by K L Rymer
Of course, seeing it was better than nothing, the farmer agreed to the offer, and the old man asked him to follow him into the woods.”
Gelert pants heavily beside me as I take in Myrddin’s story. He has such a way of telling things, it makes you tingle up and feel as if you are there.
“So, he followed the farmer into the woods until they arrived at a great, big rock.”
We stop and Myrddin points to a cliff face. I gasp. “Is... is that...?”
I pause as Myrddin approaches the cliff and taps his staff against the rock. A great crashing sound shakes the forest next, and I cover my ears to protect them from the onslaught.
When I peer up again, the cliff has split in two...
A set of wrought iron gates wait inside the cliff, and I glance up at Myrddin again. “You want me to follow you down here, don’t you? Just like the farmer.”
Myrddin gives a maniacal grin. “It’s as if you read my mind, Bryn!”
He steps into the cave through the iron gates and then walks down a spooky passage. I stop at the threshold, looking back at the forest. Is it really a good idea to leave this gate open here? Especially with all the humans around.
“Come along, Bryn, and don’t worry about passers-by. I can always wipe their memories again.”
I sigh and leave the light of the forest behind. Darkness soon envelopes me, and I wish I never hesitated now.
I’ve lost Myrddin.
A white orb of light appears a few feet down the passage, and I relax and follow Myrddin’s staff. After a while, the passage opens out into a cavern, and Myrddin casts his light around.
The staff illuminates several suits of silver armor, and I draw a loud breath. A line of knights and their white horses stand as still as statues.
“Are... are they...?”
“They’re under an enchanted sleep. They have been for some time now.”
I meet those green eyes of Myrddin’s, and we study each other for some time. He seems to be assessing my reaction to the sleeping knights.
The headmaster approaches a knight at the end of the row and pats his white horse. The light reflects off its black eyes.
I gulp. Are... are they really asleep? Horses and all?
“This is the white mare that belonged to the farmer. I paid him handsomely in the end.”
My head spins as I stare at the horse. “No... it can’t be...”
A wet nose sniffs my leg and I whirl around. Gelert pants up at me. The light doesn’t reflect in his eyes since he no longer technically has what you’d call “eyes” anymore.
I rub my temples. Seriously? I have a ghost dog. How can I find it hard to believe that I’m standing before an enchanted group of medieval knights and their horses?
“At the time there were only one hundred and thirty-nine white horses. There are one hundred and forty knights. Only one knight was missing a horse. That was why I sought out the farmer that day and made him the offer.”
I look into the mare’s frozen eyes again and watch as the light dances in her black jewels. If the farmer had sold her at the market that day she would have died centuries ago. Granted horses have long lifespans, but never to this scale.
I’m looking at a centuries’ old mare... One that’s even older than the state that I was born and raised in.
Myrddin goes on. “And this is what I said to the farmer, “These one hundred and forty knights are waiting to fight the last battle of Earth, and I will wake them when that time comes...”
It takes me some time, but I finally tear my gaze away from the silent mare. I have a bad feeling in my stomach.
“Why are you telling me this?”
The headmaster’s face turns grave, and by the eerie shadows cast by his staff’s light, I see that wizened old man at last.
“Bryn... a war is on the horizon... I’m sure you feel it.”
I wrap my arms around my body, wishing I had brought a coat. It’s cold underground.
“But... Mattie and I are together... We settled our differences. We won’t battle each other.”
Myrddin places a hand on my shoulder, and I fight back tears.
“I know. I was the one who encouraged you both after all. But I must warn you... there is still darkness in that boy. A darkness that may not be so easy to stamp out. His father has a very powerful hold on him after all.”
I shake my head. “No. Mattie wouldn’t...”
“However... there is good in him too. I see it whenever he lays eyes on you. Bryn, as I’ve warned you before... you must try to stop Matthew one way or another before it is too late. Before he releases the White Dragon.”
Great. This again...
My heart’s pounding and I take deep breaths. I also can’t help but take note of Myrddin’s use of the words “one way or another”.
So if I don’t win him over with my obvious feminine charms, then I will have no choice but to...
I release a strangled sob and cover my mouth. “No... I... can’t...”
Myrddin takes out his pocket watch and whistles. “Well, will you look at the time? We best get back.”
It seems he wanted to stop me before I broke down and cried, but it’s not like I can just lock my emotions away.
When the waterworks come, they come...
“Oi... look at these gates!”
“It’s... it’s the passage from the legend!”
We both jump as the voices come from the forest above. Myrddin exhales. “Well, it looks as if I’ve got more memories to wipe. Come along, Bryn. There are a number of precious jewels around this cavern after all. I don’t want anyone coming down here now.”
Now that stopped my tears. “Wait... jewels?”
The headmaster ignores my comment and climbs back up the passage to confront the humans.
Gelert waits behind for me.
I glance back at the white mare just moments before the darkness swallows her up again, and now she becomes a shadow.
A shudder goes up my spine.
I swear her left ear flicked for a moment.
Chapter 29.
Easter vacation came around faster than I expected.
The exam period will soon start all over again in May, and then my first year at Bangor and Merlin’s Academy will finally be over.
