Invincible: The Curse of Avalon #4

by Skye, Sariah

  “Damn man, it’s good to see you,” Mathias clamped a hand on my shoulder, and Lachlan nodded at him, and each of the guys in turn.

  “It’s good to see you. All of you,” Lachlan said, sounding faraway. But at least I could hear him.

  “Wait. How do we know it’s you?” Bash inquired, forehead furrowed with suspicion.

  Lachlan laughed quietly. “Leave it to you, Sebastian.” He turned back to me. “Avalon Dawson, no middle name, born February 9th, 1993. Best friend, Summer Lee Santiago since kindergarten. Your first teacher was Mrs. Nevins, and you cried when the year was over because you loved her so much. Your favorite color is purple, and second teal, you hated Mr. Drysdale, and you pretended your favorite band was Nirvana to be cool, but really it was the Spice Girls. Later it turned to One Direction and you claimed you were going to marry Liam Payne. For Prom you went technically with Summer even though same-sex couples weren’t allowed, you just said you were both “stag,” and you wore a purple sequin dress and a jeweled tiara, claiming that if no one was going to treat you like a princess you were going to act like one instead.” I grinned widely as my father smirked. “Did I get that right?”

  “Totally,” I said with a laugh. “Except the One Direction thing. I never listened to them.” I totally lied through my teeth.

  “Och, why not? I did,” Trystan kidded, and we all laughed.

  “So…you’re free? Does that mean you’re in—you know where?” I asked, with a gasp.

  “Yeah. I’m okay for now, but Mordred didn’t return so I figured things were dire,” Lachlan replied with a frown.

  “He is here,” Mathias said, and Lachlan appeared relieved. “We’re keeping him safe and preparing to leave when it’s time.”

  “Good.”

  “So you’re okay, then?” Xander inquired, and my father’s face turned grim.

  “For the time being, but I’m still infected with Nimue’s… magic,” He said, with a scowl. “I’m afraid unless I’m healed—and there is no one here to do it—I might not make it very far.”

  Bash grumbled. “Goddammit. That means we need to get moving.”

  “Yes,” Lachlan agreed, and Mathias cursed. “From the little I’ve been able to gather, everyone is restless. Something has happened…”

  “Aye, Avalon was attacked, that’s what happened,” Trystan replied with a severe frown.

  Lachlan let out a low, surprised whistle. “Shit… well that explains it. They’re getting ready to move forward with whatever invasion they have planned. And I have no idea what that is.” Lachlan sighed, looking over his shoulder quickly. “Damn, I better end this. But I just wanted you to know, for the time being, I’m okay. I’ll hold on until you get here, whatever it takes. There is… an ally here of sorts, that helped me. I don’t know who it is, but…” He lowered his voice dramatically, stepping closer to the portal. “I’m not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.”

  “Agreed,” Mathias said, thoughtfully stroking his chiseled chin.

  “Things are about to escalate. Quickly. I’m afraid the time is near,” Lachlan sighed, shaking his head.

  “An all out war? Do you really think it’s come to that, though?” Bash inquired. “I mean… seems to dramatic for someone wanting to open a few portals?”

  Lachlan snorted derisively. “When Nimue does things, she does them big.” There was a loud noise that echoed from Lachlan’s side of the portal and he seemed to jump. “I have to go before anyone realizes I’m gone. I’m not sure how you’ll find me, but...”

  I nodded quickly, biting my lip. Trystan draped an arm over my shoulders and pulled me into him. “We will find you,” I said, my voice shaky.

  “I probably will not have gotten terribly far,” Lachlan replied, “with this injury. Ava—if it comes down to stopping Arthur and Nimue, or healing me… you must stop them. I am expendable, you have to promise this,” my father urged, and I shook my head.

  “No, we can do both, we—”

  “—gentlemen?” Lachlan looked upon the guys, and Trystan squeezed his arm a little tighter around me.

  “You have our word, if it comes down to it—we will let you go,” Mathias said, and my gaze snapped into his direction, narrowing severely.

  “Thank you, Septimus,” Lachlan said, breathing a sigh of relief. “Ava—I’m sorry for everything I’ve done. I should have been there more. I thought it was best, but I was wrong. I’ll never forgive myself for that.”

  I waved him off. “You’ll make it up to me.” Lachlan smiled warmly.

