by LJ Rivers
A gentle breeze caressed my cheeks, and the sense of magic swirled in the air. Not like the heavy weight of power that had oozed from Auberon earlier, rather a radiating calm of fresh air, breathing magic, prompting tiny tingles to stir on my skin. A familiar figure appeared in the fountain, reminding me of my first encounter with the Lady of the Lake, when she came to me in a vision in the aircraft hangar south of London.
The Lady disappeared for a moment, then reappeared in the centre of the lake, manifesting more clearly than before. With her came the whispers of a serene kind of power. Her lips spread out, and it was as if the sun was in her eyes when she smiled.
“My sweet child, that is one wish I can grant.”
I stood abruptly. “Wh—what?”
“I am so proud of you. And I thank you for bringing my son back to us.”
She giggled, and her voice rang in my ears even after her body had splashed into the lake and disappeared once more. The red hue of the water began to fade as if the lake was absorbing my blood, finally returning to a clear blue. Ringlets spread on the surface, growing and expanding, and with every new aftershock, a flash of intense light rippled across the lake. At the far end, the fountain erupted into a pillar of shimmering droplets, rising to the cave ceiling. The pillar burst and broke into a cascading waterfall, flooding the base and crashing into the lake. Pulsating waves of luminescence swept towards me.
I took a step back, placed one hand on Nefari’s head, and shielded my eyes from the glare with the other. The glare of the sun. It was the only thing I could compare the brightness to. A figure rose from the lake. It wasn’t Nimue this time. Squinting against the burning glow surrounding her, I forced myself to look. Strawberry-blonde locks of hair flowed down her body, the ends dipping into the water to rest on the surface. Her stunningly blue eyes met mine, and her full lips parted in a dazzling smile that made my heart expand, taking my breath away. She looked younger than I remembered, bathed in amber and white light. A pair of golden wings extended to each side of her, lifting her out of the water as she flew towards me. She alighted on the sand with a sigh.
I couldn’t take my eyes off her. I knew this woman, and yet I didn’t. “Mum?”
“Oh, Ruby.” Her arms slid around me and the dam in my heart finally broke, all my worries and regrets, my fear and my pain, poured out of me, while relief, joy, and love took root. She twirled a few strands of my purple hair between her fingers. “I suppose it will grow back.”
Smiling, I inhaled the familiar scent of honey and lemons emanating from her skin, then glanced at her new wings. “How are you here? Did I die?”
She took my hands and stepped back to look at me. Nefari meowed, leaning against my leg. “No, darling, you are very much alive. I would have come sooner, but I’ve been … asleep, protected by Nimue’s embrace.” She placed her lips briefly to my forehead. “When I crashed towards the Thames, I thought that was it. As I connected with the surface, however, I fell into Nimue’s portal. She caught me and has kept my essence in her lake until it was time. That time is now. Your blood gave her the final piece of magic she needed to wake me.”
“My blood? But—” The final piece of the puzzle I had struggled with for so long finally found its place. “In the chalice. When it tumbled into the lake before. This was always about the trinity in my blood, wasn’t it?”
“That. But also, and perhaps more importantly, it was about restoring the light.”
My eyes widened, and I regarded the new version of my mum. A glowing, white dress hugged her body, but there was no obvious beginning or end to it and no seams that I could find. Instead, it appeared her dress was woven entirely of sunbeams, as if the core of the sun exuded from inside her.
“It’s in you! It was always in you!”
“I used to conjure light all the time when I was a child, but as I grew older, I suppressed it for fear of discovery. It was that light that gave me the ability to destroy the electric cuffs the Blacksmith put on me. It sent out a beacon, for lack of a better word, that caught Nimue’s attention. She could clasp onto it and thus transcend worlds. She brought me here so I could one day return this light to the sun in Gwyn Fanon.” She averted her gaze, and her smile brightened impossibly further. “Carolina.”
I blinked and turned my head. Rowan was carrying Charlie in his arms, stepping towards us.
“She’s not doing well,” he said. “Please, can you help her?”
