All's Fairy in Love and War (Avalon: Web of Magic #8) (12 page)

“What is it?” Kara pressed her face against Starfire’s cheek, sensing his great need.

“I am fire,”
he said sadly, and Kara understood.

She saw the images from his mind. Tangoo had created the horse from Firemental magic, then locked him in a cage. Like the Blue Rose, the stallion was just a shell to hold magic; nothing more than a tool to be used to get the power crystal.

“We are both being used,” Kara said.

“We will run away!”
Starfire snorted.

“I can’t do that. My friends need me.”

“I don’t understand.”

Kara gazed at her new friend. He had been formed from fire. How could he choose anything when he had no one to help him, to love him?

“Do you remember anything else?” she asked.

The horse whinnied sadly.
“I have no past.”

Kara stepped back and stared into Starfire’s brilliant golden eyes. “Then I’ll give you mine.”

Starfire returned her stare curiously.

Holding the unicorn jewel tightly, Kara closed her eyes and let the memories flood through her. Everything Lucinda had shown to her and more, she now gave to Starfire, freely, unconditionally, opening her heart and sharing the very essence of herself with the stallion. All the joy, pain, love, and loneliness of growing up. Images of her family, her friends, everything that meant something to her, and finally, Lyra.

The unicorn jewel streamed with dazzling light and entwined with the stallion’s glowing red flames. Starfire’s eyes opened in wonder.

Kara moved to his side. She grasped his mane and leaped onto his back. Settling in, she felt as comfortable as if they had ridden together every day of their lives.

Suddenly Kara laughed aloud, stretching her arms wide, reveling in the strength of their combined magic. She had given Starfire a reason to live and the freedom to chose his own future. And, in return, he had freed her, too. Freed her to do what she must.

Sensing his bonded’s need, Starfire reared.
“We must ride!”

T
HE RULERS OF
the Five Kingdoms sat in their respective thrones, waiting. The air bristled with energy, filling the ring with a sense of urgency that made the gathered crowds even more anxious.

Selinda rose and walked to the center of the ring. “I was hoping Tangoo’s plan would work.”

Queen Raelda joined her. “The blazing star was a worthy choice, but not even she can change the inevitable.”

As if on cue, lightning split the skies overhead, leaving jagged streaks of purple and red.

“What say you, Tangoo?” Selinda spoke as the gaunt sorcerer approached. He looked haggard, as if he hadn’t slept in weeks.

“We must have patience, my ladies.” Tangoo’s eyes darted up as another bolt tore a blaze of green through the sky.

“We are out of both patience and time,” Raelda said brusquely, her face set in grim lines. “The Fairy Realms must be completely sealed off.”

The Fairy Queen’s intense violet eyes met Raelda’s. “You know we cannot allow that. The web as we know it would be destroyed.”

Raelda’s gaze hardened. “So be it.”

“Surely there must be another way,” Selinda implored the Goblin Queen and her sorcerer.

“Only Avalon’s magic can save us.” Tangoo nervously gazed at the Fairy Queen.

Selinda raised her hand, drawing all eyes toward her. She took a deep breath and called out, “Before the die is cast and war is upon us, I ask our brothers and sisters of the Five Kingdoms. Is there anyone here who will ride for the fairies?”

Her challenge echoed over the Fairy Ring. It was met with silence.

Selinda took another breath and called out again. “Who will ride for the fairies?”

Suddenly, a thunderous roar shook the ground as a jagged bolt of lightning shot across the Fairy Ring. The crowd shrieked as a blaze of fire erupted where the bolt had struck.

Then the firelight dimmed, and an awed silence washed over the crowds.

Kara sat proudly upon the fire stallion’s back. The amazing elemental horse reared on his hind legs, sending fire swirling into the sky. The blazing star called out, her voice strong and confident, “We will ride for the fairies!”

Pandemonium broke out as the kings and queens all rose at once. Selinda, Raelda, and Tangoo rushed to the stallion’s side.

“You see, I told you!” Tangoo’s eyes were dancing with delight.

“Well done, Princess Kara,” Selinda said, smiling radiantly.

As Tangoo drew closer, the stallion stamped and snorted, his fire leaping and licking the air. Kara ran her hand over the mighty horse’s neck, instantly calming the flames.

Raelda’s eyes were wide in amazement. “Indeed, Princess. You have shown tremendous resolve.”

“Yes, yes.” Tangoo rubbed his hands together anxiously. “That is precisely why this plan will work.”

“What do you require of us?” Kara asked.

Tangoo rushed to the mirror by Selinda’s throne, his long, patterned robes billowing out behind him.

“The princess and the fire stallion will jump through a series of four mirrors,” he explained. “Each mirror leads to a place of extremely strong elemental magic, the same magic used to create the power crystal of the Fairy Realms. You must forge four talismans, one each of water, air, earth, and fire.”

“So the magic will take form like the Blue Rose,” Kara said. She felt Starfire tense. “Don’t I need a spell?”