  “Regardless, I have always loved you. I’ll do what I have to keep you safe. I failed my son… I won’t fail you, if it means giving up my dying breath to do so,” he said, his voice stalwart and unwavering.

  “No! Don’t say that!” I pleaded, wrenching myself out of Trystan’s strong grasp and throwing myself in a panic over the portal, as I watched my father’s image shimmer and fade from view. I banged on the surface. “Dad? Dad! Please—come back!” The tabletop turned solid once again, and I knew he was gone. Listlessly, I draped myself over it, and let the tears fall. “No…”

  “Avie…” I felt a hand on my neck, and another brush the hair over my shoulder; probably Bash and Xander respectively.

  “It won’t come to that, Avie,” Mathias said, with a long sigh. “We’ll… get him before all that happens.”

  “How do you know, though?” I asked, standing upright and staring at him through blurry, tear-filled eyes. Mathias’ pouty lips pressed into a tight line, and I let out a sob.

  “Thought so…”

  “Och, let’s not put the cart before the horse, eh?” Trystan said, tipping my chin up with a crook of his finger. My crying faltered when I gazed up into his impish, exceedingly handsome face. He smirked gently, as only Trystan could; subtle, but full of naughty promises. “We’ll figure it out.”

  “Right,” Mathias agreed, clapping his friend in solidarity on the shoulder.

  “It’s time to face facts, though,” Bash spoke next with a dire sincerity in his tone. I swallowed deeply at the dark fury in his steely eyes. “With Nimue making a direct attack on Avalon, and the little spell on us, it’s time to move this to Camelot. We can’t risk another attack here, or maybe even somewhere else. Especially if we know she’s using the incubi for energy.”

  “Whatever happened with them?” I inquired, suddenly remembering them.

  “We put them on an Uber and sent them to your house. After that we haven’t heard from them,” Mathias supplied.

  “Well… I don’t love them but hopefully they’re okay…” I said.

  “If they stay hidden, they should be. But who knows what she’s going to do with your blood? Was it merely to psych us out, and get under our skin?” Bash wondered aloud.

  “I wouldn’t put it passed her to do that,” Xander interjected, and Bash nodded in agreement.

  “Literally under our skin,” I said bitterly, rubbing at my shoulder for emphasis, remembering where she scratched and infected me before.

  “Exactly. Enough dicking around. It’s time we take the fight to her,” Bash said darkly. The five of us glanced at each other with deep frowns and fearful expressions. He was right, though, it was time. We’d done all we could to stall, and now stalling was over. Time to go.

  “I’ll begin the preparations,” Mathias said, releasing a tense breath.

  “How about lunch first? Can we at least do that before we go storming the castle?” Trystan inquired, patting his stomach and groaning. “Pretty sure if I don’t eat anything here soon—and Ava doesn’t count—I’ll go berserk.” I dropped my mouth open in horror at him, and smacked repeatedly at his arm while he snickered at me.

  “Yeah, we can do lunch. Starving incubi won’t help much. I could use a hand?” Mathias suggested to me, with his brown eyes pleading. I knew he just wanted the company because everyone knew fully well I couldn’t cook.

  “Are you sure? Oh I get it, blow up the house so we don’t have to worry ab
out anyone watching it, makes sense,” I kidded, with a snort.

  “Christ…” Trystan smacked his forehead and shook his head. “You’re not that bad.”

  “He just wants someone to flirt with while he’s cooking,” Xander quipped, giving the former gladiator a smug look. Mathias pressed his lips into a firm line.

  “Just for that, Xiang, you get nothing. I don’t give a shit about how hangry you get,” Mathias threatened, pointing a finger and scowling at him.

  “Stop it,” I giggled, poking at him. “I’m going to take a shower,” I said. Bash immediately opened his mouth to speak and I reached out to give him a quick shove. “Alone, Sebastian. Then I’ll be down.” Bash just shrugged with an innocent smile.

  “Really? Alone?” Xander asked, puffing out his lower lip in disappointment.

  “Yeah, just… yeah. I’m going to call Summer real quick. Just in case… you know…” I forced an uneasy smile, and I knew they understood my meaning. Just in case we don’t come back and I don’t get to tell her good-bye.

