by Cori Chaffee
Riding through the short wrought-iron gates, I glanced around. The yard in front of the house was crunchy and dead. Withered flower beds lined the front of the house, although the home itself was immaculately kept. Clearly, Arthur was paying someone to care for it and the grounds. It was neat and clean, although it was stark and clearly empty. There was nothing for miles around us, no signs of life. It was completely desolate.
‚No one appears to be home,' Lucan observed as he drew up next to me.
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‚That’s good,' I smiled. ‚The inhabitants are dead, so I certainly prefer it that way.'
He shot me an amused look, but stayed silent and urged his horse ahead, before dropping to the ground and looking around. Hecate sidled up next to me and we lifted Raquel down from her horse before tying the horses to a hitching post.
My body was screaming, my arms aching, but there was no time to rest. For all we knew, Arthur had sent a party of knights to follow us. We just couldn’t take that chance. Leaving our army standing behind us, we moved toward the house.
Walking softly up the front porch steps, I tested the door. It was locked. Quickly, I crushed the brass door handle in my hand. It fell to the ground in bits and pieces. The door opened easily now.
Walking inside, I stopped in the foyer and spun in a slow circle. The house was as neat as a pin. With the land outside reduced to rubble, it seemed strange to find this house still in perfect condition. It made me believe that somewhere, deep down, Arthur retained some of his true characteristics. Why else would he care so much for his deceased parents’ home?
The silence was chilling. Walking through a dining room, I observed a long table with crystal centerpieces and a long bench on each side. There was space for at least twelve. It seemed strange to find a place that I was sure once bustled with life and laughter, so empty now. Every footstep echoed loudly throughout the house as I made my way upstairs.
It didn’t seem plausible that Arthur would have hidden the sword in the house where anyone could find it, but I had to look. It made no sense not to. So, I combed quickly through every room. And in every room, I turned up nothing but everyday household items. There was no sword here.
As I entered the last room at the end of a narrow hall, I felt an even eerier stillness descend upon me and I stopped moving and glanced around.
It was simply a bedroom. A large bedroom, one that might once have been airy and light, back when the sun still shone brightly. Now, however, it was dismal and cold.
The heavy draperies were pulled tightly closed and the dark red velvet bedclothes sucked any semblance of light from the room.
Sliding my fingers along a long armoire, I found that there was not a trace of dust.
Someone was caring for this farm house. I picked up a silver hairbrush. It was polished to a gleam, no sign of tarnish. Yet no one lived here. It was so curious that Arthur would go to this trouble.
I glanced into the heavy, ornate mirror that hung above the armoire. I looked tired.
My face was pale and dark circles lined my green eyes. I lifted a hand and brushed my hair away from my face, tucking it behind my ear with a sigh. I was certainly not at my best.
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And suddenly, I was not alone.
In the mirror, Morgan appeared behind me, her face stark and white. Her dark eyes seemed sunken and severe and I spun around quickly. She wasn’t behind me. I slowly turned back around, facing her once more. She was in the mirror.
‚What is this?' I hissed, backing away from it. ‚What are you doing?'
She smiled, not maliciously, but not a friendly grin, either. She was simply amused.
Her dark gowns only emphasized her severe look, making her face seem even paler. It occurred to me that she didn’t look well, either. Exhaustion was apparent on her face.
‚Did I frighten you?' she asked. ‚That was not my intention. I cast a wide spell…
so that the next time you looked into a mirror, I could find you. I did not mean to frighten you.'
‚Of course you did,' I snapped. ‚You know you did.'
‚Oh, Harmonia,' she sighed. ‚So many things have changed and you don’t even realize it.'
‚What?' I unconsciously lifted my hand to my throat. ‚You called me Harmonia.'
‚Of course I did,' she sniffed. ‚Isn’t that your name? What do you take me for?'
‚Morgan le Fey, sister of the king,' I answered uncertainly. Did she also know who she was? She answered my question with her next breath.
