“Drake!” She stumbled over to the creature and hugged his broad neck.
“Mama!” the dragon shouted, wagging his spiked tail, scattering mistwolves and animals everywhere. He dropped his enormous head, hiding the girl under a puff of steam.
“Thought you could use a friend.” The boy slid off the dragon, slipping his flying gloves in his leather belt.
“Zach!” Her two best friends from Aldenmor had come for her.
“You did say to drop by any—” Zach was cut off as Adriane caught him in a bearhug.
“I missed you, too.” Zach returned her hug warmly.
Adriane stepped away shyly. “And my baby boy,” Adriane said, rubbing Drake between his eye ridges, making the dragon snort with pleasure. “It was you who grabbed onto me, wasn’t it.”
“Drake’s magic can be pretty intense,” Zach said, his bright red dragon stone shining from a brown leather band on his wrist. “He doesn’t know his own strength.”
“Wolf sister.” A huge mistwolf approached, fur black as night and golden eyes gleaming.
“Moonshadow.” Adriane knelt and hugged the packleader, nose to nose.
“I have brought twenty-four of the pack to help protect the forest.”
The mistwolf pack gathered around the mages, welcoming them with a frenzy of wagging tails, grinning faces, and low howls of excitement. The sun gleamed off their lustrous coats of silver, auburn, brown, and diamond white. They were magnificent.
“This is incredible!” Emily breathed.
Adriane felt exhilarated as the magic of the pack filled her. She was being welcomed as an equal. A beautiful gold-and-white wolf nosed her way past Moonshadow.
“We are sorry for the pain caused by our arrival. There was no other way.”
“We’ll live.” Adriane smiled.
“This is Dawnrunner,” Moonshadow growled. “My mate.”
“You honor me.” The warrior bowed to the magnificent she-wolf.
The wolves lifted their heads and howled as one. The wolfsong rang over the field.
“Get off me, you big lizard!” Ozzie pushed his way out from under Drake’s belly, smoothing his singed and ruffled fur.
Drake pressed a giant golden eye close to the ferret’s head. “Hi!”
“A Knight of the Circle is a friend to the mistwolves,” Dawnrunner said.
“Gah!”
“Welcome to Ravenswood.” The blazing star smiled at the new arrivals. “And are we glad to see you!”
“Hello.” Drake bent his head around Kara and peered down at the curious animals.
“Hey, watch it!” Kara covered her hair. “I just had it highlighted!”
“Drake’s perfectly friendly,” Zach reassured the quivering quiffles.
“We will check the forest.” Dawnrunner nudged the pack leader’s side as she led the other wolves into the trees. In an instant they vanished, as if swallowed by the woods.
Moonshadow growled. “She is concerned.”
“There is a field of dark magic covering this entire forest,” Zach explained. “Drake was the only one strong enough to break through.”
“No wonder the d-flies couldn’t hear me,” Kara exclaimed.
“I broke the portal!” Drake announced proudly.
“Good boy.” Adriane kissed his big red nose.
“Aww, he’s portal trained.” Kara grinned.
With a sudden spark, the broken mesh of spider webbing magically wove back, sealing the portal shut. In a rush of wind, it vanished.
“We could be here a while,” Zach observed.
“There’s plenty of room for everyone,” Emily stated.
“Where’s Dreamer?” Zach asked, sudden concern in his eyes.
Adriane’s smile faded. “He’s been taken away.”
Zach’s dragon stone flashed in alarm.
“Something’s wrong with his magic,” Adriane said.
“It affects all mistwolves,” Moonshadow snarled.
“You mean it’s not just Dreamer?” Adriane asked. “What happened?”
“The spirit pack is missing,” the wolf answered.
“Missing?” Orenda had told Adriane to find the missing mistwolves.
“Our magic comes from the spirit pack,” the pack leader explained. “Without them, it will fade until it is lost forever.”
Adriane stared into the wolf’s deep golden eyes, sensing how much had been sacrificed to come here. “That’s why Dreamer couldn’t turn to mist, why I couldn’t talk to him.”
