Read Trial By Fire (Avalon: Web of Magic #6) for Free Online

girls.
    “As long as we don’t wander into the Misty Marshes, we should be okay,” Ozzie said, looking up worriedly at Emily. “How are you feeling?”
    “Better,” Emily answered bravely, rubbing at her wrist. As soon as they had arrived in the thick forests, she knew something wasn’t right. Dancing shadows moved across the road, making her feel dizzy and feverish. Her clothes clung, heavy with sweat, her mind seemed thick and foggy. And her stomach churned, threatening to empty her breakfast on the trail.
    Trying to keep focused, she asked, “So you really grew up near here?”
    “The Moorgroves border elf country. My village of Farthingdale is on the eastern Grassy Plains in the most beautiful rolling hills full of wildflowers. Wait till you see!”
    “But we haven’t seen anyone since we started on this road,” Emily said, observing patches of open hills through the forest.
    Shadows skimmed the ground, fading into the woods.
    “We’re sure to spot someone, and they can tell us how to find someone who knows someone who knows how to get to Mount Hope—” Ozzie looked behind him, suddenly aware he’d been talking to himself.
    Emily had stopped, rubbing at her wrist.
    “What?” Ozzie asked.
    “I don’t know. Something doesn’t feel right.”
    Ozzie ran back. “Let’s have a look.”
    Emily pulled up the sleeve of her cardigan. Deep red and purple light burst from the rainbow jewel, erratically pulsing like a dull heartbeat.
    Ozzie’s eyes widened. “That doesn’t look right at all.”
    “It’s hurting me, Ozzie,” Emily said, rubbing the jewel harder, willing the itching burn to stop.
    But the jewel only pulsed darker, deep purples swirling to green and black.
    Emily felt the darkness infecting her jewel. She tried to focus. Think. When had she felt these strange, sickening feelings before? Suddenly she remembered—
    “Emily!”
    Ozzie’s scream broke her concentration. She saw the ferret yanking at her jeans, trying to pull her from the open road.
    A dark shadow passed overhead. Emily raised her jewel to cover her eyes as she looked up. Something huge blotted the brightness. Glistening black wings swept behind a sleek head. It looked like a giant bat with a short hooked beak and red flashing eyes. On its back, a gruesome figure rode, apelike and covered in rough armor of leather and steel. It held a crooked staff of polished metal tipped with a red crystal. A wedge of sharp teeth formed a grin as it bore down on the travelers.
    “Run!”
    Emily saw the ferret hopping up and down, gesturing wildly.
    She willed her legs to move off the road and into the cool darkness of shadows. Dust and dirt flew in her face from the sharp beating of wings.
    “Run, Emily!” Ozzie screamed again.
    The dark rider skimmed above Emily’s head, almost knocking her to the ground. The crystal on its staff flared like a demon sun. Ground, grass, and rock exploded, sending Emily flying past a tree. Coughing and choking, she propped herself on her elbows, trying to find Ozzie.
    “Over here!” the ferret whispered as loudly as he could.
    Emily scrambled over a grassy mound and fell behind a narrow knoll thick with moss.
    Shadows circled overhead, dark shapes breaking through the treetops.
    “What are they, Ozzie?” Emily was breathing hard, pulling twigs from her curly red hair as she hunkered half buried in ferns.
    “Goblin riders. This is bad. What are they doing in the Moorgroves— oh, no !”
    Emily capped her hand over the ferret’s mouth. “Shhhh!”
    “ Garg— don’t you understand?” the ferret asked, pushing her hand away. “The Fairimentals have protected this part of Aldenmor for years. Now that they’re gone everyone here is in danger!”
    “Where should we go?”
    “We can’t stay here. We have to find the elves!”
    Emily’s jewel had cooled to a dim glow but still swirled with maroon and black.
    She closed her eyes, willing herself to cleanse the jewel. To feel something pure and