All's Fairy in Love and War (Avalon: Web of Magic #8) (3 page)

“A portal opened in my closet and I fell into it,” Kara explained hurriedly.

“Wow. Are you okay?”

“Yeah, yeah, fine. Lyra’s here with me. No time to explain right now.”

“Everyone’s expecting you here in like a half hour!” Adriane exclaimed. “Can you get back?”

“Not yet. This is the best the d-flies can do. And Heather, Molly, and Tiffany will be at my house any minute. You have to get over there and cover for me until I can find a way home,” Kara said. “Oh, and there’s a mookrat and a hobgoblin in my closet. Keep them away from my shoes!”

“Huh?”

The window shifted left as the mini dragons tried to hold it together.

“Wait a minute, who’s that?” Adriane could see the boy in black standing patiently to the side.

Kara didn’t quite know how to answer. “He’s a little light on the shining armor, but he’s taking me to some dude to see about getting out of here.”

Adriane thought for a second. “Can the d-flies talk to each other if they separate?”

Fiona nodded her little head. “Eezee, Keekee.”

“Okay, I get your drift.” Kara eyed the dragonflies. “We can all keep in contact through d-fly phones. Fiona, you go and stay with Emily. Fred, go with Adriane. And Blaze and Barney, go to my room and keep an eye on those two chuckleheads. Goldie stays with me.”

“Sounds good,” Adriane approved. “And be careful.”

Kara nodded. “D-flies, let’s move out.”

The window winked out in a flurry of rainbow bubbles, taking four of the five dragonflies with it. Goldie remained, sitting on Kara’s shoulder, preening her golden wings.

“Can I turn around now?” the boy in black asked.

“Okay,” Kara answered. “Let’s go.”

“Right this way, Princess Snow White.” Adjusting the silver sword at his side, he started into the woods, Kara and Lyra following close behind. “May I call you Snow?”

“No.”

The boy eyed her warily.

“But you
can
call me Kara.”

There was no trail, but the stranger strode confidently along a twisting course. The fairy creatures of the forests soon began converging again, following at a distance, scuffling and giggling.

“I’ve never seen anyone attract so many creatures,” the Forest Prince said.

“You should see me on a good day,” Kara quipped. “How’d you find me anyway?”

“It wasn’t hard, the wraiths put on quite a show,” he said, walking alongside Kara. “People search their whole lives to just see one.”

“Back off, bub!” Goldie squeaked harshly.

The boy stepped back. “You have some very loyal protectors.”

“And don’t you forget it!”
Lyra snarled.

Kara gave Goldie a scritch between the mini’s wings, the d-fly’s favorite scritching spot. The mini nuzzled into Kara’s neck, eyes whirling happily.

“So, I take it you’re from around here?” Kara ventured, hoping to find out something about her mysterious new friend.

He nodded. “I’m familiar with all of the Five Kingdoms in the Fairy Realms.”

“Huh?”

“The five major races that live here: Goblin, Troll, Dwarf, Elf, and Fairy,” the boy replied, pulling aside a thorny branch hanging in the path. “You should have arrived in the Fairy Ring.” He gestured for Kara to walk ahead.

“The what?”

The Forest Prince pointed a black-gloved hand. “There.”

Kara squinted through the tree trunks. Stepping around the giant trees, she stood at the edge of the forest. “Oh... my...” she gasped.

Before them stretched an organic city made entirely of flora. At one end, an enormous palace seemed to grow from the gardens themselves. Deep golden trees formed elegant shining towers, and thick, blooming vines intertwined to make lush green walls. Countless bright flowers adorned the palace, framing arched windows and encircling the high towers. Other structures lay sprawled among the grounds.

“Follow this path through the main gardens,” the Forest Prince instructed. “You’ll find the Fairy Ring on the far side. Good luck.” The stranger in black bowed and began backing into the woods.

“Aren’t you coming with me?” Kara asked.

“I can’t.” He edged farther back into the woods, his masked face hidden in the shadows. “Be seeing you, Princess.”

He melted into the darkness and vanished.

“Not if I see you first!” Kara called.

“
He did help us.”
Lyra moved onto a pathway lined by silvery green weeping willows.

“Uh huh,” Goldie concurred.

“Well, if
he’d
been lost in an enchanted mall, I totally would’ve helped
him.
”

Smoothing her hair, Kara walked forward, Lyra following. She wished she had a comb. A little lip gloss wouldn’t hurt either.