‚That is who I appear as, true,' she acknowledged. ‚But you and I both know the truth, don’t we? We are not mortals, you and I. Is Hecate with you?'
‚What is going on?' I asked uncertainly. ‚How do you know these things?'
And further troubling, she was not herself. Eris was not being malicious. And that was unusual and frightening in itself.
‚Ahmose came to me,' she explained finally. ‚He showed me who I am and what the Fates did to me in the future. I am of a mind to work with you, for the time being.'
‚Work with me?' My eyebrow shot up. ‚Really?' I couldn’t keep the doubt from my voice and she smiled again.
‚Yes, really,' she confirmed and with that, she stepped from the mirror onto the armoire and then jumped lightly to stand next to me. I didn’t even flinch. ‚Apparently, you are the chosen one of some sort and if I have any hopes of surviving this intact, I will work with you, not against you.'
‚What do you propose?' I asked suspiciously. There was no way I was trusting this woman, even if Ahmose did. No way in hell.
She narrowed her eyes. ‚First, I propose that we find the sword. You’re not having much luck on your own, are you? Let us find Hecate and together, we shall summon it.'
I stared at her blankly as she gripped my elbow and led me toward the door. My feet stubbornly lagged behind because old habits died hard. I didn’t want to go anywhere with her, but I reluctantly accompanied her to the main floor where we found Courtney Cole 113
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Lucan and Hecate. Lucan was startled when I appeared with another person in the doorway, but Hecate only seemed expectant. There was not a trace of surprise on her face. I glared at her.
‚Let me guess,' I snapped. ‚You knew this already?'
She nodded. ‚I did see it in my dreams last eve.'
‚It was a long ride here, with plenty of time for you to have shared that. A little forewarning would have been nice,' I replied.
‚I’ll try to remember that for next time,' she grinned. I rolled my eyes at her and turned to Morgan.
‚You’ll have to excuse my reluctance to trust you,' I said cautiously. ‚We’ve been at odds for a long time and you have wronged me again and again. I’m finding it difficult to believe you now.'
‚So, all the better to end that, correct?' she asked me with her eyebrows raised into her hairline. ‚There is no time like the present. In fact, if we do not, there may not be time left for anything at all. You know that I always act in my own best interest. Acting against the Fates is in my best interest. I know that now, thanks to Ahmose.'
‚Morgan,' Lucan said, ‚Isn’t the king wondering where you are?'
‚No,' she answered. ‚The king is still at the palace. Much has changed there. I’m here on my own volition…to help.'
‚Really?' Lucan asked. ‚Isn’t that treasonous to your king… your brother?'
Eris barely spared him a glance.
‚There is much you do not know, knight,' she said as she stepped forward. ‚And I do not have time to explain. Hecate, I will require your assistance. Together, perhaps we can see the sword. I have learned a few tricks as Morgan.'
Hecate’s face was impassive as she stepped beside my ancient adversary.
‚Where do you want to do this?' she asked quietly.
‚The barn would be b
est, I think,' Morgan replied. She turned and began walking through the house, her back ramrod straight.
‚You can’t be serious,' I implored Hecate. ‚There’s no way that this can be real. I cannot trust that woman.'
‚You must,' Hecate insisted. ‚Ahmose has sent her to you. I know that you must trust him. He has willingly died to protect you. That should speak for something.'
I considered that guiltily. Of course it did. He must know things that I did not, the absolute story of my life. I took a deep breath and followed the two women, with Lucan and little Raquel close on my heels.
They led us out to the abandoned barn. The inside was dark and cold and I could hear the scurrying of small mice from the corners. An owl hooted quietly from the rafters and I fought the urge to turn and run out. Something did not feel right about this place. It was too still, too silent.
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Eris snapped her fingers and blazing torches appeared in every corner, spreading warm light throughout the room. Lucan inhaled sharply behind me, but still he remained silent.