Mum inclined her head. “I can, though I think we should call on Nimue for this.”
A ringing giggle sounded from somewhere in the water, and once more, the Lady herself manifested. She drifted closer, like a mirage, not completely solid, but there nonetheless. In her hands, she held a sword. Excalibur.
“You have done well, my child,” she said to Rowan. “I am as proud of you as I am of your sister. Your father won’t be needing this anymore.” She extended her arm, showing Rowan the pommel of Excalibur. “This belongs to you now.”
Holding onto Charlie with one arm, Rowan accepted Excalibur into his open hand. “I will treasure it.”
Nimue tilted her chin at him. “Now, you must persevere because there is much to rebuild in the times to come. I do believe it would be easier for you with someone like her,” she gestured at Charlie, “by your side.”
Rowan dug his new blade into the sand and lay his girlfriend on the shore. “Please!” He looked at Nimue. “Grandmother.”
“I have been watching that one.” She smiled at Charlie. “Once I have healed her, she will be stronger than she ever was.” With a wave of her translucent hand, Nimue wrapped Charlie in a cocoon of healing light. My angel sister stirred, before her eyes sprang open, and she slowly sat up, still encased in Nimue’s magic. The Lady, my grandmother—and Rowan’s—snapped her fingers again, releasing my best friend.
“Thank you.” Charlie beamed before her smile faded. “But what about Jen? Can’t you heal her too?”
“I would, but it is not within my power. Her essence has already passed on.”
“But you saved Mum,” I interjected.
“She is of Morgana blood, a Pure Magical with the very sunlight residing in her core. Jeannine Lune was none of those things, though she was fierce and has put her mark on this world. I believe her essence will live on. You have shown unusual courage and bravery, Carolina, and while you will mourn your friend, I think you’ll find my gift to you, shall we say, satisfactory?”
“What gift?” The corner of Charlie’s lip rose to meet the teardrop swimming down her cheek.
“You’ll see.” Nimue winked. “Stay safe, my children.” With that, she was gone again.
Rowan flung his arms around Charlie, and I looked away when their lips met and appeared to never part again. Conflicted, I clutched at my chest. We had beat Auberon, but at a terrible price. My heart rejoiced to have Mum back, while at the same time it broke at the fact that neither Jack nor Jen would ever again draw breath.
Brendan limped to my side, his strained features telling me he carried similar sentiments in his heart.
“Someone left their razor on Earth,” my mum said.
“Mrs Morgan,” Brendan said. “Good to see you again. I must say, you look great for a dead woman.”
“It’s Elaine to you,” she corrected.
“Elaine,” I mused. “In my vision, I heard one of the lorekeepers say that when the Sorcerers stole the light, they had to contain it, but that the Enchantium stone cracked. It needed another vessel.” I slapped myself on the forehead. “Elaine, Morgana’s daughter, was that vessel, and the light passed down to you.”
“It would appear so.” Mum’s eyes twinkled with specks of gold.
I frowned. “But why didn’t it pass down to me, then?”
Brendan bent down to pick up Auberon’s cane, then put a hand on the small of my back. I leaned in and rested my head against his shoulder while Nefari stepped away from us to rub herself against Mum’s legs.
She scratched the feline behind her
ears, and Nefari purred contentedly. “I believe that had something to do with the darkness in you.” Mum stroked my cheek, and it was the first time in a long time that I had felt at home. “Your sorcery prevented it from entering. But it was never ours to hold, and now I must return it.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Stepping out of the shadows, I kept a hold of them for Brendan to follow. He leaned on my father’s cane to support his injured leg, and droplets of crimson dotted his beard. He smiled through the veil of tears. My body rippled in bursts of night and day, moulding me back into being. Embracing my nature, I allowed both sides of me to spill forth as I stood atop the mountain, then reached out to take Brendan’s free hand. I wasn’t just one or the other—not light, not darkness—but rather two halves of a whole, and I could finally accept that. Accept all of me. Above us, griffins were swirling in the air, some with riders, and some without. Blood rained from the sky as I turned my head to look outwards at the plains, where the battle was still raging.
