Merlin's Kiss

by Stephanie Burke

  Troubles, you have? Gren softly asked, knowing that Brieana would confide in her as Kerian did.

  "Merlin's spell, Gren. It confuses me."

  Woman of Legend, you are. Foretold long ago, that she who appears different and the language of the Old Father's progeny speaks, the Woman of Legend is.

  'That I understand and accept Gren, but what about the second half of his spell? Only a man equal to my strength and loyal only to me can release me. Kerian does not seem to want a mate, Gren. Am I to share my kingdom but not his heart?"

  Your quest, complete, Woman of Legend. In time, revealed, it all will be.

  "But…" Brieana protested, but Gren cut her off.

  Your heart, trust, Brieana. In time, all will be made clear.

  Sighing in defeat and knowing that Gren had to be Merlin's descendant and a wizard—they had always striven to be mysterious and never reveal facts until they wanted to—Brieana walked over to the platinum-colored drackoon and dropped to her knees before her.

  "Thank you, Gren," she said before embracing the drackoon leader. "I don't know where I would be without you."

  A favor, I ask? Gren questioned, sadness in her shining purple eyes.

  "Of course, Gren!" Brieana said, startled and confused that this great creature would ask a boon of her.

  Him, look after. Him, protect. Vulnerable, my non-son is.

  "Without question!" Brieana declared. "But why do you call him your non-son?"

  To tell, his tale, Gren sadly spoke before closing her eyes in grief. When time is right, all will be revealed.

  Brieana sighed and placed a small kiss on the drackoon's face before rising to leave the chamber.

  "One of these days, Gren, you will have to show me how you breathe ice!" she called back, amusement again in her voice.

  A great display, one day, you will receive, Woman of Legend, Gren called out before she closed her eyes and slept. Humans were tiresome, she thought, but worth the effort. They could be trained.

  Chapter Eleven

  "…now we need a clue as to where this sword could be hidden."

  Brieana walked in on the tail end of Kerian's statement but instantly knew what he and Dalis were talking about.

  "Excalibur?" she asked as she walked up to the small group of drackoons that had gathered in the central chamber. "Are you speaking of Excalibur?"

  Yes, Lady, Dalis answered as he looked over her shoulder, presumably for his mate.

  "She is resting," she added kindly as she saw his concern.

  The magic, it does, take a lot from her. Dalis sighed sadly.

  "Gren supplies the magic that keeps the coven hidden and powers the knowing crystal. Although I have never seen our history played out before in such vivid color."

  The torc, it is, Dalis said as he made a gesture towards Brieana's neck. "Years I spend as Gren's mate, much I too learn. The Old Father's magic aids Gren.

  "I have never seen the like," Brieana breathed, still filled with a touch of awe at her history lesson. "Such strange and violent people."

  "And we very well might revert to their behavior if we cannot find this sword of yours, Lady," Kerian spoke and motioned her to step forward.

  "I have an idea where it might be," Brieana said to the profound relief of the drackoons gathered around.

  Tell us, Lady, several voices urged. Where is Excalibur?

  "Well, we need to find the Lady of the Lake. If anything had happened to that knave Arthur, Merlin would be sure to return the Lady's gift to her."

  Then she paused for a moment. "What did happen to Arthur?"

  For a moment, silence reigned in the room.

  Arthur, Lady? Dalis asked, wearing a very confused look upon his face.

  "The one who was made King in my place! Merlin's special project. Whatever happened to him?"

  Known to us, that is not, Dalis said thoughtfully. But revealed in time, it will be.

  "How did I know that you were going to say that?" Brieana sighed as she again turned to Kerian.

  "Anyway, all we need do is find the proper lake and call upon the Lady. She will aid us, I am sure."

  "That is easy enough," Kerian said with a satisfied nod.

  "Why, there are hundreds of lakes here!" Brieana objected. "And we haven't much time, Kerian. We need a map."

  "There is no need, Lady." Kerian insisted. "Trust me."