  “All right, luv. I’ll get these heathens out of here,” Trystan said, beginning to shoo everyone out. With reluctant hugs and kisses on the cheek, the guys left me behind in my bedroom, Bash closing the door behind him as he left.

  Overwhelmed by the sudden silence, I glanced around my bedroom, my eyes landed on Excalibur, resting innocuously on one of the nightstands. It glimmered faintly in the natural light streaming in through the windows in its dagger form; after I’d taken it off for some reason it changed back to it. It really did have a mind of its own.

  I held out my hand and willed for it, and it appeared in the blink of an eye in my hand; the cool metal and heft of the weapon was a comfort in my hand. And strangely enough, so was the presence inside.

  Are we ready for this? Really?

  We are. I have faith in you, Ava.

  But can we win? Nimue has demons and deviousness on her side.

  Yeah, but we have a badass sword, a brave priestess, four protectors, and a Merlin. And a secret that will reveal itself exactly when we need it to. Trust me?

  I will. As long as you promise we’ll all come home safe.

  I cannot promise, but I promise we’ll do everything to make sure it happens. And make Nimue suffer.

  I guess that was the best I could do.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  “Oh god that was good…” I moaned with pleasure after shutting off the shower, grabbing a towel as I stepped out. The scalding hot water was heavenly against my stiff muscles. I hadn’t really realized I’d been so sore until after the hot water started pouring down on me and I started to relax.

  I couldn’t imagine why I was so tense, though. Apparently all that magic, an impending war, and a sword that talked to me were stressful things. Who knew?

  “Uh, Ava?”

  Grabbing at my towel before it fell off my body, I startled and shrieked at the new voice in the bathroom. The room was steamy so it was hard to see, but the pop of magic in my ears meant that it was Rhys teleporting in. I glared at him through the steam, keeping one hand on the towel wrapped around my chest to keep it from falling, and waved the other in front of me to clear the steam.

  Rhys stood there attempting to look completely innocent. I could swear I actually saw a halo over his head, emphasizing his artificially sweet smile and puppy dog eyes. Knowing Rhys he’d probably faked one, somehow. Because we all knew he wouldn’t have earned one otherwise unless it was rusty, dirty, and with horns; probably stolen from the devil himself.

  “Goddammit, Rhys! What the hell are you—” I began to shout, but Rhys interrupted me.

  “Mathias! It was Mathias, he asked me to come check on you!” He insisted, and I growled out in dismay.

  “Why would he do that? He knew I was in the bathroom, didn’t he?” I challenged him by narrowing my eyes in his direction.

  He shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess he figured that was a sacrifice he was willing to make. And he said he liked his balls where they were and figured mine were sacrificial.”

  I groaned, rolling my eyes, I waved him off. “Yeah, whatever. Why does he want you to check on me? I just saw him what? Twenty minutes ago?” I leaned over the countertop and smoothed my hand over the mirror to rub away the steam that had condensed on the glass. I wrinkled my nose at my reflection at my puffy eyes and splotchy skin, and started reaching for the moisturizer on the counter.

  “I guess he was worried about you,” Rhys said earnestly, and I sighed, slumping my shoulders.

  “Yeah, okay…” I smiled, secretly touched by the thought of Mathias being worried about me. He was such a sweet and gentle protector, I loved that about him. “Could be worse things…”

  “That’s right there could be.”

  We let our words fall in a companionable silence. Out of the corner of my eye I watched Rhys in his gray sweats, white t-shirt, and long, enviable, thick wavy brown hair that tumbled down his shoulders shift, uncomfortably on his bare feet.

  “So… you’ve checked on me. I’m fine. Bye?” I hinted, but he made no move to leave. After smearing a good dollop of face cream on my face, I closed the lid and set the jar on the counter, turning to him. His cheeks were bright red and I knew that was not from the steam. “All right, what do you want?”

  He started to part his lips to speak, but stopped abruptly. Snickering, he motioned to my vast assortment of beauty creams and makeup spread out over the counter haphazardly. “I’m surprised Xander lets you get away with that.”

  I laughed shortly. “Ah, even Xander knows his limits. He doesn’t dare touch my stuff. Something I wish Mathias would learn but, hey,” I said, with a shrug, reaching for an eye cream, spinning the lid open and dabbing my finger in.