“That is why you ride the fire stallion.” Tangoo grinned proudly. “Your magic combined with the Firemental’s should be more than enough to form each talisman.” Tangoo pulled a shimmering silver pack from beside the mirror and handed it to her. “Place the talismans in here. The combination of the four should attract the power crystal.”

Kara nodded, slinging the pack over her shoulders.

“A fifth mirror will return you here, to the Fairy Ring.” Tangoo’s black eyes seemed to bore into her. “I have every confidence events will unfold
exactly
as I have planned.”

Over the chatter of the excited crowd, Raelda said, “I am sure I speak for everyone here, Princess Kara, when I wish you success. May your magic keep you safe.”

“Thank you.” Kara nodded her head respectfully, then scanned the ring for Lorren. But the boy wasn’t there. She felt a sudden pang of guilt. She hoped he had made it safely back from the Spider Witch’s lair. At least there was one thing she knew for sure. She patted the fire stallion, this creature forged from magic, now risking his life for her. The blazing star and the Firemental stallion, their destinies intertwined, riding for Lyra, for the Fairy Realms, the magic web, and for Avalon itself.

Kara smiled gratefully at Goldie. The mini nodded, steadfast, her golden jeweled eyes swirling with determination. Without Goldie, Kara would never have made it this far.

Kara thought of Lyra and everyone else depending on her. She would not let her friends down. It was time to become the blazing star.

Starfire reared, sending licks of fire streaking into the air. Kara held up her jewel, surrounding them with diamond-white magic. “We are ready!” she called out.

The crowd surged to its feet, their cheers ringing into the skies.

Starfire leaped through the first mirror. Kara’s long hair streamed behind her as they vanished into the rippling glass. The ride of the blazing star had begun.

K
ARA AND STARFIRE
landed hard, the horse’s fiery hooves melting tracks across a narrow icy ledge. Flakes of fresh snow drifted around them. They were in the foothills of a glistening mountain range. Before them a mammoth mountain of glittering ice towered into the sky.

“Ice mountains of the Troll Kingdom,”
Starfire snorted nervously as his molten hooves melted through the ledge supporting him. Plumes of steam rose from the ground as they started to sink.

“We’ll have to move fast,” Kara said, realizing the mountains were made entirely of ice.

“Kaaraa.” Circling overhead, Goldie squeaked and pointed.

Kara looked up to the remote peak of the mountain. A bright spark winked in the sun.

“The mirror!” Kara cried. She held up her jewel, flashing beams of light into the sky.

“Everyone ready?” she asked, leaning forward, letting the stallion’s fiery mane envelop her.

The dragonfly dove to her shoulder, holding on tight.

“
Ready!”
Starfire stamped his hooves, eager to run.

“Let’s ride!” Kara shouted.

“Woot!” Goldie cried as Starfire shot like a bolt.

The stallion galloped to the base of the mountain, his heat leaving watery trails in the ice.

Kara focused on her magic, and on Lyra. Starfire’s immense power blazed into her, steadying her, filling her with a new confidence she had never felt before. Streams of diamond sparkles burst from her jewel, trailing behind like a comet. Firemental stallion, blazing star, and dragonfly streaked up the mountain.

With a mighty leap, the stallion soared high into the air. They landed on a small outcropping about halfway up.

Starfire stamped his legs, the melting ice sizzling at his hooves. This only made him sink deeper.

“Water fights fire,”
Starfire said worriedly, leaping to another ledge.

“Let’s see if I can make you some leggings.” Kara twirled strands of light between her fingers. Bright magic flowed over the horse’s legs, protecting him from the corrosive ice. Starfire now shone fire red with brilliant diamond legs.

“Pretty,” Goldie said.

“Thank you.”
Starfire admired his new look.

“No, there.” The dragonfly pointed.

Crystalline sparkles mixed with diamond magic whirled in the air before them, glowing pale blue.

“Elemental water magic,”
Starfire said.

“All righty, then.” Kara raised her hands and released tendrils of magic, encasing the whirls, molding them into a mass of shiny blue light. “One talisman, hold the pickles.”

Nothing happened.

Kara had no idea what to make. “Hmmm. Okay, now what?”

“Focus.” Goldie snuggled into Kara’s neck.

“Remember when we were ice skating and came home for hot chocolate?”
Starfire asked.

“That felt
so
good,” Kara smiled. “All warm and cozy.”

With their shared memory, she focused as the lights fused together, forming two lumps, elongating and stretching into–

“Oooo, bunny slippers!” Goldie pointed at the newly formed, long-eared purple slippers.

The slippers shuddered and fell to the ground. Ears flapping, they took off, running up the mountain face and disappearing out of sight.

“Let’s hop to it!” Kara yelled, thrilled with the new control over her magic. Starfire bounded up the mountain, jumping from ledge to ledge, narrowly avoiding the cascading ice that rained down the frozen mountain.