Kara followed a winding path through the gardens. She turned a corner and before her stood a huge, round amphitheater made of purple wisteria vines. Four archways wrapped in bright pink and yellow flowers served as entrances and exits to the open-air structure.

Angry voices echoed inside. Kara toyed with her unicorn jewel nervously. The Forest Prince said she was expected, so she assumed she could get help. But Kara had learned it was dangerous to assume anything when magic was involved.

“I guess we’ll just have to announce ourselves,” Kara said, walking into the Fairy Ring.

Suddenly Kara stopped in her tracks. A huge gathering of creatures was crowded within. Enormous trolls, green goblins, delicate fairies, squat dwarves, and nimble elves were crammed into the Fairy Ring. Several were standing in the ring, shouting.

“I grow weary of waiting!” an angry troll yelled, pacing on huge, knobby feet and waving a giant calloused fist in the air.

“You talk about saving the Fairy Realms, yet each day it grows worse,” accused a stout dwarf.

“We demand to know where she is!” an enraged goblin jumped and shouted.

“And so I shall tell you!” a clear voice rang out. The argument instantly ceased. Kara could barely see a tall figure in long robes adorned with strange symbols. Long green hair tied back, his gaunt face sported a goatee, hawkish nose, and deep black eyes that bore straight into Kara. “The answer we have been waiting for is here.”

K
ARA STOOD AT
the arched entrance to the Fairy Ring, shocked and speechless. The only thing anchoring her to reality was Lyra’s reassuring presence by her side and Goldie’s nervous twittering at her shoulder.

Inside the Fairy Ring, five pairs of thrones grew from the gleaming wood of the structure. The rulers from each of the Five Kingdoms, Elf, Goblin, Fairy, Troll, and Dwarf, occupied the royal pedestals. Circling them, crowds of creatures sat upon tiered toadstool seats, crammed all the way to the top.

A regal woman adorned with a jeweled crown and richly embroidered robes glided gracefully toward Kara. She was a tall, delicate fairy, with flowing hair the color of honey. Sparkling wings of swirling rainbow patterns fluttered at her back. Her rich violet gown accented her almost purple eyes.

She must be a queen, Kara realized.

“Welcome, Princess Kara,” the Fairy Queen said, smiling brilliantly.

“Look, she’s got a fairy dragon!” A wood nymph stood in the bleachers, pointing a long, green finger.

Goldie waved excitedly. One glittering wing of Kara’s costume, already loosened in the forest, ripped off and clattered to the floor.

The mini looked back over Kara’s shoulder. “Oop.”

The crowd stared at Kara in mute horror. Eyes of all shapes, sizes, and colors widened in disbelief.

Uh-oh. Kara suddenly got it. These creatures had thought her wings were real!

The Troll King rose from his seat, drawing his bushy eyebrows together in a ferocious scowl. His massive body, covered in battle-worn armor, looked like it was carved from a mountain, with thick gray skin, dark brown hair, and moss green eyes.

In a voice that sounded like grinding rocks, he laughed. His outburst set off a round of guffaws from the entire troll contingent, all massive brutes.

“Do you mock us?” the Troll King bellowed. “You would have us believe this human girl is going to save the Fairy Realms?”

“I would not joke in such dire times, King Ragnar,” the Fairy Queen answered respectfully, keeping her eyes on Kara. “This is no ordinary girl.”

“She most certainly is not.” The tall, wizened green-skinned goblin walked in front of the queen. Looking down his hawk-like nose, he scrutinized Kara with intense, black eyes. He smiled and called to the audience. “This is the blazing star!”

Gasps of disbelief ran through the crowd.

“You are quite right, Tangoo,” the queen said proudly.

One excited boggle leaped and applauded, then scurried into the audience when no one else joined in.

Everyone looked at Kara expectantly. She had no idea what to do.

“I am Queen Selinda,” the Fairy Queen said softly. “Step forward.”

Kara did as she was asked. Gulping, she managed to squeak, “Hi, what’s up?”

“Selinda, this is an outrage!” the Goblin Queen shouted. She rose from her throne and marched toward Kara, green cheeks flushed purple with anger, sharp eyes gleaming. A meek-looking Goblin Prince followed behind her. Slicking back black spiky hair with green highlights, the prince placed his other bejeweled hand on the Goblin Queen’s shoulder, trying to calm her down.

“Mother, this is one of the mages chosen by the Fairimentals to find Avalon.”

The stout Goblin Queen pushed between her sorcerer and the Fairy Queen to look Kara over. “Where is her mentor?”

Lyra stepped forward with a snarl, making the four back off.