  “The hell is all that stuff anyway?” Rhys asked, frowning as he reached for a mascara at the edge of the counter nearest to him. I quickly swiped his hand away with a slap and glowered at him.

  “Don’t touch it. Not all of us are blessed with incubus genes to keep us hot and pretty, some of us have to work at it,” I said, shaking a finger at him.

  “Oh come on, you don’t need that stuff. The four of them think you’re amazing and worship the ground you walk on,” Rhys said, with a snort and internally I felt pleased at the idea.

  “Old habits die hard…” I muttered, with a shrug. Satisfied the cream did its thing, I set it down and turned to him, leaning back against the counter, trying to ignore the fact that I was still in a towel and Rhys was just… still standing there. “You want to talk about something? I doubt you came in here for a lesson in cosmetology.”

  He pressed his mouth together in a line, gaze darting around nervously. Finally, he blurted, “Ava… how did you know you were in love with the guys?”

  “Say what now?” I asked in shock. I don’t think any question from him could have been more shocking if he asked me about my period or annoying vaginal itch—but there it was. I crooked a brow at him, crossing my arms over my chest. “I don’t think one night of sex constitutes as love, Emrys.”

  Rhys shook his head. “No… we didn’t do that. We didn’t do anything like that. After I confronted the guys with the crystal… mess…we just laid in bed and…talked. All night.”

  “Just… talked.”

  “Yeah.”

  My mouth slowly slid open. “No hanky-panky?”

  “Nope…”

  “No sex? Not even a blowjob or a handjob or dirty talk?”

  “Nope.”

  “Shit. Where is Rhys and what have you done with him?” I asked in awe, nudging him with my elbow.

  He chuckled gently, gaze dropping to his hands as he clutched and wrung them in front of himself. “Trust me, no one is more shocked than me.”

  “Wow.”

  “Yeah. He seemed so nervous, I just… couldn’t. I don’t think he’s actually like, banged a guy before,” Rhys said, with a short, nervous laugh. “I got the impression that something like that wouldn’t be allowed in Camelot.” He f
rowned severely, looking at me dourly. “He said that his father,” Rhys spat the word like vile poison, “found two of the Round Table knights together before—you know, playing hide the sausage—”

  I interrupted him with a loud snort, and Rhys smirked.

  “—yeah. But… he didn’t even talk to them. Nimue killed them on the spot,” Rhys said, with a small voice. He looked down into his lap, shaking his head slowly. “All they did was make love. How can… how can someone so sweet and kind like Mordred, come from something so horrible?”

  I sighed, threading my arm with his and sliding closer to him. It didn’t matter that I was in a towel, he wasn’t here for that, and he needed a friend; it was clear by the troubled look on his face.

  Gratefully, he rested his head on my shoulder and he shook gently with emotion. “Maybe that’s why he ended up how he did. Because he had to cancel out their evil.”

  “Maybe. His father wasn’t always a maniacal despot. Before I was shoved in that vessel, I did a lot of things for Arthur. Spells and counsel. We used to be decent friends. He was always a cocky bastard but not cruel like now.” Rhys said. He lifted his head to step back some. “He was once fair and just. But…over the years Nimue just…warped him. If it wasn’t for Sir Percival—”

  “—the Sir Percival?” I asked, incredulous, and Rhys nodded in affirmation.

  “Yeah. Percival is only a handful of years older than Mordred. They were good friends—brothers, almost. I think…” Rhys bit his lip, conflicted. “I think Mordred had feelings for Percival but they weren’t returned. They’re still friends, but…nothing came of it. Mordred said he was probably just confused.”

  “That’s… sad,” I replied, crestfallen.

  “Yeah. But—yeah, anyway, it’s the first time I’ve never like, not wanted to, um… get my thang on right away,” Rhys said, and I laughed abruptly. “I just… listened to him talk. He asked me about being stuck in the vessel for so long. We talked about… everything.”

  “Hmm…” I frowned. “Are you sure that there wasn’t some ulterior motive?”

  “Ah, you’re turning into Bash with your skepticism, young Padawan,” Rhys said, and I snickered. “No, I really don’t think so. Part of my magic you know is sort of… sensing when people are lying. I can’t explain it. Sometimes I just know. So… I really don’t think he is. We… talked about the future. Not necessarily together but… well, you know. Things that would happen after all this is over. He isn’t sure he wants to go back to Camelot.”