Finally there were no more ledges in sight for Starfire to jump on to. A hissing river of melting mountain blocked their way.

Starfire turned in circles, snorting as jagged ice floes rushed by.

This was their first challenge. She was not about to fail. There had to be another way to get to the top of the mountain.

Looking at the melting ice, Kara suddenly smiled. “When life gives you an iceberg, make some ice cream.”

Kara pointed at the sheer mountain face behind them. Understanding her perfectly, Starfire wheeled around and faced the solid ice wall
.
Focusing their combined powers, Kara sent red, white, and Goldie magic boring into the mountainside. Kara bent low as the stallion dove into the mountain, melting a tunnel through the solid ice.

They punched through the other side, higher up than they’d been before. In a blur of movement, the purple bunny slippers scampered by on a thin, frosty path that coiled up the pointed pinnacle of the mountaintop. Starfire charged after them, careening around the path as it wound tighter and tighter.

With all her strength and concentration, Kara scooped up the fleeing slippers with her magic. Goldie held open the silver bag as Kara tossed them inside.

“Now
this
is power shopping,” the blazing star yelled.

Starfire rocketed around the last curve. The magic mirror was set into the mountain’s peak.

Encouraged by her awesome new abilities, Kara grabbed Goldie and hugged Starfire’s neck. “All right, Team Magic, let’s see what’s behind door number two.” She held on tight as Starfire dove through the glistening mirror—

pHOnk!

A strange honking noise reverberated as Kara and Starfire landed.

Starfire stood on a fluffy cloud floating high above a dense, leafy forest. Kara’s stomach lurched as she looked down at the trees far below. Clinging to Starfire’s neck, she closed her eyes, convinced they would sink through the billowing clouds.

“Air supports fire,”
the stallion reassured her.
“We will not fall.”

Kara looked around. What were they supposed to do here? A gust of wind moved them gently drifting between a collection of other puffy white clouds.

“There’s nowhere else to go but another cloud,” Kara mused, twirling her jewel in her fingers.

“We must leap!”
Starfire bunched his fiery muscles and leaped onto the nearest cloud.

Gong!

As he landed, a deep ringing filled the air. “Hey! Musical clouds!” Kara looked at the other clouds, all of different sizes. “Jump to the next one.”

The stallion soared over empty sky and onto a smaller cloud.

A high-pitched note chimed through the air, harmonizing with the other clouds.

Something about those three notes sounded familiar to Kara, part of a melody she couldn’t quite place…

“Try the others.”

Starfire leaped to each of the clouds, until they had heard eight different musical notes.

The winds picked up, howling around her and sending screeching dissonant chords through the clouds.

What would Adriane and Emily do? They were good with music.

“I know. Maybe we can arrange them!”

Starfire’s coat blazed as he sent his elemental magic into the winds around them, summoning air. The clouds moved closer, puffing
squeaks, gongs, dings,
and
rings
. Kara’s cloud bobbed into the others like bumper cars.

“Okay, we’ll have to hit the different clouds at the same time to make the song sound right,” Kara fretted. “Starfire can do it. Goldie can play, too, but I’ll fall right through.”

“Your new slippers are made of water magic,”
Starfire pointed out.

“Clouds and water work together!” Kara exclaimed. “Huddle.”

Goldie flew close to Kara’s face as she leaned over Starfire’s neck. “Feel the music. I’ll tell you the right order, and jump when I say so.”

Goldie carefully opened the silver bag. The purple slippers hopped into Kara’s hands. She slid off Starfire’s back, closing her eyes as she slipped into the bunny slippers and touched the cloud. Taking a deep breath, she let go of the stallion—and stood atop the cloud.

“At least I don’t have to sing,” Kara muttered.

Goldie flew about the clouds excitedly.

“Okay, Starfire, you first!” Kara raised her arms, pointing to a puffy cloud.

Starfire jumped and landed with a powerful
Bong!

“Goldie, now you,” she pointed to the small cloud.

Goldie bounced up and down, releasing a flurry of notes.

Kara jumped, adding her musical harmony.

Conducting the cloud symphony, Kara sang along as she, Starfire, and Goldie created the chorus of her favorite B*Tween song.

“I’m—on a—su-per-nat-ural—high.”

As the last note filled the air, the clouds swirled with glittering white magic.

“There!” Kara gently gathered the air magic, molding the clouds into a ball of bright light.

Starfire was on Kara’s cloud in an instant, and she scrambled onto his back. The clouds continued to swirl in on themselves, gathering together to form an elemental air talisman. It was a pearly U-shaped frame, with eight golden strings.

“A harp.” Kara smiled.

“No bunnies?” Goldie frowned.

A lone cloud drifted nearby, a shimmering mirror shinning in its center.

Go!” she ordered.

A ripple of light flashed through the stallion as his fire sprang wildly out of shape. Kara felt it; for a split second he had lost his magic. Starfire leaped as Kara snatched the talisman in midair. She had completed two challenges, but Kara knew something was terribly wrong.