  "I trust you, Kerian," she conceded with a sigh. "So tell me, great Warlord, where is the lake I seek?"

  "In the Forbidden Forests, Lady. That is where we shall find your sword."

  "Really, Kerian?" Brieana asked, eagerness showing on her face. "Have you been there and seen my sword?"

  "No, Lady. But the only lake in existence is in the Forbidden Forests."

  "The only lake in existence?" she said with some dismay, her hand reaching out to rest on his forearm.

  "The rest ceased to exist some time ago, Lady. Only this one remains and is rumored to be a beautiful magical place."

  That settled, Brieana sighed with pleasure.

  "Then we shall retrieve my sword, unite the clans and peace will reign."

  "But we have to get there first," Kerian reminded her.

  Fly you there, we shall, Dalis offered with the resounding approval of several drackoons. Honored to help, we are.

  "I wish it were that easy, Dalis, my brother," Kerian bemoaned with a sad shake of his head. "The trees in the Forbidden Forests grow too thickly for comfortable flight and there may be many hidden dangers that we know nothing about."

  Help, we shall, still, Dalis declared. Afraid, we are not.

  Several drackoons backed up his statement with cheers of agreement.

  "But then, who will look after Mirage?" Kerian asked.

  Suddenly there were mumbling among the coven.

  Ask this of me, why, brother? Dalis said, mood suddenly deathly serious.

  "The darkness, Dalis. I fear it has something to do with Mirage. I have been hearing things, Dalis. I am afraid to leave it for too long a period. While I am on this quest, you and your coven are the only ones I trust to protect Mirage, for the both of us."

  Understand, this, brother, Dalis responded solemnly. Fly you, we shall, to the border.

  "Thank you, Dalis," Kerian said, relieved that his home would be protected from the darkness a while longer.

  "But then, how will we get there?" Brieana asked. She knew that in order for Kerian to make this request of Dalis, something serious had to be brewing around his castle. Otherwise, Kerian would have never asked another to shoulder his responsibilities.

  "By…unicorn," he finally said with a fatalistic look on his face.

  "Unicorn?" Brieana asked with some wonder, before Dalis and the drackoons burst out in laughter.

  "We really get to ride on the backs of unicorns!"

  "And a more ornery creature has not been created," he said with a sad sigh.

  "But they are so beautiful!" Brieana insisted. "All fluffy and white."

  "They are black, Lady," Kerian cut her off. "Black as their stubborn hearts and souls. They are intelligent creatures who will only move when they think they have reason to. I keep grazing land open for them for the sole purpose of keeping an eye on them."

  "But, they only come to virgins and are known for their sweet temperament!" Brieana denied. This was one fantasy creature that she didn't want to lose her dreams about. "They can't be anything like those horrid little bunnies."

  "The only virgins they like are the kind that feeds them, curries them, and stays out of their way. They are not nice creatures, Lady. Trust me."

  "Oh dear," Brieana sighed as she took in the serious countenance on his face. Kerian never told jokes. "So I guess we ride on these mules with horns, then."

  "Mules?" Kerian asked.

  "Never mind, I'll explain on the way."

  * * * * *

  As they waved to Dalis and his two drackoon companions, Brieana turned to Kerian.

  "They are wonderful,
aren't they? I can see why you love them so."

  "I have given my life to them," Kerian said and a sad expression crossed his face.

  "Kerian?" Brieana reached out and laid a hand on his arm, but he quickly gathered himself and shook off her gesture.

  "Shall we begin, Lady? We are not far from Mirage."

  "You called me Brieana before, Kerian," Brieana said turning and starting after his retreating back.

  "That was before I knew you were my Queen," Kerian said over his shoulder as he nimbly navigated the rocky trail.

  "But…" she began, only to be interrupted by Zorn.

  Prepared dinner, think you, the cook? he asked with an eager expression and a growling tummy.

  "Tell me again, why are we taking my walking wardrobe?" Kerian growled with an annoyed look in Zorn's direction.

  "Because Gren told us to," Brieana muttered, giving an encouraging look to the suddenly less hungry-looking drack.

