Circles in the Stream (Avalon: Web of Magic #1) by Rachel Roberts Read Free Book Online Page A

report on the skin samples from the cat,” Emily explained. After a moment’s hesitation, she opened the envelope and read the report. Its contents made her heart sink.
    “Listen to this: ‘Results of testing are inconclusive…traces of toxin...recommend extreme caution... The area should be quarantined until further testing by agents from the Centers for Disease Control.’”
    Adriane gasped. “Quarantined? They can’t do that! Me and Gran live there!” She grabbed Emily’s arm. “You have to hide that letter!”
    “But it was sent to my mom. I shouldn’t even have opened it.”
    “Emily, if they shut down the preserve, we’ll have to move,” Adriane pleaded. “I’ve only been there six months, but it’s my home now. I can’t move again!”
    Emily thought for a moment. “Okay, I’ll keep the letter hidden—for now. But if this radiation, or whatever it is, is not coming from the preserve, then where is it coming from?”
    “I don’t know.” Adriane sprang up. “I’ve got to go tell Gran what’s going on. If they close down the preserve, who’ll protect the animals?”
    The question echoed in Emily’s mind. “I’ll come with you.” She grabbed the ferret, who was busy examining his reflection. “I think we’d better take you with us, before somebody hears you talking.”
    “What’s wrong with me talking?” he asked, sounding insulted.
    “Around here,” Emily told him, “ferrets don’t talk.”
    “I am not a ferret. I am an elf.”
    “Yeah, and I’m Dr. Doolittle,” Emily said.
    “I’m an elf!” he insisted again. “My name is Ozymandias. You can call me Ozzie.” He smiled a ferret smile.
    Adriane stared at him. “We need to make a pact,” she turned to Emily. “To keep all this secret—at least for now.”
    “Okay.”
    The two girls held out their hands. As they shook, a furry paw came down and sealed their pact.

E MILY FOLLOWED ADRIANE across the park and over a small hill that put them right on the main road to Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve. Ozzie rode comfortably in Emily’s backpack. His head poked out of the top, snout covered with crumbs from a power bar he’d found inside.
    “Okay, Mr. Ozzie the Talking Ferret, spill it.” Adriane smacked the side of the backpack.
    “Spoof!” Ozzie spit out a mouthful of power bar. “What-what-what?”
    “Where did you come from?” she asked.
    “How did you get here?” Emily added, swinging the pack around to rest against her chest.
    “How come you can talk?” Adriane demanded.
    “Stop, you’re making me dizzy! One minute I was there, then I fell through the portal to here. I’m an elf. Well, I was an elf. Now look at me. I’m a furry beast with paws and fleas !”
    He tried to scratch his back. Emily reached into the pack and scratched it for him.
    “A little to the right—ooooh, good one.”
    They passed through the iron gates of the preserve and headed down the main road.
    “What’s a portal?” Emily asked.
    “It’s a… you know… a portal,” Ozzie said.
    “No, we don’t know,” said Adriane.
    “A doorway between worlds,” Ozzie explained. “I fell through one and ended up here.”
    “And where did you come from Alice… Wonderland?” Adriane asked, rolling her dark eyes.
    “Ozzie! And I came from my world!”
    Adriane was starting to get impatient. “Listen, ferret face…” She leaned toward him.
    “Gak!” Ozzie dove back into the pack.
    Emily gave Adriane a stern look. “Does your world have a name?” she asked Ozzie.
    “Aldenmor,” Ozzie squeaked from inside the pack.
    “What are Fairimentals?” Emily asked.
    Ozzie popped his head back out. “Don’t you know anything ? They’re magic— the really powerful stuff.”
    “What do the Fairimentals want?” Emily asked.
    “They are looking for…something.”
    The girls stopped and both looked at the ferret. “What?”
    “Mages,” Ozzie whispered. “Magic users.”
    “Magic? You sure fell down the wrong rabbit hole,