by L. H. Nicole
Her breath left her and Aliana’s hands gripped the gift and held it up. It was the most gorgeous dress she could have imagined! The dusty pink was even more beautiful than she remembered it being in that marketplace. The square cut neckline was trimmed with thick pieces of cream and pale purple. The cloth belt was cinched and pinned at the waist following the same pattern, with gold stitching along the edges.
“It’s beautiful!”
“It will be perfect for the anniversary celebration.” Guin stroked her delicate hand down the fabric. “You will catch the eye of most of the men there.”
The praise had Aliana hesitating. She didn’t want to draw their attention like that. She needed to stay as invisible as possible, but it seemed like she was already failing miserably at that task.
“You have to go!” Vira insisted.
“She’s right.” Guin laid a hand on her shoulder. “I have a feeling we will all need some good entertainment after this ordeal with this Manticore is done.”
Aliana gave in. She didn’t want to argue with the two girls. Thanking Vira for getting her dress, Aliana went back to her room, laying the dress carefully over the changing screen.
“That’s quite stunning.”
Aliana ignored the Dragon’s words and sat back down on the bed, where he was perched over the magical book.
“Were you eavesdropping on us during dinner?”
Dagg frowned. “No. I was reading more about the Underworld.”
She leaned over him, her hair falling to the side like a curtain as she looked down at the book. “Is there anything about Manticores?”
Dagg jumped to his feet, his long neck curving around as he looked at her with glowing eyes. “Why are you asking about Manticores?”
“Because that is what we believe has been attacking the villages in Camelot. Is there anything in there about them?”
Dagg turned back several pages. “They are one of the three guardians of the Underworld.” He pointed a claw to the passage he had quoted.
“Sphinxes, Hell Hounds, and Manticores guard the gates to the realm of the Underlord. They are fierce and cunning and only those who prove superior can enter without having to first face their own death.”
“It goes on to say that there is only one way to kill a Manticore. Only a weapon touched by the strongest magic can pierce the one weak spot in the monster’s impervious hide.”
Aliana ran her finger along the passage, but saw no mention of where the weak spot was. “How will we know where to strike? And what weapon is made from the strongest magic?”
Dagg gave her a droll stare. “A clue: we watched Arthur reclaim it.”
Aliana shuddered. Of course! Excalibur was the answer.
For the second time, there was a heavy knock on her door. Dagg disappeared behind the screen again.
She opened it, not surprised to see Arthur.
She spoke before he was even fully in the room. “A Manticore has only one weak spot on its body! We’ll have to find it before you can kill it with Excalibur!”
He frowned and closed the door. “I’ve made my decision.”
Aliana braced herself for the rejection, already planning how she’d sneak out of the castle.
“You can come with us.”
“But, Arthur, you’ll need me! There’s more I can te—” She stopped, his words sinking in. “You mean you’re not going to try to stop me from going?”
“I will allow you to go, with the understanding that you are never to be out of mine, Merlin’s or Galahad’s sight. And you will stay back, protected, when we find and slay this beast.”
“Okay,” Aliana agreed readily. She wasn’t stupid. Arthur had the only weapon that could kill the Manticore. She could still help Merlin find its weak spot while staying out of direct combat.
“We leave at first light.”
To say everyone was startled to see Aliana being allowed to go would be an understatement. Even Galahad had protested her being with them. But Arthur silenced them all. Guin handed her a brown hooded cloak made of thick, dense fabric to help keep her warm on the journey.
Aliana had imagined there would some big send off or fanfare this morning, as they all set out to track down the Manticore. But only Vira, Guin and Morgana had been there to see them all off. Vira hugged her brother tightly, her face buried in his chest as he stroked her hair and assured her he would return. Aliana had looked away, only to see Lancelot and Guinevere in a passionate kiss, his hands stroking her cheeks, the strength of their love as bright as a lighthouse on a dark night.
It struck her again how different Lancelot was with Guin by his side. Her heart ached, knowing what was to come for both of them. She had to figure out a way to help them both.
Even Morgana and Merlin were saying a quiet good bye. Of everything in Camelot, the complete difference in Morgana resonated the strongest. The Sorceress brushed kisses on his cheeks as the Druid held her tightly to him. A fluttering sensation danced in the air around them. Curious, Aliana opened her magic senses, just enough to figure out what she was feeling. But what she saw was something else entirely.
Rays of shining sun and cool blue magic flowed around them, blending together seamlessly. It was intimate and pure and so beautiful it almost hurt.
“What is that?” she asked Dagg.
Her Dragon’s answer made her heart clench. “They are souls mates. The magic you see is the proof of their bond.”
Souls mates. A tremor ran through her, her fingers convulsively tightening on the reins of her horse. Could it really be true? If so, it was no wonder Merlin had become so cold, distant, and bitter in her time. The person he loved beyond compare, the other half of his soul had betrayed them!
She closed off her magic senses and pulled on her gloves. She couldn’t think about such things now. Especially when she hoped…
Aliana shook her head and smoothed an imaginary wrinkle on her heavy sleeve.
