by L. H. Nicole
“It is?”
The Fae nodded. “I told him we did not need anything to help us locate it. Everyone knows the Grail is locked away in the Fire Caverns of Avalon.”
“That doesn’t sound good.”
Delphina shrugged. “Merlin insisted he needed something to guide him to it. I made the inference that he was asking for you. I imagine that is what you plan to tell the others after the games.”
Excitement rushed through her blood. Finally something was going right! “Do you know of anything that can lead me to the Grail?”
“There is something, but it is far more dangerous seeking that out as opposed to retrieving the Grail from the Fire Caverns.”
Aliana looked around this time to be sure no one was over hearing their hushed conversation. “I don’t need the Grail, just a way to get to it. What is this object and why is it so dangerous to get?”
The Fae’s pink lips pursed together in disapproval, but she finally relented. “The Grail of Power was created by a small group of powerful humans, Fae, Elves and a Sapphire Dragon using the magic of all the realms.”
“Wait, I thought a Dragon alone created the Grail.”
Delphina tilted her head slightly. “Did a Dragon tell you that?” There was a playful tone in the Fae’s musical voice.
Aliana bit her cheek. “Maybe.”
“With no offense intended to your DragonLord, very few know the true origins of its creation. But it was more powerful than any of them had ever expected. They fought over how to use it, and one of the creators, the Dragon, decided to steal it and hide it away where the others could not use its great magic.”
Aliana’s jaw dropped. “Talk about a double cross!”
“Indeed. But the others were not willing to let the creation go, so they used the leftover magic to create a way to find it, a map. No matter where the Grail is, the map will lead the way to it. It worked, they found the Grail, but a terrible battle ensued. The one who stole the artifact managed to get the map and made a bargain with the only being powerful enough to protect it, while she once again hid the Grail.”
Aliana leaned forward and whispered, “Who?”
“The Underlord.”
Aliana reeled back, her head almost hitting the crate she was standing behind. “Son of a biscuit!” If she wanted a way to forget her boy troubles, she certainly got it.
Delphina’s yellow brows shot up. “I am not sure what that means.”
Aliana fought back a giggle. “Does your story tell you how to get the map from the Underlord?”
The Fae shook her head. “All I have heard is that it is guarded by the fiercest of guardian of the Underworld.”
Aliana breathed deep. “Then I need to find a way to the Underworld.”
Terror leaked onto Delphina’s face. “You cannot! It is too dangerous.”
“I don’t have a choice. My friends and I need that map! I can’t go home without it.”
Fear mixed in with her confusion. She stared at Aliana as if assessing if she was serious. “I will, of course, help you in any way I can.”
The horns announcing the beginning of one of the games startled both girls.
Aliana took Delphina’s hand and pulled her toward the sound. “We should hurry or we’re going to miss the next race. And thank you for telling me what you know.”
Delphina lead the way back to their seats.
After this she was going to have to sneak away and do more reading on the Underworld. “We finally have a lead to follow, Dagg!”
She felt his amusement. “We do, and I can already see the distraction it is proving for you.”
Aliana sent a wave of annoyance at her Guardian. “Shut it, I will not talk about this right now!” Now that she knew what she had to do to get home, she was determined to see it through, no matter how much it might hurt her heart. Arthur deserved to be happy with the girl he loved.
They made their way back through the crowd. The second race was to start soon. Vira and Galahad met them halfway, the teen all smiles and excitement.
“I was wondering where you two went!” Sophvira grabbed Delphina’s arm and looked at Aliana. “We need to hurry and get back before the race starts.”
“I believe Owaine and Percival and Lancelot should be competing next.”
“Yes,” Galahad confirmed, leading their small group toward the tented area. “I am in the third race, so I must get ready.”
Vira hugged her brother again and pulled Delphina away. Aliana made to follow, but Galahad grabbed her hand before she could. “Are you well? You appear distracted.”
“I’m all right. Just…” She tried to think of what to say. “Just thinking over something Delphina just told me.”
“If I can help in any way…”
“I know.” She squeezed his hand comfortingly. “Thank you and good luck in the race.” Maybe she would stay long enough to be sure he made it safely through that competition.