Two griffins were head to head, each carrying a Sorcerer. One was much younger than the other, but years of wisdom often surpassed the agility and strength of a young man. And Pullhelli was wise. He ducked as his griffin banked to the side, avoiding a spear of fire. He turned around and sent a football-sized fireball at the buckle that held his enemy’s saddle in place. The saddle came undone, and the younger Sorcerer’s weight tilted him sideways and around to the griffin’s belly. Gravity did the rest as the Sorcerer plummeted towards a mountain cliff and out of sight. My great-uncle turned his griffin around, unfastened the straps that tied him to the saddle, then disappeared in a puff of ashen mist.
Next to me, grains of darkness slowly solidified into the shape of Pullhelli, and in his shadow, Rowan stepped out with Charlie by his side. She flashed me a smile, though her cheeks were still wet with tears.
“I’ve been waiting for you to return, My Queen,” Pullhelli said. “Auberon’s Sorcerers are quite persistent, but Taryn and the manticores were of invaluable assistance.”
“I’m glad to see you’re safe.” I glanced up. “Where is Taryn now?”
“Once we thinned the herd here, so to speak, he advanced into the castle with Alun and the others, hoping they might catch your father there.”
“Well, there is nothing to catch any longer.” I didn’t know whether I was relieved or upset about that fact just yet.
“Something told me you were still near after your departure through the shadows, so I decided to stay behind when Taryn advanced to the castle.” He tapped his chin. “Wait, you said there is nothing to catch?”
“Auberon won’t be a threat to anyone ever again. He’s with Nimue now.”
A solemn smile touched his lips, and he inclined his head.
I nodded back, then turned to my brother. “Are you all right?”
“Carolina is safe, and so are you. That’s all that matters to me.” He kissed Charlie on her forehead. “Auberon got what was coming to him.”
A familiar meow caught my attention. I looked down to find Kit climbing the ridge like a mountain lion. He hurled himself over the edge and strutted to my side as if he hadn’t just made the climb of his life.
“Hey, Kit.” I crouched and cupped his furry face in my hands, placing my forehead on his for a moment. His whiskers tickled my cheeks, making me stretch my lips into an almost smile. “I’ve got a surprise for you.”
He stared at me with unblinking eyes.
“You’re gonna love it.”
Just then, a flash of intense light flooded the mountaintop. In its centre was Mum. She radiated power and warmth, and though it stung my eyes to watch, I was unable to look away. Kit made a quiet yelping sound, pushing against my legs.
Pullhelli shielded his eyes, and his jaw all but fell off.
“Morgana?” he breathed.
Mum shook her head, then floated past us to hover just beyond the ridge of the mountain. “For too long, you have suffered the darkness.” Her voice resounded in my head, soft and commanding, but I couldn’t see her lips move. My friends and great-uncle, however, seemed to have heard her too, because they were all touching their heads, looking at her with wide eyes. The noise of the battle was reduced to a distant hum, and the remaining griffins and eagles in the sky were sailing on quiet wings, disengaging from the fight.
“I am Elaine of Morgana, and you are my people,” Mum continued. “I am here to end this bloodshed and allow life in Gwyn Fanon to start anew. Once again, flowers will bloom, your forests will thrive, and you will feel the sunlight on your face.” She flitted away from the mountaintop like a beacon through the sky, flying out above the battlefield. “Dawn is fast approaching, and with it, a new age will be upon us. Your crops will once again bear fruit, providing for your families and loved ones. When the darkness came, it sprouted roots that have corrupted the best of Magicals, twisted alliances, and broken vows. Let this new dawn be the beginning of a better time. A time when we reach out to our neighbours, a time when enemies become friends. When you tuck your children in at night, tell them that there is indeed a brighter tomorrow, and know that it is the truth.”
She soared across the plains, her golden wings blending with the spears of light surrounding her.
“Here.” Brendan handed me his telescope.