Igraine had come to her in the very early hours and given her a pair of warm pants, a long sleeved yellow tunic and a heavy wraparound vest lined with dark animal fur. She left as quickly as she had come, saying, “You can’t very well ride across the kingdom in a dress.”
It was strange to have her own horse. So far, on this grand adventure, she had always ridden with one of the guys. It wasn’t hard to control the beautiful white mare Arthur had told her was hers, but the ride was also a workout for her muscles. Moving with the horse, knowing which muscles to use to help her keep her balance was a challenge she was starting to enjoy.
They rode at a steady pace for hours, most of the time not speaking. Everyone was focused on the upcoming battle. Her thoughts turned back to the Manticore and the information she hadn’t told Merlin yet.
Aliana reached out to Merlin mentally. “Merlin, I need to talk to you.”
“Are you all right?”
“Fine. But there’s something I need to tell you about the Manticore.” She told him all she and Dagg had discovered in the book last night.
During the catch up, Merlin moved back to ride beside her. “Arthur mentioned the weak spot last night.”
“He did?”
Merlin nodded. “He came to see me after he talked with you. You seem to have sway over the king.”
Aliana felt her face heat up. “It’s nothing like that Merlin. I just think he realized I was either going to go with you guys or sneak out and follow anyway.”
The Druid frowned. “Hear me in this, if Arthur wanted you to remain in the castle he would have seen to it. And don’t believe for one moment that he won’t send you back the instant you try to go against his orders. You going off on your own could be dangerous. To all of us.”
She sent him a hard look. “Geesh, relax. I know that. I won’t do anything stupid. How are we going to find the Manticore’s weak spot? Arthur has to be the one to kill it with Excalibur, but he won’t know where to strike if we can’t figure this out.”
Merlin scratched his chin, deep in thought. A prickling of awareness
trickled down her spine. She cast a curious glance over her shoulder and caught Galahad’s hot stare. He had been very somber all day, the only words she’d heard from him today were his protests about her coming with them and his good bye to Vira. There seemed to be more eating at him than just her going with them.
She turned away quickly, taking a steadying breath. Mixed in with the smell of the horses was the mineral scent of the rich earth and the dew on the leaves of the trees. It was slightly balmy, but there was a chill in the air when the wind picked up every now and then. Best she could tell, it was early autumn or late summer here in Camelot.
She wondered what that meant for the timeline of her own time. How long had it been since she was captured by Mordrid? What if she was here so long that she didn’t get back in time to stop Mordrid before the eclipse in April? And despite her search of her secret book, she’d yet to find any mention of the Grail or a way to find it.
“Can you and your Guardian connect in a way that lets you see through his eyes?”
Merlin’s sudden question almost knocked her out of her saddle. “What?”
“Can you connect with the DragonLord to use his sight as yours? If so, he can circle the creature, when we find it, and you can look for its weak spot. Dragons see things differently than humans. His eyes should be able to find what we need.”
She hesitated but opened her and Merlin’s mental channel to include Dagg. “Can we?”
The Dragon was silent for a moment. “Our bond grows with each day. It may take practice, but I think we can do it.”
“I will need to be beside Arthur and the knights fighting the creature; most of my powers will be focused on that.”
Aliana shivered at the image Merlin painted.
“My connecting with Dagg won’t do us any good if he has to remain hidden on my wrist. He can’t be seen by anyone!”
“I can cloak myself from sight.”
Aliana got the feeling there was more. “But?”
“But keeping myself invisible from so many will take great magic. I won’t be able to maintain the enchantment for long.”
“Can you draw from me? I have plenty of power.”
Merlin shook his head beside her. “I do not think that wise. He could end up leaving you vulnerable.”
“How? I’ve always been able to pull strength from him without hurting him. Why is the opposite so different?”
“Because your magic core is not like most,” Dagg answered first. “Your greatest magic comes from the prophecy stone; even with it bonded to you, I cannot ever seem to draw on it.”
Aliana huffed, not liking the thought. She had to help Dagg do this. He was always helping her. “We can figure that detail out when we get there. For now, at least, we have a plan.”
She would find a way to help her Dragon.
11
It has taken most of my considerable charm to start thawing Dawn’s anger. Things are a little better between us, but she’s still holding back. I won’t give up winning her back, but that is not my main concern. I’m more worried because I know she’s keeping something from me. From all of us. We stopped for a short rest on our way to J’alel’s home, to seek help on our quest. I looked up from talking with Galahad and she was gone, only to come back ten minutes later. I will find out what’s going on; lucky for me persistence is one of my best virtues. I just hope she doesn’t end up trying something stupid with my sister.
~Wade
ARTHUR AND THE RIDERS started to slow ahead of them. Aliana tugged lightly on the reins of her horse, the animal slowing at her command.
Arthur turned his horse to the side, pointing to a place just past the trees on their left. “There is a clearing large enough for us to make camp for the night. We’ll set out again at first light.”
Twenty minutes later several fire pits had been built. The few servants who had accompanied them were gathering wood and preparing food that they had brought. It wouldn’t exactly be comfortable, but at least the ground was even, not covered in branches and tree roots like the forest was.
