Free Song of the Unicorns (Avalon: Web of Magic #7) by Rachel Roberts Page B

sprout.
    “AHHH!” Tweek was in a frenzy.
    Ozzie grabbed the distraught E.F. “Keep yourself together, man!”
    “There’s thirty unicorns. It’s an almost inconceivable amount of power! If they can’t control their horns, it could throw the entire web off balance!” Tweek cried, shuddering dangerously. “I’m just a rookie!”
    Bang! The E.F. burst apart in an explosion of twigs and shrub.
    “Not much for good-byes, is he?” Ozzie commented.
    Violet brushed shyly against Emily. “ You can teach us how to tune our horns, Emily.”
    “Pleeeezzzzz!” the others pleaded.
    “We’ll see,” Emily said, rubbing her eyes. “But right now we’re tired. It’s been a long night. Ozzie, I want you to stay here.”
    “What?” The rest of the ferret’s protest was lost as the unicorns nuzzled up to him.
    “I’ll stay as well,” Lyra said.
    “We’re hungry, Fuzzy,” Clio complained, dancing on her socked legs.
    “You did say something about feeding them, as I recall,” Emily said, smiling.
    “ Food! Food! Food! Food! Yay, Fuzzy!”
    “‘Ozzie!’” the ferret protested. Then, throwing his paws up, the ferret gave in. “Fine, I’ll get you some… uh… what do you eat?”
    “ Unicorn food, what else?” Ralphie laughed, making his spotted coat jiggle.
    “Er, remind me again what’s in it.”
    “ It’s easy,” Dante said.
    “ Pure morning dew, ” Riannan began, swishing her beautiful tail.
    “ And a handful of starlight, ” Spruce honked loudly.
    “Don’t forget fresh honey !” Electra pushed clumsily to the front of the group.
    Licking his lips so enthusiastically he lapped his big round nose, Pollo chimed in. “And you have to stir it exactly nine times under the light of the moon.”
    Ozzie gaped in disbelief. “How much of this stuff do I have to make?”
    “I could eat two whole batches!” Snowflake exclaimed.
    The others squawked and tootled in agreement.
    Leaving Lyra with Ozzie, the weary mages walked back to their cabin. This day had been like nothing Emily ever could have predicted.
    She looked at the star-filled sky and thought about what Tweek had told them. The unicorns had already attracted strong magic. If their horns sprouted, there might as well be a neon sign over New Mexico advertising thirty baby unicorns.
    A simple protection amulet wouldn’t do much good, then. And according to Tweek, the mages’ combined Level One powers didn’t even have a chance against whatever evil was out there.
    Emily had to get these unicorns to safety. Their lives depended on it, and somehow she knew Avalon and the entire magic web depended on it, too.



G LOWING GOLDEN SUNLIGHT crested the horizon over the Happy Trails Ranch. The mages and Dreamer walked quietly but quickly past the cabins. They’d awoken at dawn to check on the unicorns while the rest of the resort was still sleeping.
    “So, what’s the plan?” Kara asked the healer.
    “I don’t know, okay?” Emily said, more grouchily than she meant. “I’m sorry. All I know is, we have to get them to the academy before their horns appear.”
    “What about the d-flies?” asked Adriane.
    “No go.” Kara shook her head. “Its just too far.”
    Adriane sighed. “We’ll just have to chance using the fairy map.”
    “You heard Twighead. Without their horns, they can’t open a portal,” Kara reminded them.
    “Then we’re going to need as much unicorn power as we can get.” Adriane eyed Kara’s gem.
    “Don’t look at me, I can’t even turn my nails pink without making my head green.” Kara bit her lip. “What if I have to give it back?” she wailed, clutching her jewel on its silver chain. “Maybe it was a mistake!”
    “Kara, the jewel was meant for you,” Emily reassured her. “It attracts and amplifies magic like you do. It just has to be tuned a little differently than ours.”
    “Absorbing all that fairy magic didn’t help, Rapunzel,” Adriane commented.
    “It’s making it worse,” Kara conceded,