Galahad released her and Aliana went off the way Vira had gone. A woman in a pale cloak bumped her shoulder. “Pardon, my lady.”
Aliana opened her mouth to reply, but the woman was already moving on. She glanced back and Aliana caught sight of the same familiar black blue hair she had seen at the feast. Most of the woman’s face was obscured, but something about the sharp, caramel toned cheekbones, lavender gray eyes and the powerful but soft lilt of her voice pulled again on the strings of a memory she couldn’t quite grasp.
She was still trying to place the woman’s face when she met all the other girls in the stands. They were again sitting next to the covered platform where Queen Igraine awaited the start of the match.
Owaine, Percival and Lancelot entered the lists with four more knights, all seven men looking more than ready and eager to compete.
Men! Aliana thought, rolling her eyes.
Their three knights were scattered among the starting line with six other burly men. The queen gave the signal to start. As soon as the cloth left her fingers, Lancelot and Owaine took the lead, getting off the line first, Percival very close behind them.
Two more riders immediately shot up to the front line as they went into the curve; only one of them managed to avoid Lancelot and Percival’s powerful strikes. Owaine and Lancelot remained in the lead, Percival advancing from behind to a close fourth. They looked at each other then struck at the rider between them. The sound of wood reverberating off the metal was almost as loud as the crowds’ cries of excitement. The middle rider seemed stunned and veered to the side, almost into Owaine’s horse. The crowd roared again as a different knight, further behind, was kicked from his saddle and went crashing to the ground, dirt and dust puffing up in clouds. The man lay absolutely still for a long moment and Aliana feared he may be dead from such a fall. Then the man moved and she was able to breathe.
She looked back to her knights as pages and servants scrambled to pull the man from the horses’ path.
It was down to their knights and one other stranger. The interloper attacked Percival like there was bad blood between them. The big knight fell out of the lead, fending off his attacker.
Lancelot raced toward Owaine, who was still in the lead.
With a move that was all kinds of dangerous, Percival brought down his wooden weapon on the last racer then kicked the teetering rider from his saddle. Lancelot and Owaine were a good deal ahead of him, but he didn’t seem to be giving up.
The three raced neck and neck, through the final lap until Lancelot’s horse lagged just a moment allowing Owaine and Percival to cross the finish line and advance.
20
I feel bad for upsetting the guys so much I knew they’d be pissed, but the disappointment I felt, especially from my sweet giant cowboy, had hurt me the most! It makes me feel even worse for sneaking off to see Puck. He’s reluctant to face Arthur. I don’t think it has anything to do with kingie threatening him, despite what he says. Dawn’s told me about her adventure in Avalon, and Galahad’s battle. She has people there helpin
g her learn to use the Well’s waters so I need to as well if the plan is going to work. If I didn’t think Puck would disappear completely, I’d bring my Percy with me. But if the guys knew of the danger in our plan…Nope, I’m not saying a thing. Yet.
~Lacy
THE REST OF THE RACES were fierce to watch and nerve-racking. After each race there was a long break between rounds. Aliana used the time to sneak away and do more research on the Underworld and trying to locate a portal with the holographic-magic map Merlin had taught her to use so long ago.
As it turned out, there was a portal several miles outside of Camelot.
The hard part would be getting out of the castle to go to the Underworld without drawing suspicion from the knights. Maybe Merlin would be able to help her. He seemed to be much more willing to be helpful than he did in her time.
With that thought in mind, Aliana made her way toward Merlin’s tent, set up next to Galahad’s. The Druid had battled through his round advancing into the final race. It had been very impressive, even more so because he hadn’t used magic the entire time. There was so much more to her Druid than she had ever realized, or that he had ever let on in the months they had spent together.
“Merlin?” Aliana called out. “Are you in there?”
She heard the faint sound of footsteps crunching on the ground. Seconds after, a half dressed Merlin pulled the cover back. Aliana’s eyes widened looking him up and down; he was ripped!
“Do you enjoy the view?” he asked, leaning one muscular arm on the wooden support, a supremely smug grin on his thin lips.
Aliana hid a smile. “It’s all right.” She stepped in the tent and closed the flap when he moved back. “I need to talk to you about my quest here.”