She watched the Druid and Arthur talk as she helped Raven build a tower of kindling to start the fire, only partially listening to the boy’s prattling. The king seemed to take the new information in stride. As soon as Merlin turned away, Galahad pulled Arthur quietly to the side. He looked even bleaker than he had earlier. It frustrated her that she still worried for him even after he’d betrayed the bond between them. But it wasn’t this Galahad that hurt me, she reminded herself. It was still so hard to believe he was a different man than the Galahad she knew.
Arthur clapped Galahad on the arm. The knight said something else, then turned and headed back to his horse that was leashed at one of the more deserted areas of the clearing.
“Excuse me, Raven.” She brushed off the grass from her pants as she went to Galahad. “Are you leaving?”
He turned, blinking a few times like he was coming out of a trance. “I am doing some scouting.”
The lie was obvious to her as he pulled his sword from the side of his horses’ saddle and belted it at his waist. He had two more daggers around his belt, and one more she knew he kept tucked in his boot.
“You’re lying.” The words slipped out before she could stop them. “Something’s been bothering you all day.”
He opened his mouth, but she cut him off. “And it’s not just my being here.” Like it or not, she knew all the ways he liked to deflect conversations.
He frowned, adjusting the wool covering he wore to combat the chill in the air. “This is something I have to do alone, Aliana.” He softened a little and touched her shoulder reassuringly. His hand seared her even through the layers of her clothes. “I will be back soon.”
He turned and headed off into the woods. Glancing around, she saw no one paying any attention to her. She made the decision to follow him. Aliana had been wondering all day what had him so upset, and there was nothing for her to really do at the camp.
If Galahad knew she was following him, he didn’t let on. She had caught up quickly, but stayed back a bit, hoping to avoid being noticed. She wasn’t technically breaking Arthur’s decree.
“If you wanted to keep me from knowing you were following me, you should learn how to move unheard through the forest.”
Galahad’s words froze her on the spot. He turned swiftly and motioned for her to join him. She went to him, falling in step with him as he led the way to wherever they were going.
“You know I could have Arthur send you back to Camelot for this. You are disobeying his orders.”
“No I’m not. He said to stay in sight of him, Merlin, or you.”
He snorted. “Arthur won’t see it like that when we return.” He glanced down at her. “But at least you are safe with me.”
“Where are we going?” she dared ask.
He sighed heavily. “Do you know how I came to Camelot?”
She did, but she shook her head anyway.
“My parents were murdered when I was a child. We used to live around here. Our home was tucked in the woods because my mother was a healer and she loved being around all the healing plants that grow here.”
“That sounds kind of lonely, being so far from a village.”
He shrugged. “It is not really that far, only half a day’s ride. Sophvira and I never knew any different. We were playing when they came.” His face darkened as he stared ahead. “Raiders attacked us. My father hid me and Sophvira in a secret room in the house. They were slaughtered. If Sir Belvoir and his men hadn’t heard the attack and slain the murderers, they would have found us too.”
Sadness washed over her. Galahad had told her about his parents before, but he had never given her any real detail. “I’m so sorry.”
“Sir Belvoir was my father’s cousin; he took us in, raised us as his own. He was also Lancelot’s father, so he, I and Arthur all grew up and trained together to be knights.”
He quickened his step. “It’s been a long time since I was he
re last. When I realized we would be coming this way I told Arthur I wanted to come.”
The sun momentarily blinded her as they stepped out from the covering of the trees. The small cottage was like a ghost hidden behind plants growing all around the yard and walls outside. The fence around what used to be a garden was covered with moss, looking like it would break under any extra weight. Galahad had really lived here?
The knight stood still for a long moment. He finally stepped forward. He went to the front of the cottage, running his hand down the side of the weathered doorway. His eyes swept the area, lingering on the garden, then on a spot to the left just behind the house.
Swallowing the emotions that threatened to choke her, Aliana went to him. “How old were you when you lost them?” Her voice broke the cold silence of the glen.
He looked at her again, his eyes regaining a little of their brilliant Carolina blue color. “I was seven. Sophvira was only two.” He stepped into the house, pushing aside the hanging plants.
She followed him into the darkened, earthy interior. It was bigger than she had first thought. Crumbled remains of a bed and table littered the floor like they had been left after a fight. There was a small little alcove off to the side with two small beds.
That must have been where he and Vira slept. She looked at him again. He was just standing there looking lonely, lost and heartbroken. Another crack formed in the already weakened walls protecting her heart.
He finally moved. He kicked aside a small pile of debris and slammed his foot down on the wooden floor. It crumbled away, revealing a small hidden hole.
Aliana went to his side and laid her hand on his tense arm.
“I could hear them die.” His low, choked whispers seemed to echo through the house. “I heard them run my father through and heard my mother’s screams before they slit her throat.”
She gasped, tears burning her eyes, but she blinked them back. She couldn’t stand to see him hurting so much. Grasping a small wisp of her pink magic she sent a wave of comfort to his heart, hoping to help ease his aching suffering and give him some small measure of relief.