  Need me, you must! Zorn put in. Important too, I am! he added as an afterthought.

  Kerian snorted and shook his head in disbelief. "Unicorns and a drack. When will this madness end?"

  * * * * *

  "He's coming." The soft voice circled the room, drawing Shala away from sleep and effectively ending her afternoon nap. "Shall I end this game now, my precious one?"

  "Won't you go away and leave me in peace?" Shala demanded as she struggled to an upright position on her bed.

  "But then, who would look out for your interests, love?" he purred as the lights began to dim and she felt him settle his bulk at the foot of her bed. "Now then, shall I end this little game that you insist on playing, or do we see what develops?"

  "You know I desire the information that they carry, Dagon. Otherwise I would have let you kill them while they were on the trail."

  Suddenly, he was across the room and Shala swore that the air around him became amused and condescending.

  "An interesting turn of phrase, you have, love. Let…as if you ever had any say so in what I do."

  "You need me, Dagon, so let us stop playing these silly games," she cried hotly as she rose to her feet and stormed over to her wardrobe. "If the clan leaders saw you, they would kill you where you stood."

  "And what would they do to you, fair princess, consorting with these Dark Isles monsters and all?" he asked as he clicked his tongue in reprimand.

  "They would never know, Dagon, because I would never tell them."

  "But when your charming child popped out and looks…so much different than the rest of you, tell me, my dear. What would they do to you?"

  "I'll say I was forced!" she cried out in anger, her face flushing and eyes glowing the same fiery red as Dagon's.

  "Try again, my sweet. Everyone knows that you must be a willing participant to bear a Dark Isles child."

  "They do not!" she chuckled, sure that she finally had the upper hand with this dark creature.

  "But they will by sundown, my sweet," he said with a bored laugh. "Did you actually think that I would leave an opening for you to exploit? You did?" he asked before breaking out into sarcastic laughter.

  "How, Dagon?" she asked, her voice a little choked with the knowledge that she was right back to being a pawn in his games.

  "With the information that I have been seeding your peasants with, my dear. How do you think that your stepson has been getting the information about our movements? And by nightfall, everyone will know this little tidbit about those Dark Isle monsters!" He chuckled. "Inspired, don't you think?"

  "Why would you do such a thing, Dagon?" Shala almost screamed in anger. "You jeopardize us all!"

  "Nonsense, my pet," he said with the confidence of a man who knows exactly what he is doing. "What better way to make them all gather together in one place? Can you imagine it love, all of those poor unsuspecting fools, waiting here, ripe for the killing. It stirs the soul and does my poor heart good."

  Shala stopped for a moment to absorb what he was saying. His plan was, quite actually, brilliant.

  "And with the clan leaders gone and their people defenseless, they will flock to Mirage for protection and declare Kerian their sole leader. And when we take care of him and that youngster he travels with, all the power will be mine!"

  She smiled brightly and once again the beauty of her face shone clear. The heat in her eyes cooled and they changed into the color of molten gold. Her full lips parted in a wicked smile as she contemplated all of the glory that would be hers.

  "Don't you mean ours, my pet?" A sinister dark voice intruded into her private fantasies.

  "Yes, of course," she quickly added, not wanting to anger the troll more than she had already. Her only excuse was overactive hormones from carrying this blasted baby. "I meant to say ours."

  "You lie very well, my pet, but please remember. I hold the true power here." In a flash he was across the room, large leathery wings spread, in a menacing way, blocking out the dim candlelight as he towered over her. "Which brings me back to my original point, love," he said as he slowly folded his wings.

  Shala was unable to look away from the grace and beauty in which he moved. A rough finger softly outlined the skin of her face and neck before he again turned away and took his seat.

  "What point is that?" she managed to force out of her suddenly tight throat as she damned herself for still desiring the slug.

  "Shall I put an end to your games and kill the man outright, or do I wait and let him fill your head with all of this Woman of Legend trash? Such a tough choice, too."

