Free Trial By Fire (Avalon: Web of Magic #6) by Rachel Roberts

are they?” Adriane asked sarcastically.
    “No, but they are fairies, real magical stuff. And they know all about our quest. We’re famous in the Fairy Realms.” Kara swept her hair over her shoulder.
    “Really?” Emily asked.
    “Yeah, that’s great.” Adriane eyed the wolf pup, then turned to the others. “Maybe we should get the d-flies to phone Zach. Something’s wrong. He should have been here.”
    “I am here!” a familiar voice called. On a ridge nearby stood a cute boy in a white shirt, beige pants, and sandals.
    Adriane gasped. “Zach! Have you been here the whole time?”
    “Over here, come quickly!” He disappeared behind the ridge.
    “Come on,” Adriane took off in a run.
    The others followed.
    “Something doesn’t smell right.” Storm sniffed the air.
    “There is strong magic nearby.” Lyra scanned the empty hills.
    “Yes, mistwolf magic!”
    “Hurry!” Adriane called to her friends as she ascended the rise.
    At the top, she peered down at the boy. He stood in a grassy field, waving for her to join him. “Here! I have something to show you!”
    “Zach, what’s up?” Adriane asked worriedly. Heat bit at her wrist. The wolf stone pulsed with danger.
    The others crested the hill and started down into the valley.
    Adriane ran toward Zach, but skidded to a stop about ten yards away. Fear tingled up her spine. Her stone was blazing. She looked closely at the strange shimmer cascading around the boy.
    Adriane whipped around. “No!” she screamed at her friends. “Go back!”
    “Adriane!” Storm snarled, leaping down the hill, teeth bared.
    The hair along Lyra’s back rose and a low growl rumbled in her throat.
    Dark clouds of mist seemed to fill the valley as if out of thin air.
    The mist fell away, and the valley was completely full. Dozens of huge, horrid night stallions snorted fire, training red eyes on the trapped group. On their backs sat armored goblins, fierce and deadly. And behind them stood short, black as ink, faceless imps, at least one hundred strong.
    Adriane watched in horror as Zach walked right up to the goblin leader atop the biggest and most frightening of the night stallions. The boy’s eyes narrowed to evil yellow slits, then glowed blood red. His body seemed to melt as it morphed into a shadowy lizard form. The creature vanished behind the attackers.
    “Zach, no,” Adriane said, feeling tears threaten to fall.
    “How is that possible?” Ozzie asked. “They appeared out of nowhere—like the mistwloves.”
    “They are using the magic of the mistwolves,” Storm growled. “ The pack has fallen.”
    “Form a circle!” Adriane shouted, her jewel sparking to fire.
    Trying to stop shaking, Emily, Adriane, and Kara stood back to back, facing the impossible enemy.
    Storm, Lyra, and Ozzie surrounded the trio, ready to sacrifice themselves to protect their friends. Dreamer stood between Storm’s front paws, growling and barking.
    “Kara, stand between us,” Adriane ordered, moving Kara. “Focus, Kara! We hit the lead riders first!”
    The imps stood their ground as the goblin riders approached.
    “There’s too many!” Kara screamed.
    “Kara, the horn!” Emily reminded her.
    “Oo!” Kara reached into her pack and removed the unicorn horn. Diamond magic flared to life.
    The lead goblin raised a clawed fist and pulled his steed to a halt. “You will come with us either way,” it hissed.
    “Leave us alone!” Adriane ordered. “Or you’ll regret it!”
    The goblin sneered with a deathlike grin.
    “The imps!” Storm roared.
    Electrical sparks danced in the air as the imps swarmed from all sides. Flashing blue crackled along wide nets strung between them.
    They were hopelessly outnumbered.
    “Don’t be afraid,” Ozzie said to his friends.
    “Emily,” Kara said, terrified as she pushed the horn into the red-haired girl’s hands.
    “Hold it up, Kara!” Emily pressed it back toward Kara.
    Trembling, the blazing star held the unicorn horn as high