“I would refrain from any more outbursts if I were you, Raelda,” Selinda advised, smiling at the big cat.

Flustered, Raelda stepped back.

“My luminous ladies.” Tangoo bowed briskly to both queens. “Allow me to proceed with my most extraordinary plan.”

“What’s going on here?” Kara asked. “What plan?”

“The plan to retrieve the power crystal of the Fairy Realms.”

“No way!” Kara grinned.

“But you must try!” the sorcerer protested.

“No, I mean, that’s what I’m
supposed
to do! With my friends, the other mages.”

Tangoo sighed, relieved.

Queen Selinda turned her violet eyes back to Kara. “I am sorry you were brought here so abruptly. You were supposed to arrive through this mirror in the Fairy Ring.” Selinda pointed to a large mirror set by her throne. Unlike the camouflaged gray glass mirror in the forest, this one was bright silver and elegantly framed by golden flowers.

“Well, I fell out in the middle of the forest,” Kara said, irritated.

“Connecting mirrors to portals is not a precise magic,” Tangoo explained.

“I would’ve been blazing stardust if the Forest Prince hadn’t rescued me,” Kara huffed.

The Fairy Ring suddenly erupted in chaos, everyone shouting and yelling at once.

“She’s working with that bandit!”

“What deceit is this?”

“Arrest her at once!”

Kara winced. Goldie squeaked. Lyra stood steady, tail swishing back and forth.

The Fairy Queen stretched her arms wide and the crowd hushed.

“I was attacked by tree wrags,” Kara said meekly.

“Wrags in the queen’s woods,” a dwarf yelled. “I told you the situation is dire!”

“She is in league with that thief of magic,” the Dwarf King spat, leaping up on short, squat legs. He was only as tall as an elf, but four times more massive, with a long, braided beard on his aged face.

“This boy saved my life,” Kara protested. The mystery guy
had
saved her, but Kara had known there wasn’t something quite right about him. Anyone who hid behind a mask wasn’t being completely truthful.

“She must find the power crystal now,” the Goblin King growled. “Or we proceed with our plans to seal off the Fairy Realms from the rest of the web!”

“You cannot do that, King Voraxx,” the Fairy Queen entreated. The crescent-shaped jewel on her crown glittered as she looked to the other rulers. “If you seal off the Fairy Realms, the magic web will surely be destroyed and all worlds with it!”

Kara gulped. “
All
worlds, as in Aldenmor, and
Earth
?”

“It is only a matter of time before the web unravels completely,” King Voraxx continued. “We need to keep what magic we have.”

“We must save ourselves while there is still time!” the Troll Queen shouted in agreement with the Goblin King.

“But if the mages open the Gates of Avalon there will be enough magic for everybody,” Selinda countered. “We can restore the web to what it was meant to be.”

“We don’t know what’s inside Avalon,” Troll King Ragnar warned. “Whomever sealed the gates must have done so for a good reason.”

“You speak of myth and legends,” Fairy King Oriel shouted. “The gates must be opened!”

“We are not here to debate what lies inside Avalon,” Selinda stated. “We are here to save our kingdoms.”

“I refuse to put the fate of the Fairy Realms in the hands of a girl!” the Dwarf Queen scoffed.

“Then you will see our armies march on Ironhold!” King Oriel vowed.

Raelda held up her hand. “I have authorized Tangoo’s plan to bring the blazing star here,” she spoke, looking sharply at Oriel. “Let us see if the sorcerer is as smart as he looks.”

Selinda’s lips twitched in a smile.

“However,” Raelda continued. “If she fails, we will do what we must to save ourselves and our lands.”

Fairy King Oriel stood and moved to the center of the ring, his sky blue robes rippling around his lithe form. “Anyone who tries to seal off the Fairy Realms will have to deal with me first.”

“And the elves,” said the Elf Queen firmly, her distrust of goblins reflected in her large brown eyes. “The blazing star proved her courage by sending magic to save Aldenmor. We stand with the fairies!”

The Goblin Queen countered, “This so-called blazing star has made everything worse by losing the power crystals!”

“I don’t understand,” Kara said. “The power crystals are dangerous?”

“Very.” Selinda’s face was grim. “The crystal of the Fairy Realms is composed of elemental fairy magic. But it is now wild, destroying the very magic it was created from. The Fairy Realms are in great danger unless it can be found.”

Kara thought of the wild magic whirlwinds she and her friends had seen in the deserts of New Mexico. They were created by a power crystal; the magic warped and twisted whatever it touched, and had even switched Emily’s and Adriane’s powers.