  He crossed one leg over the other and watched her as she began to lay out her clothes. She had such a nice body; a body made for strong wings and dark magic. Pity she was such a bitch.

  "I want to know what that drackoon told them, Dagon. It might be important."

  "Since you ask so sweetly," he began but then Shala crossed the room naked, and stood before him.

  "Grant me, the mother of your child, this one request, Dagon."

  Grasping one large scarred hand, she pressed it to the small curve of her stomach and tried to hold in a shiver of excitement she felt at his touch.

  "Get dressed, Shala," he commanded, amusement turning up the corners of his mouth. "Your body holds no pleasure for me. I gave you my child to, uh, clip your wings a bit. Your stale feminine wiles will work on me as well as they worked on your stepson."

  Shala's mouth dropped open in indignant anger before her eyes began to glow red again.

  "Damn you, Dagon!"

  "You know dear, that is usually the reaction of someone who has been out- maneuvered and backed into a tight spot in which they know they cannot escape," he chuckled.

  Stomping her foot, Shala turned and began to don the red gown she had laid out to wear, her back stiff and her movements jerky.

  "I will let you learn of their visit and of drackoon magic, my sweet. I suddenly find myself in a generous mood." And it would give him time to allow his soldiers to follow them at a leisurely pace and set up for their eventual ambush and death. Shala was becoming too dangerous and he felt that it was time to strip her of a little more of her power.

  "What are you up to, Dagon?" Shala asked as she angrily tied the front laces of her gown. He had to be planning some devilment.

  "I have reconsidered, my dear. I will give you, the mother of my child, this one little wish. After all, are you not taking good care of my heir?"

  "Thank you, I think," Shala muttered as she turned to exit the room. "Just don't be here when I return."

  "I wouldn't think of overstaying my welcome, precious," he purred as the lights began to rise in the room and he again quickly disappeared from view. "After all, I want to keep the little mother happy."

  "Humph!" Shala huffed as she slammed the door on his amused laughter.

  "Let the braying fool have his laugh now!" she murmured to herself. "If that brat has brought back the information that I need, I will be the one laughing last."

  Chapter Twelve

  "Welcome h
ome, Kerian. I was so worried about you." Shala walked forward, both hands extended in welcome, her red gown gracefully sweeping the floor behind her. "I see you have also returned to us, Brieana. I worried myself sick over the two of you."

  "Shala," Kerian answered as he briefly held both hands before ushering Brieana through the castle doors.

  "You have returned to us safe and… What is that doing back here?"

  Shala halted her well-rehearsed welcoming speech when she caught sight of the purple drack who proudly stepped in behind Brieana, like a bodyguard.

  "My journeys have not yet come to an end, Shala," Kerian answered. "And in my own home, I have no need to answer any questions that you put forth. Zorn is here at my behest and that is all that you have to know."

  "Of course," Shala assured, but inwardly she was seething. How dare he bring that beast back into my castle? she thought angrily. Soon, Kerian, soon all of this is mine and you will be but an unpleasant memory. "I was just shocked by his appearance, Kerian."

  He nodded gruffly, then turned to enter the main hall, an excited Brieana and a cautious Zorn following close behind.

  "Have Sato brought forth to me," he commanded a nearby sentinel. "I will need him to gather two agreeable unicorns. Tonight, we journey."

  "Tonight?" Shala cried in alarm as she rushed after the trio. "But surely you have time for a meal and a rest in a good bed?" If they departed so quickly, she would never be able to pick that child's mind for the information she needed. If she were to posses the magical talisman she wore around her neck, she would need to know all of the secrets that came with its possession.

  Meal? At her words, Zorn's head shot straight up and he rushed to the great table set against the far wall of the main hall.

  Kerian shook his head as he watched the purple drack head for his favorite spot behind Brieana's seat and position himself to grab choice morsels she would throw his way.

  "Speed is necessary, Shala. We will have to decline. I have to prepare for a long journey."

  "But Kerian," Brieana nearly wailed. "Can we at least wash and eat?"