‚Come forward,' Hecate directed as she and Eris waited for us to approach.
‚Closer.'
We stepped forward and at Hecate’s gesture, we moved to stand in line with them.
Hecate began muttering beneath her breath and Eris joined in, both of them fixated on the ground in front of them. I looked, but there was nothing there other than the stone floor. Unconsciously, I fingered my bloodstone. It was practically vibrating. I yanked my fingers away and my gaze flew to Hecate and Eris. Their eyes were closed now as they chanted.
Lucan looked at me. ‚What is happening?' He sounded nervous for the first time.
‚I do not know,' I answered him truthfully. ‚But I think we will find out soon.' I glanced at Raquel. ‚Don’t worry, little one. Everything will be fine.'
Their chanting got louder and boards began flying from the rafters, crashing down around us. I jumped, but stood firmly in place as the women continued to chant. Eris threw her arms in the air and the roof of the barn lifted off and flew to the side, taking with it pieces of the walls. Bit by bit, the remaining walls followed until we were standing in the open air, next to a large pile of rubble.
And then, with an alarming wrenching split, the earth in front of us opened up, throwing back stones from the floor. Lucan grasped my elbow and pulled me slightly away, protective as ever. I kept my eyes on the churning mess in front of us because I knew it wasn’t over yet.
A giant hole formed in front of us, jagged and deep. And then before I could even process that… it filled with water. I don’t know where the water came from… it was most likely summoned from the earth itself. The pit filled, churning and rocking. The moisture from the water splattered onto me in droplets and I licked them from my lips.
And then everything was still.
I tensed in anticipation as the Hecate and Eris stared pointedly at the water, clearly waiting for something to happen. Lucan’s grip on my arm tightened as we kept our eyes trained on the newly formed pond.
And then ripples began bubbling from the center. I craned forward, anxious to see what would emerge. What could they have summoned here? What could possibly help us?
As I held my breath, a woman slowly rose from the water, her head down and her long blonde hair dripping all around her as she walked toward me. Her white cotton dress was completely sheer in its current soaked state. She might as well have been naked.
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She raised her head and met my gaze, her eyes shiny. She was ethereal, seemingly radiating light from within. Her skin was oh-so-pale, her lips a natural pink. I knew her.
‚Thalassa,' I murmured in surprise. She was a sea goddess, the daughter of Hemera.
‚They refer to me as the Lady of the Lake here,' she replied softly, the corners of her mouth curved slightly. ‚Hello, Harmonia.'
‚Hello,' I answered hesitantly, subconsciously moving closer to Lucan.
‚Aren’t you glad to see me?' she laughed. ‚I come bearing gifts.'
And then I noticed… a large sword dangled from one hand.
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Chapter Nineteen
Zeus’ sword, the one thing that could save everything, was directly in front of me. I took one step forward and Thalassa took one step back. She cocked her head as I looked at her questioningly.
‚Are you not here to give me the sword?' I was confused by her behavior.
She nodded. ‚I want to. But I was entrusted with the care of this sword by Arthur himself. He gave it to me in exchange when I gave him Excalibur. He took my word that I would never surrender it to anyone but him. And the only way I can do so now is to see proof that you are indeed the Chosen One.'
‚Proof?' I stared at her in bewilderment, before I turned my wrist over and thrust it toward her. ‚I am marked. See?'
She glanced at the bird-shaped mark on my pulsepoint. ‚I see. But that is not enough.'
‚Then what do you desire?' I asked impatiently. ‚We are wasting time here.'
She faced me patiently. ‚Harmonia, Ahmose came to me yesterday and explained who you are and why you need this sword. He also said that you would find me and that when you did, you would be happy to provide me with proof. Surely you understand, I gave my oath to someone. I am bound by that. I cannot simply break it without good cause.'
I nodded slowly, letting a thin rush of air exhale over my teeth as I thought.
As my mind spun in circles, I absently glanced around me at the demolished barn.