“I have brought the strongest of the pack.” The wolf lowered his head before Adriane. “In this forest, we will make our stand.”
He was submitting to her leadership.
The warrior knelt and raised his head, looking at the pack leader eye to eye. “We will find the spirit pack. Together.”
“There’s more,” Zach said gravely. “The Dark Sorceress and the Spider Witch have escaped the Otherworlds. This dark magic is their work.”
“Tell us something we don’t know,” Kara quipped.
“She’s located another power crystal,” Zach said.
“That’ll do,” Kara conceded.
“Why are they attacking Ravenswood?” Emily asked. “What’s the connection?”
“We don’t know yet. The Fairimentals tried to warn you, but they couldn’t break through—” Zach looked around. “Where is the Experimental Fairimental, Tweek?”
“He exploded two days ago, and we haven’t seen him since,” Ozzie grumbled.
“Let’s go back to my house we’ll tell you all about it,” Adriane said.
As Emily and Kara started walking across the field, Adriane was practically giddy with relief. The situation was bad, but the pack, Drake, and Zach filled her with strength and new hope.
“I see you’ve been getting the Fred-X deliveries,” Adriane said, observing Zach’s outfit of black jeans, tan sweater, and down vest.
“Thanks for all the care packages.” Zach smiled, pushing his neatly trimmed blond hair away from his blue eyes. “I’m the best-dressed boy on Aldenmor.”
“You’re the only boy on Aldenmor,” Kara remarked.
Adriane noticed Zach had filled out. The soft features of his face now angled into a strong chin that set off his sparkling blue eyes. Broad shoulders and strong arms framed his tall physique.
“Drake looks good,” she observed. “You have really taken care of each other.”
He smiled. “You look good, too, Adriane.”
Adriane felt heat flare over her cheeks.
“What else did the Fairimentals say?” Emily asked Zach.
“The spirit of Ravenswood is being twisted by strong elemental magic.”
“That would be one Spider Witch, thank you very much,” Kara said.
“The forest sylph is under attack.” Adriane scanned the thick trees, sensing the dark force worming its way through the forest.
“These are magical woods.” Moonshadow sniffed the air. “It is no wonder the Spirit Trail runs through here.”
Adriane turned to the pack leader. Is that what she had experienced? The Spirit Trail?
“When the spirit pack vanished, we lost the Spirit Trail. No one can find it. Soon our magic will fade completely.”
“Moonshadow,” Adriane said, passing under the huge oaks bordering the trail to her house. “I have seen the spirit pack.”
The wolf stared at Adriane. “You saw ten thousand mistwolves?”
“No. One.”
“How?” Zach asked, genuinely impressed.
“I don’t really know,” she admitted. “Tweek called it world walking.”
“You are bonded to the mistwolves,” Moonshadow said, as if that explained everything.“What did this mistwolf look like?”
“He was silver and black,” Adriane said, shivering with the memory of the fierce creature. “With one blue eye and one green eye. He called himself the pack leader.”
“Chain!” Moonshadow barked.
“Who’s
that?” Emily asked.
“Chain was pack leader long before me,” Moonshadow said. “When he died, he refused to join the spirit pack with the rest of our ancestors. Instead, he turned rogue.”
“But why?” Adriane asked.
A low growl rumbled from the black wolf. “He was betrayed by his human bonded and left in dishonor.”
“Betrayed?” Adriane was stunned.
“Who was his bonded?” Zach asked.
“A human wizard called Gardener.”
The mages gasped.
“I don’t believe it!” Kara said.
“I forbade the mistwolves contact with humans because I thought they would all betray us.” The powerful black wolf turned his deep golden eyes on Adriane.“I was wrong.”
But evidently one did, Adriane thought. How could that be possible? The records they had found in Gardener’s secret room seemed to indicate he was totally dedicated to saving the wolves.
“Chain is a vengeful spirit,” Moonshadow continued.“And very dangerous.”
“But I have seen another,” Adriane said. “Stormbringer.”