“Thanks.” I raised the object to my eye and peered through it.
The fighters on the ground had frozen in place as if they were standing in a time bubble, some with axes raised above their heads to strike, others with their jaws open for another bite. Swords were held suspended between enemies, and no voices could be heard—except that of my mum.
On the horizon, a grey disc began to rise.
“Dawn is upon us,” Mum said. “And now, I must return what you have so long been missing.”
A white glare expanded from the already bright sphere around her, and beaming rays flooded the plains, illuminating the battlefield. A cascade of radiance poured from her very essence, spreading like wildfire across the land and into Avalen city. The reflection of the glare danced on the surface of the sea while more and more creatures appeared in the water. The battleships lay unmoving in the waves, and all the while, the light continued to flood the world.
Like a glowing river, floating upstream, it rippled and rose towards the pale sun. A blinding flare of light blanketed everything, leaving the world in a glowing embrace. Heads turned between the sun and the Fae in white, as if unsure where to look. Her light had dimmed, though she still glowed like a lantern where she held herself suspended above the fighters.
I lowered the telescope and blinked, adjusting to the new day. In the distance, hues of pink and yellow colours painted the blue sky as the rising sun climbed over the horizon. Rays of sunshine bathed us, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
“King Auberon is with Nimue.” Mum’s voice echoed in my mind again—and in every mind across Avalon, by the looks of it. “It is time to lay down your arms and build a bridge between yourself and your opponent. End this war.”
I took another look through the telescope. No one lowered their weapons, and a part of me feared that returning the light wasn’t enough.
“I suppose this is my cue.” Pullhelli rolled his sleeves up. “Your Majesty.” He bowed and disappeared into my shadow.
Bewildered, I searched for him. “Where did he go?”
Kit pawed at my leg as Charlie raised her hand. She was pointing towards the plains. “There!”
Once again, I found Mum, and below her, in the spotlight of her power, Pullhelli appeared on a mound of timber, what might have been a weapons cart at some point.
“People of Gwyn Fanon!” Pullhelli’s voice called out, and I heard it as clearly as I had heard my mum.
“How?” I muttered.
“Elaine is allowing him to speak through her,” Rowan said. “Best guess, anyway. I’ve heard about this kind of power, but it’s extremely rare.”
“Elaine of Morgana stands before you.” Pullhelli’s wo
rds echoed in my mind. “She has brought the light back to the sun. King Auberon’s essence rests with his mother in her lake, and Avalon needs someone to rule. It will not be by force or at the edge of a sword, however. The rightful heir to the throne has arrived, and blood must follow blood. Avalon must have a monarch, and she is ready for you to choose her. This is our Lady of Avalon, the Lady in White, Queen Elaine of Morgana. Lay down your arms and choose life over death, choose a bright new day over an endless night.”
“All hail the queen,” a Sorcerer shouted behind me from a griffin’s back.
“All hail the queen,” Rowan and Charlie repeated.
The words spread as more and more people chanted them. Swords clanked to the ground, axes and staffs were lowered, flames extinguished, while Shifters retreated and wolves howled at the sun. The words rose to a crescendo as the battle finally came to an end.
“All hail the queen,” I whispered.
Epilogue
I inhaled the fresh air, soaking in the warmth of the sun’s rays on my face. In the light of a new day, Avalon was more breathtaking than ever. I put my hands flat on the parapet and raised my chin, remembering when I had stood in this very spot with Morgana, looking out on the capital. As mysterious and beautiful it was even back then, everything looked different in the sunlight. More radiant. More alive. It had been nearly a month since the sun came back, yet every day with sunlight felt like a new beginning. I had even seen the actual full moon and heard Avalenians cheer to it in the middle of the night. No longer did they have to count dark moons.
The city of Avalen had managed to stay mostly untouched by the war, though the body count on the plains had reached several thousand, and it would take some time for the people to get past another bloodbath. That aside, they were rejoicing at the return of light and celebrating their new queen, The Lady of Avalon.