“I didn’t know what would happen!” Kara protested.

Raelda scowled. “You can bet the Dark Sorceress and her allies are keenly aware of the crystals’ volatile powers.”

The Elf King glowered at Queen Raelda. He spoke in a threatening whisper. “The Dark Sorceress was aided directly by
your
people. I wonder how high up the chain of command that went?”

Raelda gasped in shock.

“That is enough!” Selinda commanded. “The mages have already found one of the power crystals.”

All eyes focused back on Kara.

She stammered, “My friends and I gave it to the Fairimentals for safekeeping. We’re supposed to find the other eight.”

The crowd muttered. Some even began laughing again.

The Fairy Queen raised her voice. “Magic attracts magic, and who is more magical than a blazing star?” She looked at the other rulers. “Surely you will give her a chance before we resort to war.”

“The blazing star is a friend to the elves, as are the other two mages, the healer and the warrior,” the short, kindly Elf King smiled warmly at Kara, but spoke to the crowds. “I agree with Queen Selinda, let us give the young mage a chance.”

“But I can’t find this power crystal by myself, I need my—” Kara began.

“Exactly, my young celebutant mage,” Tangoo interjected. “That is why I have created a creature of magnificent power to aid you.”

“Ooo!” Goldie looked around expectantly.

“Only the blazing star can tame this wondrous beast.” Tangoo bowed to Kara.

“If she really is the blazing star,” Dwarf King Rolok grumbled.

“Prove it!” someone in the crowd yelled.

“Show us some magic, blazing star,” a pixie called out.

“Er… magic?” Kara asked nervously. “I’ve got dress rehearsal at school in, like, fifteen minutes.”

“Let the blazing star prove herself!” the Troll King rumbled.

“Agreed!” the Goblin King added.

The doubting Goblin Queen stood back and crossed her arms.

Arguing with these fairy creatures wasn’t getting Kara home any sooner. Besides, if what they said was true, there might not be a home… an Earth… to go home to. “Lyra, what should I do?” she whispered.

“Stand close to me and we will focus your magic.”

Goldie hugged Kara’s neck. “I help.”

“All right.” If she could pull off a tiny bit of flashy blazing star power to dazzle her hosts, maybe they’d help her. She held up the unicorn jewel dangling from her silver necklace. It sparkled with power.

Awed by the gem, the crowd fell silent.

“Picture in your mind what you want to accomplish,”
Lyra advised.

Closing her eyes in concentration, she imagined a beautiful rainbow arcing from her jewel. She reached for Lyra. “Okay, here goes.”

ZzzaPPP!

A beam of light shot from the jewel straight above the ring. Rainbow fireworks exploded in the air, making everyone duck for cover.

Kara struggled to control the intense force building inside of her.

Lyra and Goldie tried to help with their own magic, but theirs was like a sprinkle of raindrops on a forest fire.

They want magic, I’ll show them magic! Everything seemed to fall away as the white-hot center of Kara’s magic flared to life. Diamond fire spun around her body, engulfing her in dazzling spirals as she blossomed into a tower of blazing light.

Somewhere through the curtain of bright fire she saw people running away, horrified by the outburst of such immense power.

Suddenly panic tore through her body. Everything she feared about her magic bubbled to the surface and erupted over. She could not contain it—could not control the power.

Screaming, Kara staggered backward, stumbling against Lyra. A jagged bolt blasted from her jewel, scattering the crowd. Pixies dove to the ground. Dwarves rolled head over boots onto outraged fairies, while trolls caught startled hobgoblins flying through the air.

“Kaaraa!” Goldie clung to Kara’s neck.

Kara’s magic slammed into the bleachers, slicing through three layers of seats. Uprooted toadstools sent smoldering spotted caps bowling over a group of boggles.

Trying to keep away from the crowd, she spun. The magic smacked into the large mirror, splitting into rainbow shards and ricocheting everywhere.

A scream of anguish came from behind her. She whipped around to see Lyra bombarded by rainbow fire, turning green, red, orange, purple, and finally blazing silver.

“Kara!”

“Lyra!” Kara shrieked, her stomach burning with panic. Desperately wrenching her magic back, she slammed the fire downward, razing deep slashes across the center of the ring.

“Stop!” Kara screamed. The unicorn jewel suddenly dimmed.

Kara wobbled unsteadily. Lyra! What had she done? Instead of warm orange and black fur, the cat had been transformed into shining silver. Mouth half-opened in a roar, tail held high, Lyra was a frozen, lifeless statue.