The wolf’s golden eyes were wide with amazement. “I knew I was right to come here.”
Storm had died to save the mistwolves, but now the pack was in terrible danger again. They were counting on Adriane. She hadn’t even been able save Dreamer—how could she save the entire mistwolf pack?
“Really cool place.” Zach smiled, taking in the wood and red brick house nestled peacefully in the forest.
“This is where I live,” Adriane said to Zach and Moonshadow as they left the trees and headed onto the lawn behind the cottage. In the distance, Ravenswood Manor loomed, its Gothic towers dark and imposing.
“What do we do with the big guy?” Kara pointed at Drake. The dragon was curiously examining the stone chimney.
“Ozzie, you’ll be in charge of our guests,” Emily said.
“Great…”
Several mistwolves appeared from the bushes, sniffing out the grounds.
“Do not eat the quiffles!” the ferret shouted.
Drake leaned his enormous horse-like head in front of Ozzie, blinking big dragon eyes. A long forked tongue shot out, carrying the ferret into his wide mouth.
“And never lick the ferret!” Ozzie yelled as Drake spit him into an open window.
“I think I know what’s going on,” Kara said suddenly.
“What?” Emily asked.
“We’ve seen this happen before. It could only be—”
“My mom!” Adriane exclaimed.
“Gag! How could she be responsible?” Ozzie asked, tumbling out the front door, wiping dragon slobber off his head.
The warrior urgently tried to push Drake back to the forest. “You have to hide!”
“Adriane?”
The warrior turned to see her mother rounding the path from the main driveway. Willow stopped dead in her tracks, dark eyes open wide in surprise.
ADRIANE WHIRLED AROUND, her heart hammering.
Emily, Kara, Zach, and Ariel waved at her.
Drake and the mistwolves were nowhere in sight. Only a faint mist floated through the trees.
“I could have sworn I saw—” Willow began, then shook her head. “Must have been the sun in my eyes.”
“Hi, I’m Kara. This is Emily and Zach,” the blazing star said as the sounds of cracking and crunching faded behind them.
“I’m sorry we were not properly introduced,” Willow said, and smiled. “I’m Willow Charday.”
Emily stepped forward, red curls bouncing. Ariel sat on her shoulder, blinking great big owl eyes. “It’s very nice to meet you, Mrs.—”
“Please call me Willow.”
“This is Ariel,” Emily said. “She lives here with Adriane.”
“Hoolow.”
“She’s beautiful.” Then Willow eyed the blond boy warily. “Do you live around here, Zach?”
“I, uh, live over on Alden—”
“Allentown,” Kara finished quickly. “Part of an interschool program to help the preserve.”
“That’s quite a ways to come to work here,” Willow noted.
“This is a special place.” He smiled, glancing at Adriane. “I’d like to visit more often.”
Adriane turned beet red. Then her mother’s voice brought her back to Earth.
“You were supposed to meet us at the hotel right after school.”
Adriane frowned. “Um, I had chores and I needed help taking care of things around here.”
“Maybe you’re taking on more than you can handle,” Willow said.
You have no idea, Adriane thought.
“Adriane told us you were in Philadelphia exhibiting Mr. Charday’s new sculptures,” Emily said cheerily.
“Actually, they’re not sculptures,” Kara explained. “They’re free-form light modules.”
“You know your art, Kara.” Willow was impressed.
“My mom is on the board of the Hammersmith.” Kara beamed. “She showed me the program last night.”
Emily and Adriane looked at her in amazement.
“What? It’s an art gallery,” Kara told them.
“Adriane,” Willow said softly. “Can we talk… inside?”
Adriane turned and stomped up the porch to the front door. She glanced at Zach, and her jewel flashed. “Keep Drake away while I talk to my mom.”
“We have to finish up those chores now,” Emily said, running into the woods.
“Right. It was nice to see you again.” Kara waved as she and Zach raced after the healer.
“Your friends are certainly active.”
“You should see them on a good day,” Adriane said.