The wood and stone stood in jagged shambles around us, pieces scattered at our feet.
The stone foundation still stood intact, a perfect box around us. The barn owl, displaced when the building flew apart, fluttered to a rest on the edge of the foundation. He blinked his round golden eyes at me.
A bird. I fingered my birth mark as an idea came to me.
I could control the phoenix. I had done it only once before and I had been overwhelmingly afraid at the time, ruled by instinct. But surely I could do it again. I closed my eyes, keeping my fingers on my birthmark.
Concentrating, I felt my blood pulse through my veins, every beat of my heart pushing beneath the bird on my wrist. I focused, allowing every emotion inside of me to rise to the surface, pulsing against me.
The people standing with me faded away, the demolished barn slipped from my sight. All I could see was a blend of colors as everything swirled together and I closed my eyes.
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My blood turned warm and then warmer, pulsing faster and faster as my heart beat increased. Finally, I was hot, my cheeks flushed as I conjured every emotion I could think of, focusing only on the image of the Phoenix.
And then it came.
I knew from the gasps of those standing behind me and I opened my eyes.
Flying from the distance, it was vivid and bright as its feathers burned in the sky.
Orange, red and amber, it was a ball of flame as it descended upon us. His eyes were brilliant azure and they focused first on me and then on Thalassa with razor precision.
Swooping down low from the sky, it spread its fiery wings in a wide span as it glided in from the clouds above us.
I felt its intense heat as it dove in front of me, scooping up the sword from Thalassa’s grasp. With a shrill cry, it looped around above us and circled back, dipping once more in front of me as it dropped the sword at my feet. I watched it roll to a stop mere inches from my toes, before I looked again to the phoenix.
He flew to a stop on the far end of the barn’s foundation. As I watched, his flame died down to nothing and he stopped burning. His feathers were shiny and crimson, iridescent in the light. His brilliant gaze was trained on me and I dipped my head in thanks. He returned the gesture and
I turned my attention once more to Thalassa.
‚Is that proof enough?' I asked drily.
She nodded, impressed and shocked.
‚The sword is yours,' she replied simply. ‚Use it well.'
I bent to examine it. It wasn’t that impressive, to be honest. It was plain, with a simple bone handle. The blade was long and thin, and although it was sharp, it wasn’t shiny. It was free of any jewels or embellishments…it was just a simple sword.
But it was oh-so- important.
I picked it up and a current of electricity moved through my arms. This was definitely the sword. I ran my fingers lightly along the blade. It seemed strange that something so normal carried with it so much weight. I shifted my gaze to Thalassa.
‚You had to know that this wasn’t a normal sword when Arthur gave it to you,' I raised my eyebrow.
‚I did,' she acknowledged. ‚But I had no way of knowing what exactly it was. I thought it was simply something that Merlin had conjured. But it wasn’t until he came to me yesterday that I knew it for exactly what it was.'
‚So Merlin knew what it was? Did he always know?' I asked in shock.
She nodded. ‚Yes. I believe that is why he arranged to have Arthur bring it to me in the first place. It was he who suggested to Arthur that I keep it safe for him. And now that Arthur is… not himself, it clearly should be used by you to set things right.'
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‚Thank you,' I uttered quickly, remembering my manners. ‚You have no idea how important this is. I appreciate your kindness. I don’t really understand the part that you play in all of this, Thalassa, but I do thank you.'
‚Oh, my part is fairly simple,' she sighed. ‚Once, long ago, I became smitten with Merlin, or Ahmose as you call him. I swore to him that I would help him in any way that I could if he should ever need me. When the Fates assigned him to Camelot, he needed me here.
‚I created Excalibur and enchanted it for Arthur’s use in battle. And truthfully, I did not mind. I grew to respect young King Arthur. A purer soul or gentler spirit I have never seen. To think of him as they tell me that he is now is heartbreaking. Don’t you agree?'