Trial By Fire (Avalon: Web of Magic #6) (16 page)

While the Skultum was trying to catch the fast creatures, Kara’s mind was on fast-forward. The d-flies, when she asked them, could form a magic circle and create portable portals, windows the girls had used to see and talk to one another, even from different worlds.

She could make them form a circle, what else could they… And then it hit her. If the dragonflies could form a circle, she reasoned, could they form… other things, like letters?

As if they read her mind, they answered her! Kara watched, amazed, as Barney flew in a K shape; Fiona twisted into an A, Fred formed another A, Goldie formed an R, Blaze zigzagged into more As!

Her jaw dropped! She whirled around, but the Skultum, still trying to catch the dragonflies, had no clue what the miraculous little creatures were doing! Did they know the Skultum’s name?

All she needed to figure out now was how to make him say it. Kara looked up as the dragonflies buzzed over her head. She took a deep breath, and went for it. “Hey, Skultum thing,” she called. “Look.”

Kara prayed this would work. She cartwheeled—the dragonflies mimicked, somersaulting around her, their jeweled eyes sparkling.

The Skultum was intrigued. She had hit on something.

She ran in a figure eight, they followed, making the same pattern in the air.

Just as Kara had hoped, the Skultum couldn’t help himself. He was hopping and clapping, running around repeating their figure eights. Games were his stock in trade.

“Watch this,” Kara said, “I can get them to spellspeak.”

“You cannot,” he said.

“Yes I can!” she responded.

“No you can’t,” he insisted.

“Betcha! Just watch.”

Kara drew in the air and formed a T. As they’d done before, two dragonflies—Fred and Blaze—formed the letter. Kara grinned, encouraging them silently.

“You try it,” she urged.

His eyes lit up. “Okay.” Using the forefinger of his right hand, and a half-moon shape with his left, he made the letter D. Goldie, Barney, and Fiona gleefully did the same. “This is too easy.”

“Oh, wait!” Kara cried, as if she’d just thought of it. “I have the best game of all. Dragonfly charades. I think of a word, they form the letters—you have to guess!”

He threw back his head and laughed. “You slay me, Kara, you really do.”

Just wait, she thought. I’m not the blazing star for nothing! She said, “I’ll start.”

Kara began with an easy word. The d-flies’ eyes swirled with excitement as they watched her form letters.

Then with a flurry of activity, the d-flies created the letters using their little bodies.

The Skultum guessed it: “Star.”

Kara graciously bowed, extending her arm.

It was his turn. He motioned and they flew into formation: Barney made a circle, Fiona, the squiggly line that finished the Q. “Queen!” Kara guessed what it was before they were finished.

“You go,” he directed. She asked for “flobbin.”

The Skultum's next word was another easy one for Kara: “banshee.”

She still wasn’t close to what she needed. How could she make him say his name without realizing he was doing it? A silly joke she’d made to B*Tween came back to her.
What, am I supposed to stand on my head?
It was worth a shot.

“Ooookayhey,” Kara sang. “You’re right. This is too easy. Let’s try it… upside down!”

“That’s preposterous—” he started, then watched her with glee. He couldn’t help himself. The challenge was too, too tasty.

Kara began a cartwheel and stopped when she was balanced on her hands, upside down.

She urged the d-flies to form the letters: DOOWSNEVAR. The Skultum stood on his head and read it: “Ravenswood!”

His upside down was: GNOSLLEPS: “Spellsong!”

Kara was ready. She snapped her fingers and winked at the d-flies—they knew. “One last word—and this one’s for the money.”

“One for the money, two for the show—this show is over, and I get to go!” He giggled, standing on his head and watching carefully as the dragonflies formed their last word: DRAWOH.

At the top of his lungs, he shouted, “Howard!”

His jaw dropped, his eyes bugged. Too late. He realized what he'd done.

Bright green magic streamed from the fairy, covering Kara in light. Now back in its true and horrid form, the Skultum stood frozen. Its reptilian scales glistened as it faded away.

The last words he heard were Kara's: “You won! You won!” Like a Cheshire cat, the Skultum disappeared, leaving only its surprised face. With a
Pop!
it vanished.

Kara rounded up the dragonflies. “Great work, guys.”

They chattered and squeaked, twirling happily in the air.

“There’s just one more thing I need,” she said.

The d-flies stopped in mid-twirl. “o.o”

E
MILY BRUSHED HER
damp hair back as she stood in the center of the three crystals. The familiar feeling of hopelessness welled inside. It was mixed with a new feeling—dread. Then Emily felt something else. The room lurched and started shaking. The wave was getting closer, rising into a crest that would crash into the crystals, washing away everything in its path.

“You did it before, Emily.” Ozzie stayed close on her heels. “Remember little Vela and the elves.”

Emily nodded. She had been sick, her jewel infected with the dark poison. A hundred mistwolves were infected now. This was different... Or was it? She could feel the pull of the Black Fire, reaching for her. But it wasn’t as strong. She realized she had formed an immunity of sorts, a shield. Another gift from her friend, the fairy creature, Phel. She had healed herself and she believed with all her heart that she was strong, she was ready.

Zach stood to her left, dragon stone pulsing with red power.

“
There are too many of us
!” Moonshadow called. “
Save yourselves!”

“Keep quiet, brother,” Zach said. “You sound like a squeaky mouse.”

“A mouse?! When I get out of here, I’m going to show you who’s a mouse!”

“
You
are, that’s who!” Zach goaded his wolf brother on.

