Circles in the Stream (Avalon: Web of Magic #1) (19 page)

Pegasi are magnificent winged steeds, intelligent creatures, shy and wild and not easily tamed. When they do bond, they serve their friends with absolute faithfulness.

Silver duck-like creatures that flourish throughout the lakes and wetlands of Aldenmor. Quiffles are intelligent and fun-loving with strong family bonds. They are also loyal friends and allies to the other good animals of Aldenmor.

Rachel Roberts loves magic, music, adventure, and animals. She lives in sunny southern California with two cats, Attila and Raider.

Rachel’s been reading since she could first hold a book and loves getting lost in a great story. She has been a writer and editor her entire professional life. Rachel also loves music, and plays the piano, flute, and is learning to play guitar.

Avalon: Web of Magic
is Rachel’s first series of novels.

T
HE UNICORN STOOD
in the woodland meadow. His deep golden eyes were wary but unafraid. Wildflowers blanketed the field in bright colors as Kara walked toward the magnificent creature. The unicorn raised his glimmering crystal horn, filling the meadow with flashes of brilliant light.

Kara circled the great creature. He was breathtakingly beautiful. She ran a hand over his lustrous white hide; it felt soft as silk and shimmered gently. Breathing slowly, the unicorn lowered his head as Kara came around to look into his eyes.

His voice suddenly filled her head.

“I am for the blazing star.”

She was special. If anyone were to ride a unicorn, of course it would be her.

With a leap, she was on his back.

The unicorn took off, racing across the open field. Confident, Kara leaned forward into the creature’s steady gallop, feeling herself one with the animal, just as she had been taught at riding school. But this was no ordinary animal. This was the most magical of all creatures. The unicorn raced through the meadow and leaped. Instantly a portal opened—a circle of swirling stars hanging in the air before them—and the unicorn swept through.

Kara was bathed in diamond light as endless loops woven together in intricate patterns revealed itself before her: the magic web that connected worlds. Together Kara and the unicorn ran, faster . . . faster . . . streaking across the infinite web of magic.

“Come to me . . . ”
Another voice, distant yet commanding, cut through her mind like steel.

The unicorn raced along the web like white fire.

She was a golden girl, adored by all. She was a goddess, born to be with such a magnificent creature.

“You will be mine . . . ”

She was a princess of magic . . . No! She was a . . . queen!

“. . . or everything you love will die!”

The unicorn stumbled. Kara flew headlong, golden hair tangling as she tossed and turned. A dark-robed figure watched, indifferent, as Kara fell, a shooting star fading into darkness.

Kara’s eyes sprang open. It was pitch-black. Her heart pounded. For a second she couldn’t move, then realized she was completely tangled in her bed sheets. She wriggled and kicked them off, ripping her pink satin sleep mask from her eyes.

At first she thought that the cold had awakened her, since the hairs along her arms and the back of her neck were standing up. But the room was humid, too warm for comfort. Blearily, she pushed her hair out of her face and looked around.

Pale moonlight glazed the room, glowing softly through the curtains as they wavered in the breeze. The air-conditioning must have gone out, she thought, burrowing back into her pillow. But then there wouldn’t be a breeze, would there? As her brain fought its way to sense, she sat up.

The far window was wide open.

Puzzled, Kara stumbled over to shut the window. Had she forgotten before? She’d been pretty tired . . . She stopped short. The window screen was gone. She peered into the darkness, but nothing moved, no sound broke the stillness. The screen must have fallen off somehow, she thought. Then she saw something on the ledge below her window: splotches of glowing, green muck, dripping into the gutter.

That’s disgusting! How dare some big bird drop a surprise on their roof!

She closed the window with a bang and locked it. Shaken, she climbed back into bed, adjusted her sleep mask, and went back to sleep.

In the dark beyond the window, two piercing green eyes stared back at her, then winked out.