It’s hard to believe it’s almost a year since I got the train from London to Bangor— and almost a year until I found that ancient-looking envelope in my dorm.
Back then I had no idea wizards, mages, dwarfs, vampires, pixies, and demons existed, and now I’m friends with them all. (Well, except for vampires.)
A year ago I was just another girl from Dallas doing normal, everyday things. I had no idea I could summon red fireballs with my hands, and that I would one day wake a dragon that sleeps under a hill.
And I had no idea that I would one day be head over heels in love with the sexiest guy I have ever seen.
Mattie makes my heart beat in ways it never has before. Whenever I’m with him, my body feels as if it buzzes with electricity. I love him, and he loves me, and I will scream it from the academy’s rooftop.
Hopefully, his father hears too.
From what Matthew has told me, his daddy has given him his full blessing and wholly encouraged him to pursue me in the end. A bit out of the blue, but I can’t complain.
At least now Mattie and I can be together.
Since I’m half-human, I will age faster than Mattie at first, but Myrddin has assured me that my aging will slow down eventually, and one day I can expect to live for a couple of centuries. And if I exercise and eat well, I could even live to be a millennium.
At least poor Matthew won’t have to watch me grow old while he stays young. That would be real torture.
The only hard part was realizing that one day I would outlive everyone I know. My mother will no longer be around, and the friends I’ve made at Bangor too and throughout my life.
But luckily I can one day live in a world where Larry’s dead. That’s a p
lus.
I often speak on the phone to my mom, but I haven’t spoken to my stepfather since I left the states. As far as they’re both concerned, I’m spending all my time at Bangor doing zoology.
It’s been an exhausting year, but I managed to finish the first year of both of my schools. Well, nearly...
I’ve handed in all my essays at Bangor on time, and I’ve gone on many field trips where I’ve spent time with Megan and Sophie. I’ve studied more amphibians and reptiles, visited a dairy farm to learn more about cows’ genitals, and even got to see the Komodo dragon up close at the zoo.
That was the closest I got to a real dragon all year.
At the academy, I’ve been to a variety of pocket universes, and not to forget Cheshire, England, too.
Myrddin promised I would get to visit more historic sites in year two. Fingers crossed for Stonehenge (although I went to a similar stone circle in a pocket world). Of course, I would be going to Dinas Emrys one day. The home of the Red Dragon.
When I wake it... what happens then? Is there still any need for me to wake the beast? Now that I have Mattie on my side, do I still need to ride it into battle?
Who do I need to protect if there’s no longer a threat?
Despite Myrddin’s forewarning in the cavern back at Alderly Edge, I trust Matthew completely. How could I not? He saved my life. It’s the least I could do for him.
I will be spending Easter at the academy. Unlike Christmas vacation where I spent my holiday with Megan and her ginormous family, I will be spending Easter in relative solitude.
I say relative because I will have my hunky boyfriend with me. Mattie has decided to stay with me and forgo going home to his father.
Also, Damien and Felicity have decided to stay too, but it’s just an excuse for them to fuck more, I suspect.
The rest of the school has decided to go back to their families. Even Angelina, thank god. She’s the last person I want to see. I hear she went back to stay with her father. Some vampire overlord living in... Transylvania...
Priceless.
Good. Maybe the two-week break will give her enough time to realize the error of her ways, and that you can’t just go around biting students when you feel like it.
It’s a good time to practice too. We have some practical exams coming up in May, so I’m going to make the most of the free time.
Well, that’s if Mattie and I can’t keep our hands off each other.
We chill by the river on the school grounds where we have a perfect view of the mountains. It’s a warm day, especially coupled with the sun and the asteroid. We’re wearing our normal, everyday clothes. Mattie wears a gray vest and tie. I made a little effort today and put on a dress, trying to look like a girl for once.
I lean against his chest as he wraps his arms around me, and we listen to the babbling brook for a while.
A shame Damien and Felicity have to ruin the peace though. They slurp like anteaters beside us, and I grimace.
Why can’t they find their own spot?
It was actually Felicity’s idea that we all went on a double date and had a picnic by the river, but we’ve all eaten now, so they can take themselves off.
Damien wears his long trench coat, the heavy chains, and the steel-toe boots. Felicity wears a pretty pink skirt and a shirt with smiling clouds and rainbows.
It’s cute and all that they got together in the end, but they’re going overboard.
The whole school can hear them now.
Mattie sighs and glances over at the two. Damien lies flat on his back as Felicity sits on top of him, smooching his face.
“Do you two ever stop?” Mattie asks, exasperated. “There’s a time and a place, you know.”
Damien pulls his face away from his pretty pixie. “That’s rich coming from you, Humphrey. You’re not exactly subtle yourself.”
Felicity giggles and smirks at Matthew. “Yeah, Humphrey. Mind your business!”
They both laugh, and I roll my eyes. What’s there even to laugh about? As much as I love Felicity, she can’t crack a joke to save her life.
Matthew raises a brow, apparently unimpressed. “I suppose. But it’s every second of the day. The world’s just passing you both by. Before long you’ll be old and grey. Take a moment to enjoy the scenery.”