They entered the foyer and Willow stopped, taking in the cozy living room. Flowery drapes fluttered in the gentle breeze, slanting soft light over the family pictures on the mantle.
Willow gazed at the photos, eyes resting on her wedding portrait. “Seems like only yesterday that I left this place.”
Adriane followed her mother into the kitchen.
“I brought you something.” Willow carefully took a book out of her bag and handed it to Adriane. “This edition has some really cool artwork.”
Adriane ran her fingers over the rich leather and gold embossed title: Alice in Wonderland. Her favorite. When she was younger, Adriane had always dreamed of being like Alice and finding her own special wonderland. “Thank you.”
Willow opened a cabinet and smiled. “Peppermint tea. Gran always kept it here.”
She filled a pot with water and set it on the burner.
“When I first met your father, I knew I wanted to be with him more than anything.” Willow smiled wistfully. “You should see his new pieces, Adriane. They’re his best ever.”
“I’m sure they are.”
“You know, he talks about you all the time.” Willow started to pull out Gran’s usual chair at the table, then paused and sat in the chair next to it. “Adriane, why didn’t you call us after Gran’s accident?”
The warrior placed the book on the counter. What did her mom expect her to say? Because you’d show up and ruin everything for me. And, by the way, thanks for letting them take Dreamer!
“Have you wondered how we got here so fast?” Willow asked suddenly, fidgeting with the silver rings shining on her slim fingers.
Adriane blinked, surprised. “Didn’t the hospital call you?”
Willow locked her dark eyes on Adriane. “Gran told me.”
“B-but—” Adriane stammered.
“In a dream. Does that sound strange?”
This was the first time her mom had talked about anything like this.
Willow gestured to Adriane’s chair. “Please, Adriane. Sit with me.”
The warrior hesitated, then slowly walked over and sat down.
“The truth is, I never felt comfortable at Ravenswood.”
Adriane looked down at her hands, her voice strained. “Then how come you left me here?”
“G
ran insisted you be here when you became a teenager. That woman is pure stubborn.”
“I’m glad she did.”
“You’ve changed, Adriane. I can see it, so beautiful and strong.” Willow’s slender fingers brushed the hair from Adriane’s face. “You’ve blossomed here.”
Adriane shuffled in her chair but didn’t move away.
Willow leaned forward. “But we have to deal with reality. Gran is very sick.”
“She’ll get better,” Adriane vowed. Please, she prayed with all her might, she has to.
“I think you’ve inherited more than her stubborn streak.” Willow said with a fleeting smile. “You’re more like her than I ever was.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“She is very… passionate about Ravenswood.” Willow got up and brought the teapot to the table. She poured steaming tea in their cups. “When I was your age, all she talked about was our heritage and how it’s linked to nature. She said we could talk to forest spirits. I get scared watching Casper.” She smiled, waiting for Adriane to say something. “I can see this is making you upset. I’m sorry.”
Adriane struggled with her thoughts, trying to explain what she was going through, what was really happening. Instead, she went back to what was familiar: her anger. “I’m upset because you’re ruining my life!”
“What do you propose I do, Adriane?” Willow’s voice raised in frustration. “You can’t live here alone.”
“Ravenswood is my home! It’s the only one I’ve ever really had, thanks to you.”
Adriane stood and walked to the sink, hair falling over her face.
“That wolf. Is that what we’re talking about? You can get lots of pets—”
“Dreamer!” Adriane swung around. “His name is Dreamer, mother!”
“A wild wolf, Adriane. That’s not normal,” Willow insisted.
Adriane paced defiantly. “Different cities for a few months, then onto somewhere new. You call that normal?” Adriane fought back tears. “I never knew where we’d be going next. How was I supposed to make friends when I’d be gone in six months?”
“You don’t understand,” Willow pleaded.
“No. I get it. You were never happy here, and now you don’t want me to be happy.”
“Of course I do, honey. I’m glad you’ve made friends here. But we need to be a family—”
Ghost Wolf (Avalon: Web of Magic #9) Page 7