea dragons are sick.”

  “Ah.” Miranda nodded. “You can’t heal them.”

  Emily shook her head.

  Miranda leaned forward, earnest and sincere. “I can help you.”

  Emily wanted to believe. She had worked just as hard as Kara and Adriane, but no matter what she did, she seemed to get nowhere, or just make things worse.

  “But how can I use magic without my jewel?” Emily twisted her empty silver bracelet. “I don’t even have a bonded animal.”

  “I’ve never needed a jewel or an animal.” The woman’s eyes flared. “You don’t, either—you never have.”

  Emily caught her breath.

  “Jewels and bonded animals enhance magic. But you risk much if you rely solely on them.” The voice wormed its way into Emily. “You never know who will fail you. Believe me, the magic is stronger alone.”

  No. Emily shook her head. Miranda’s words went against everything Emily believed. Bonding with animals always made the strongest magic.

  And yet, she remembered, she had spoken to Lyra before she had found her rainbow stone. And Kara had used magic for months before finding her unicorn jewel.

  Miranda echoed her thoughts. “You can learn to control magic freely, dependent on no one.”

  Silvery light illuminated Miranda’s pale face. For a heartbeat, Emily thought she saw the woman’s sharp features shimmer and blur before snapping back into focus.

  “Who are you?”

  “I was like you… once. My friends and I were on a quest. To find Avalon.”

  Emily was stunned. “There were other mages before us?”

  “Many others.”

  Caught in the spell of the hypnotic voice, Emily waited for her to continue.

  “I’m afraid our story doesn’t have a happy ending. We never found the home of magic.”

  “Did you have the power crystals to open the gates?”

  Miranda smiled bitterly. “Of course. We made them.”

  “What?” the healer exclaimed. “But the Fairimentals chose us to find Avalon.”

  “The Fairimentals used you to steal my magic.”

  This made no sense. If Miranda was right about jewels, animals, and Avalon, then everything Emily knew about magic was a lie.

  “Then where does your magic come from?” Emily asked.

  “That, my dear, is what your special talent is all about.” Miranda’s eyes locked on hers. “You have used magic to heal wounds. But you can do so much more.”

  “Like I did with those creatures in the bazaar.” Emily shuddered. Manipulating the thoughts and emotions of others had worked, but it felt all wrong.

  “That is only the beginning. What ails the sea dragons is not physical.”

  “But how am I supposed to heal their magic? I can’t even see what’s wrong.”

  The first rays of dawn cast a twinkling pink haze over the boat.

  In the dim shadows, the woman smiled dangerously. “You are a healer. You can learn to see the magic itself, shape it however you desire.”

  Emily felt the hair on the back of her neck rise up. Deep inside she knew this wasn’t quite right, but if she didn’t do something, the last of the sea dragons were going to die. A true healer would risk anything to save those animals.

  Emily faced the woman. “Show me.”

  Miranda shifted her gaze to the still form of Indi. “Start with what you know.”

  “I can’t. He ate my jewel,” Emily reminded her.

  “You should be glad. You’re free now.”

  Concentrating, Emily stared at Indi. But all she saw was a purple ball. Her hazel eyes stung with frustrated tears.

  “This is crazy! I can’t see anything.”

  “You couldn’t see the thoughts of the trolls, yet you manipulated them. Look harder, below the surface.”

  Emily felt Miranda’s voice in her mind, guiding her like she’d done back at the bazaar. The healer looked through the purple scales and toes, sensing something beyond Indi’s physical appearance. She reached out, feeling the magic of her jewel emanating from the purple ball.

  Suddenly Indi began to pulse with rainbow lights, as if a switch had been turned on. The blues and greens of her healing gem seemed to come from inside out, swirling around him in a glittering halo. It mixed with Indi’s own purple magic. Something she’d always felt, but had never been able to see before.

  “I see it,” she breathed.

  “Every creature has a magical aura.” Miranda gently turned the girl toward the ocean. “Now look.”

  In a heartbeat, Emily felt the vastness of the ocean surround her. Brilliant flares gleamed beneath the surface, blinking to the horizon and beyond.

  Miranda smiled, eyes ablaze, drawing the healer alongside her. “Open yourself to their magic.”

  Exquisite auras danced around her like threads of woven starlight. She was seeing the magic of all the animals in the ocean!

  “You are a healer. You can touch all animals.”

  Strands of light shone from each animal’s aura, blurring into a kaleidoscope of shifting magic, dissolving, re-forming. Reaching out in her mind, Emily grasped the strands.

  “Now weave the magic together into a new pattern, one of your own design.”

  Was it really so easy, as Miranda said, to take that magic and use it however she desired? Emily gathered the glowing strands and began weaving them into a new pattern—a web.

  “That’s it. Now use your
web to find the strongest magic.”

  The healer reached deeper, following the strands to the web’s center. Brilliant magic swirled in blues, greens, and silver, dazzling her senses. Hundreds of objects gleamed in a place of liquid light—jewels! The stones pulsed and sparkled with magic beyond her wildest dreams!

  Raw magical energy surged along her web, drawn to the healer’s touch. Suddenly, the bright lights morphed to a deep red, seeping like blood as the frightening realization hit. It wasn’t just Meerka and the other sea dragons that were sick. It was every creature in the ocean!

  “Healer!”

  One voice sounded in her mind, then another, and another, growing into a deafening chorus.

  “Help us!”

  “See how they come to you,” Miranda’s voice rose excitedly.

  The rush of magic was overwhelming. Emily was so deeply connected, she couldn’t distinguish between her own feelings and those of the thousands of animals caught in her web of magic. There were so many lost and hurt, desperate for help. How could she heal them all?

  “Help us, healer!”

  Still, they came to her, giving their magic freely, trusting Emily, the healer.

  “What should I do?” Emily cried out.

  “You’ve already done it.”

  The woman’s smile curled into a vicious sneer.

  Pain struck like a sledgehammer as Miranda wrenched the magic from Emily.

  Panicked screams exploded in her head.

  “What are you doing to them?”

  And then, it hit her. Miranda wasn’t doing anything. It was Emily taking the magic of all these innocent creatures, draining their very life-force. And Miranda, in turn, was taking it from her. Using her.

  Like wildfire, the power grew as more and more animals became caught in the web of Emily’s awesome power.

  “It’s time you learned the truth.”

  The woman stood in front of her, arms spread wide as glowing strands swirled around her, rising into an inferno of power as she fed on the magic Emily had gathered.

  “Great magic comes through pain. This is your magic, healer!”

  Emily struggled to focus, but she was losing, drowning in the agony of the animals.

  “Help me!” Emily tried to scream.

  But there was no Emily.