Read Online Secret of the Unicorn (Avalon: Web of Magic #4) by Rachel Roberts - Free Book Online
Authors: Rachel Roberts
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exploded inside her head, and Emily whirled around to see the mistwolf racing toward her, lips drawn back in a threatening snarl.
“No!” Emily cried, falling to her knees. She felt overwhelmed by despair—she had come so close, only to be wrenched back at the wrong moment. “Storm, no!”
Stormbringer skidded to a stop in front of her and let out a low growl. “ Did you not sense the danger? ”
Emily blinked, not sure at first what the mistwolf was talking about. Then she glanced around.
The ground was littered with branches, leaves, and other debris. Several large boulders were scattered about like a giant’s game of billiards. Furrows of fresh dirt crisscrossed the clearing, like gashes in the earth itself. An enormous, ancient oak tree had been ripped up by its roots and lay at a crazy angle across the clearing—one huge bough only a few feet from the spot where Emily was crouched.
“Wha—when did this happen?” she gasped.
Storm was gazing at her intently. “ When the two of you connected.” She didn’t bother to finish, merely shaking her shaggy head and glancing around at the destruction in the clearing.
Emily buried her face in her hands. What was happening? She thought she had made a connection with Lorelei. But at the last moment, the creature had given up, run away. Why? She shuddered as she remembered the hopelessness and fear and something else—shame.
The last image floated back into her mind, full-formed and clear. She looked up, her eyes widening as she realized for the first time what had been different about the creature.
“Storm,” she breathed. “I think I know what she is. Lorelei. She’s a—a unicorn!”
E MILY POKED AT her cereal, feeling fuzzy and out of sorts. She had slept poorly, tossing and turning as disturbing dreams flitted through her mind. Now her head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton, her eyelids heavy. Her first waking thought had been of Lorelei, the unicorn. Could that really be what she was? The more she thought about it, the less certain she was. She and her friends had seen a unicorn before—Kara had even ridden one. That unicorn had been noble, confident, powerful. He hadn’t changed colors. He hadn’t made awful noises. He hadn’t been afraid of them.
And of course, he had also had a long, beautiful, crystalline horn.
Carolyn entered the kitchen, already dressed in her white lab coat.
“Mom? How important is a good attitude for your patients?” Emily asked, still thinking about Lorelei.
“What do you mean?” Carolyn headed straight for the coffee pot on the counter. “Like a good temperament? Is that Feltner dog giving you trouble again?”
“No, no.” Emily shook her head, frustrated. “I’m talking about healing. Getting better. How important is it for an animal to, you know, want to get better?”
Her mother finished pouring her coffee. “Well, animals don’t really want things the same way people do. And they’re not aware of the future like we are, either, so of course they can’t really foresee what it will be like to feel better. That’s why supportive care is so important while they’re recovering—pain medication, a peaceful environment, and so on.”
Emily sighed and rubbed her eyes. Her mother wasn’t getting it, and she wasn’t sure how else to explain it—especially since she wasn’t even sure what she was asking.
Before Emily could try again, Carolyn walked over to the table and gazed down at her. “Speaking of a peaceful environment,” she said, “I was very disappointed when I stopped into the Pet Palace yesterday. The place was a mess.”
Emily winced, recalling the kibble explosion. She had done her best to sweep up, but she definitely hadn’t planned on her mother seeing the place until she’d cleaned the rest. “I know,” she said hurriedly. “I was going to clean that up when I got home.”
Carolyn lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?” she said. “That’s interesting, since as you may recall
“No!” Emily cried, falling to her knees. She felt overwhelmed by despair—she had come so close, only to be wrenched back at the wrong moment. “Storm, no!”
Stormbringer skidded to a stop in front of her and let out a low growl. “ Did you not sense the danger? ”
Emily blinked, not sure at first what the mistwolf was talking about. Then she glanced around.
The ground was littered with branches, leaves, and other debris. Several large boulders were scattered about like a giant’s game of billiards. Furrows of fresh dirt crisscrossed the clearing, like gashes in the earth itself. An enormous, ancient oak tree had been ripped up by its roots and lay at a crazy angle across the clearing—one huge bough only a few feet from the spot where Emily was crouched.
“Wha—when did this happen?” she gasped.
Storm was gazing at her intently. “ When the two of you connected.” She didn’t bother to finish, merely shaking her shaggy head and glancing around at the destruction in the clearing.
Emily buried her face in her hands. What was happening? She thought she had made a connection with Lorelei. But at the last moment, the creature had given up, run away. Why? She shuddered as she remembered the hopelessness and fear and something else—shame.
The last image floated back into her mind, full-formed and clear. She looked up, her eyes widening as she realized for the first time what had been different about the creature.
“Storm,” she breathed. “I think I know what she is. Lorelei. She’s a—a unicorn!”
E MILY POKED AT her cereal, feeling fuzzy and out of sorts. She had slept poorly, tossing and turning as disturbing dreams flitted through her mind. Now her head felt like it was stuffed full of cotton, her eyelids heavy. Her first waking thought had been of Lorelei, the unicorn. Could that really be what she was? The more she thought about it, the less certain she was. She and her friends had seen a unicorn before—Kara had even ridden one. That unicorn had been noble, confident, powerful. He hadn’t changed colors. He hadn’t made awful noises. He hadn’t been afraid of them.
And of course, he had also had a long, beautiful, crystalline horn.
Carolyn entered the kitchen, already dressed in her white lab coat.
“Mom? How important is a good attitude for your patients?” Emily asked, still thinking about Lorelei.
“What do you mean?” Carolyn headed straight for the coffee pot on the counter. “Like a good temperament? Is that Feltner dog giving you trouble again?”
“No, no.” Emily shook her head, frustrated. “I’m talking about healing. Getting better. How important is it for an animal to, you know, want to get better?”
Her mother finished pouring her coffee. “Well, animals don’t really want things the same way people do. And they’re not aware of the future like we are, either, so of course they can’t really foresee what it will be like to feel better. That’s why supportive care is so important while they’re recovering—pain medication, a peaceful environment, and so on.”
Emily sighed and rubbed her eyes. Her mother wasn’t getting it, and she wasn’t sure how else to explain it—especially since she wasn’t even sure what she was asking.
Before Emily could try again, Carolyn walked over to the table and gazed down at her. “Speaking of a peaceful environment,” she said, “I was very disappointed when I stopped into the Pet Palace yesterday. The place was a mess.”
Emily winced, recalling the kibble explosion. She had done her best to sweep up, but she definitely hadn’t planned on her mother seeing the place until she’d cleaned the rest. “I know,” she said hurriedly. “I was going to clean that up when I got home.”
Carolyn lifted an eyebrow. “Oh?” she said. “That’s interesting, since as you may recall
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