Suddenly, the crystals began to pulse together in a unified rhythm.

Emily pushed harder, her stone flashing with incandescent intensity. The crystals were shaking and rocking.

“It’s too late!” she cried.

“What’s happen—”

Ozzie’s voice washed away under the thunderous roar as the massive wave of magic slammed into the cavern.

Emily tumbled back, overwhelmed by its power. Cries of agony rose from the mistwolves as magic poured into the crystals, crushing everything in its way.

There was a loud
Crack!

The base of one crystal had cracked! It forked and snaked its way upward. Flaming green liquid spurted from the gaps.

“Look out!” Emily screamed, dousing the poison with blazing blue light.

Green droplets splattered at their feet.

“Gah!” Ozzie jumped back to avoid the burning poison.

“Healer! Run!”
Moonshadow called out.

“No!” Emily shouted back.

If the enormous crystal blew apart now, the Black Fire fallout would be worse than anything the already ravaged world of Aldenmor had suffered. But if she didn’t do something, the mistwolves would die.

“Zach, when I say so, split open the crystal!” Emily ordered.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes! I’ve stabilized most of the wolves, I’ll finish the job as they come out.”

“You hear that?” Zach yelled into the crystals.

“
Yes,”
Moonshadow answered.

Without taking her eyes off the first crystal, Emily held out her arms. The rainbow jewel was blinding. “I can do this.” There was not a single shred of doubt in her voice.

Ignoring the deafening rumble and the glowing green flames erupting around her, Emily pictured the mistwolves, strong and whole. She firmly held up her shield of light. “Now!”

Zach fired his dragon stone at the crystal, covering it in red. The crystal shook violently and shattered, exploding upward as if hurled from the earth itself.

Thirty mistwolves leaped into the chamber. Some fell to the ground roiling in pain. Others, growling and snarling, tried to shake off the Black Fire.

Ignoring his wounds, Moonshadow stumbled past them, herding the wolves into the light of the healer.

“Moonshadow!” Zach recognized his pack brother at once. The wolf was badly burned, toxic green lines crisscrossed over his charred skin. Emily rushed forward and placed her hands directly over the searing poison on Moonshadow’s flanks.

A shudder went through her body as she felt the great wolf’s pain. She could see the green aura of darkness emanating from the wolf, reaching for her like a gruesome specter. Then his heartbeat locked rhythm with hers, and Emily pulled the sickness from the wolf’s body. She wrestled with the Black Fire, forcing its green glow away from the packleader’s shining silver magic. Ever so slowly, the green lines began to disappear and the flesh started to heal.

Emily whirled, covering as many wolves in healing light as fast as she could. She moved like a dancer, reaching the mistwolves with the power of her healing and restoring their true magic.

Then Zach, Emily, and Ozzie ran to the next crystal. Dragon stone raised, rainbow jewel ready, fierce ferret face steady.

“Ready?” Zach asked.

Emily nodded. “Go!”

S
OMETHING OPENED AND
something closed in Adriane’s mind at the same time. She felt the mistwolves—they were free! She searched frantically through the voices in her head. But she couldn’t find Storm’s. She wanted to scream but was suddenly knocked to the ground as the throne room shuddered. Chunks of rock fell from the high ceiling, smashing to the polished floor.

The sorceress was on her feet moving toward the seeing pool.

Adriane braced herself against the shaking wall. Lyra paced back and forth snarling. The cat was okay, as far as Adriane could tell.

With a stir from her finger, the Dark Sorceress conjured an image in the pool—and her eyes went wide with rage.

One of the crystals had exploded, leaving a cloud of magic hanging over the lair. The mistwolves had been freed!

She whirled around to the star map, watching the oncoming wave. It was unbelievable—more magic than she’d even dreamed possible.

Then she turned to Adriane. “Your friends are destroying the crystals, releasing Black Fire. They would trade the lives of the mistwolves for the destruction of Aldenmor!”

“Either way,
you
won’t control the magic,” Adriane said cooly.

“Such a waste.” The witch raised her arm, magic spinning from her long fingers. “The mistwolves cannot stand against my armies.”

“Think again, loser,” Adriane spat.

The sorceress’s eyebrow raised in suspicion. Suddenly her gaze snapped toward the pool as if hearing incredibly bad news. Her body was shimmering in anger, magic fire radiating around her.

Adriane steeled herself and faced the evil witch calmly. “What’s the matter? Your monsters having a little
dragon
trouble?”

With a screech, the sorceress hurled magic at Adriane. Lyra knocked the warrior aside as it hit the wall, ricocheting around the room. Adriane flung her arms out and shot golden fire. The sorceress held up her hands, but Adriane pushed harder.

The witch’s feral eyes opened wide. She was being pushed back by Adriane’s power! What had happened? Adriane howled as the mistwolf pack sent their magic surging into her jewel. But it was not enough. They were at a stalemate and they both knew the sorceress was more experienced.

Suddenly, bright white light spilled into the chamber—a portal opened right in the middle of the throne room! Something horrible bellowed. The manticore stepped through.

Adriane gasped. It was more hideous than she remembered. Hunched over, the demon creature was enormous. Its huge apelike arms, rippling with muscle, hung down to the floor. Legs the size of tree trunks lumbered forward as it scraped its razor-sharp claws along the stone. Fire-red demon eyes scanned the room.

The beast’s foul stench made Adriane cringe.

The sorceress laughed. “It seems my dark creature has eluded your dragon.”