The demon and the pixie watch him puzzled, and it’s adorable how they share the same facial expressions now.
It is a little dumb what Mattie just said though. Old and gray? It will be centuries before either of them reaches that stage.
“If you say so, Humphrey...” Damien sits up and pushes Felicity off him, and she crosses her arms and pouts.
“What?” Damien says. “The arsehole makes a point. I couldn’t remember what day of the week it was before.”
Felicity narrows her big eyes. “It’s Monday, Damien. So just kiss me again already!”
He groans. “Later... just... let’s breathe for now.”
The pixie harrumphs and stands. “Fine. I’ll just go back to my room and have fun with myself for a while.”
Mattie and I gasp.
I’ve long stopped getting upset whenever I hear her talk dirty, but seriously... she needs to put a sock in it (or a shoe if she prefers). No one needs to hear that much information.
Damien’s eyes flash, and they’re his pissed off eyes now. “Felicity...”
The pixie steps away from him, swaying her skirt back and forth. She turns back, giving him a “come hither” look.
Damien bares a set of sharp canines. They’re nowhere as large as a vampire’s, but still pretty gruesome.
“Don’t goad me, Tinkerbell...”
Felicity clicks her fingers with a pink spark, and now both of Damien’s boots appear in her arms. The demon snaps and jumps to his feet, and I see he has holes in his black socks.
I know what I’m getting him next Christmas.
“You little cretin...”
The pixie giggles and vanishes with a cloud of pink dust. Mattie and I try so hard to stifle laughter. It’s just hilarious to see the anti-Christ of all beings getting trolled by a pixie.
He growls and looks down at us. “Please excuse me. I have a bothersome pixie to catch.”
I laugh. “No problem. Take your time, Damien. She clearly wants you to catch her anyway, and you’re falling for it. Your bad guy reputation is thoroughly over though. No one at the academy’s afraid of you anymore. I hope you know that.”
He roars and sprouts his horns. Flames engulf the tips. “I think I realised that the day I decided to save her from your boyfriend’s arsehole friends, Bryn Bryn. Now I must go. My feet are cold.”
He flickers away with his black shadow, and Mattie and I burst into laughter.
“Seriously... what the hell did I just witness?” Matthew cries, wiping his eyes.
My lungs hurt too, but I don’t stop, loving every moment. It’s these moments I live for the most. I can forget our looming exams, and I can forget about the so-called prophecy where we battle two warring dragons.
I don’t care what anyone says. Mattie will not ride the White Dragon, and I won’t hurt him either.
He’s good now.
Finally, we stop and smile at each other. Mattie’s grin soon turns into a frown, and he gazes forlornly over the river.
Concerned, I scoot closer, placing a hand on his shoulder. “Mattie?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you all right? You turned a little silent there for a moment. Got something on your mind?”
He exhales and pinches his brows. “It’s... nothing. I was... just thinking about the moment we met. Did you know... that even back then... I had a thing for you?”
I widen my eyes. “No... I did not. I assumed you hated my guts.”
He chuckles again and meets my stunned gaze, a warm expression on his face. “You women can be just as clueless as us men at times.”
“But you were horrible to me. You even tried to kill me once.”
His face con
torts as he relives the memory, and I release a sigh. “Sorry... I know. Bygones be bygones. Hey, it’s not like I never tried to kill you too. So I guess we’re even.”
Matthew gives a tight smile. “Well, I hate to break it to you, Bryn, but sometimes... that’s just how a guy shows a girl that he likes her. Well, a childish, fucked up kind of guy. Just.... think of me as that little boy who kicked you at the playground when you were seven. I was confused. There you were, a human at the academy. I was as outraged as any other student, especially since Myrddin played favourites with you the instant he saw you. But... I also couldn’t stop the warm feeling growing inside of me whenever I looked into your big, hazel eyes. You were just so feisty yet vulnerable. You awakened something inside me.”
I snort. “Really? I looked like a drowned rat that day. I had been stuck out in the rain on a field trip previously.”
He smooths his hair back. “Men don’t actually care about stuff like that.”
I ignore him and continue. “Besides, compared to nearly all of the girls at the academy... I’m plain.”
Matthew watches me incredulously. “You’re not. Far from it. Trust me when I say this, Bryn... but you’re hot.”
I blush and twirl a blonde piece of hair, focusing on a family of ducks. A mother leads her fluffy babies along the river, and I watch them for a while.
“And I’m not the only one who thinks so too. A few of my arsehole friends even agreed. Macson even said and I quote, “She’s cute but I wouldn’t bang her since she’s human.”
I scoff. “Well, thanks Macson.”
Macson received two black eyes after Damien was through with him at the V-day ball. Plus, he had to have his phone magically removed from his rectum. (Damien held no punches.)
I still don’t believe Matthew though, so I amp up the snark and smirk. “Please... who would look twice at me with a girl like Angelina around?”
He growls. “Angelina is a fake bitch with ducks lips. Men can’t stand that.”
“To be fair they’re her real lips...”
Matthew throws his hands up. “Bryn... stop! You’re ten times the girl that whore ever will be. You’re a classic beauty. The girl next door... That’s what men love.”