Dark Mage (Avalon: Web of Magic, Book 11) by Rachel Roberts Read Free Book Online

gold.
    “Unicorn U sure beats Stonehill High’s campus,” Kara whistled.
    “But your school has students,” Lyra observed, her green eyes scanning the deserted academy. There wasn’t a unicorn in sight.
    “Let’s see if I can get anyone on the horn.” Kara squeezed her eyes shut and sent out a telepathic message to her unicorn friends. “Calliope, Pollo, Electra… Ralphie? Hello?”
    No answer. Dalriada was way too quiet.
    Goldie started beeping and flew to Kara’s shoulder.
    “Base to Star One, do you copy?” Tasha’s voice magically transmitted through Goldie.
    “This is Star One to Base, can you hear me?” Kara replied, speaking into the d-fly’s soft belly.
    “Loud can clear, Prin—, um, Star One. What’s your status?”
    “Arrived safely, nothing to report yet. It’s strange. No sign of anyone.”
    “Keep us posted, Star One,” Tasha said.
    “Roger. Star One out.” Kara gave Goldie a kiss, making the mini’s faceted eyes twinkle.
    Scanning the pathways, Kara spotted a large bulletin board at the entrance to several connecting trees. She walked along a rose quartz path wide enough for two unicorns to pass each other on their way to classes.
    “Hmm, let’s see, Hoof Care 101 has been moved to Tuesdays at ten a.m.,” Kara read, studying the jumble of fliers. “Horn blowing competition, Delta Phi Horn pledge week, magic web finals study group. Where’s the campus guide?”
    “Here.” Goldie buzzed to another board, which displayed a map of the Academy. A small horn pointed to a spot that read “You are here.”
    “Thanks, G-unit.” Kara scanned the list of facilities. “Student union, magical supply center, playhouse, dining pools, dorms, classrooms, training fields, moonbeam ponds…”
    “Let’s split up and cover more ground,” Lyra suggested.
    “Okay, Goldie, do a flyby of the classrooms. Lyra, check the dining pools, maybe they’re eating lunch. I’ll take the dorms.”
    “Right.” Lyra padded away as the d-fly zipped into the air.
    Kara followed a moonstone path lined with white freesias to a grove of golden trees. Strolling through one of the doorways, she found herself in a huge round room. The hollowed out tree arched high overhead with curving golden walls. Platforms that served as beds sat on the hay lined floor.
    Kara made her way across the circular dorm, noting how each unicorn had decorated its bed with personal touches. Some of the platforms were draped with garlands of fragrant wood violets, while others had brightly painted designs. Beside each platform was a flat stone piled with an assortment of combs and snacks.
    She scanned the empty dorm, worried. Calliope and her unicorn buds had described the bustling Dalriada campus to Kara in many jewel-to-horn calls. Shouldn’t they have seen someone by now? Something was definitely wrong here.
    “Got something,” Lyra announced.
    “On my way.” Kara sprinted across the meadow to the edge of campus.
    “Look.” Lyra stood beside a swath of trampled grass. A mass of hoofprints led into the forest beyond.
    “A clue!” Kara exclaimed.
    Walking into the woods, they rounded a bend and came upon a circular field roughly the length of a football field. Bleachers made of golden wood lined the perimeter, wide enough for the unicorns to stand and watch.
    “Wow!” Kara breathed.
    Upon the field, smooth stones in every shade of the rainbow formed a detailed pattern of loops and swirls. Individual stones created dozens of distinct paths throughout the larger pattern. There was something very familiar about it.
    “Lyra, Goldie, let’s get the aerial view,” Kara called out.
    Lyra soared high into the air on her glittering golden wings, Goldie flapping beside her.
    “It looks like the magic web,” the cat reported.
    “Ah ha!” Kara nodded, her suspicions confirmed. She stepped onto a bright amethyst stone. “I wonder what kind of game they play.”
    Zing!
    A glowing pink beach ball was suddenly hovering in front of