Merlin grabbed a loose burnt orange shirt hanging off the end of a table. It was a shame to have his amazing figure covered up, but she was here for a purpose. Dagg leapt to life from her wrist, taking his proper form. Fortunately, her guardian agreed that this task was something she needed to do without the aid of the others; the only problem now would be convincing Merlin of that.
“What do you require of me?”
“Aliana and I need to go to the Underworld.”
Merlin couldn’t have looked more shocked than if Dagg had told him Morgana was going to die by his sword. “Delphina told you about the map then?”
Aliana nodded.
“That is a dangerous journey to make. Arthur will not let you undertake it alone. Moreover, the Underworld’s portals are different than the other realms. Getting you, me and the other knights in will not be an easy task.”
She cut him off. “I think I need to do this alone, Merlin.”
His pale blue eyes hardened, his shoulders tensing as he took an aggressive step toward her. “You cannot enter the Underworld alone. It would mean certain death for you.”
“You don’t know that.” She made sure to keep her voice calm while not showing him his intimidation tactic was affecting her. “I was sent here to do this.”
His gaze didn’t waver as he stared her down. “You now have the most powerful group of warriors in all the five kingdoms who care for you like you are our own. It would be folly to think we would allow you to walk into such a dangerous realm without our help and protection.”
Aliana flashed back to her father’s office when she and Merlin had argued over the paper they found in the iron-box-of-death. Just like then she refused to back down, but this time she was going to go about things differently.
“Merlin, to have the others come with us would risk revealing I’m from the future. We can’t do that. You and I can make an excuse to be gone for a day or so. I found a portal to the Underworld a few miles from here, maybe half a day’s ride at most.”
Merlin’s face pinched, his arms crossing over his broad chest.
Aliana ran her fingers through her hair. “It’s close to where the Manticore attacked us. Honestly, I can’t believe I didn’t think to check for a portal when we were there.”
“Your plan will not work. You must know that time flows differently in each realm. We could be gone for far longer than a few days. The king and the others would get ‘involved’ when we did not return.” He looked to Dagg for support, but the Dragon kept his face neutral.
She placed her hands on her hips. “And what if we are gone for only a few hours? That could be just as likely as us being gone for a long period of time.”
“I cannot allow you to do this. It is too dangerous.” He leaned back on the short table behind him. “And you have still not told the others of your quest here yet.”
Aliana rolled her eyes. “I told you, I plan on telling them after the games are over! And I know it’s dangerous. That’s why I am here, talking to you.” She dropped her hands. “I have to find this map, but I am not so ignorant as to realize I don’t need help.” She laid her hand on his still crossed arm. “Your help. That has to be why Titania sent you to find me the day Dagg and I arrived here.”
He held his unwavering gaze on hers for another moment before letting out a breath. His arms dropped, one hand rubbing over his freshly shaved face. “You may be right,” he mumbled. “But we will need to be extremely careful about when and how we bring this to the king. He will not be happy with it.”
Aliana twisted her fingers together. “But it should be privately, and probably after he’s had a few drinks.”
Merlin glared at her.
“Or not.”
“I have a suggestion,” Dagg butted in, flying between them to break the tension. “It should be a satisfactory solution for everyone.”
Merlin studied the silver creature. “And what is that?”
“We tell the king the truth…” When Aliana opened her mouth, he held up a claw to silence her. “We say that Merlin and Aliana need to go to the Underworld, and we can be sure to have several of the knights accompany us. You and they can stand guard at the portal while we do what we must to find this map.”
Aliana saw Merlin’s conviction start to waver against Dagg’s plan and jumped on the opportunity. “It’s a simple and effective solution, Merlin.”
“They’ll never allow you to go into Death’s domain without them.” His knowing look caused her stomach to churn. She knew exactly what he meant, or rather who. Galahad and Arthur.
“They won’t have a choice. It’s far more dangerous for them to enter as opposed to me.” She didn’t know how she was so sure of that fact, but every instinct in her was screaming she was right.
Reluctantly, the Druid agreed. “We will broach the subject after the tournament finals and after you have told them why you are really here.” Merlin grabbed the leather vest he usually wore and slipped it on quickly and efficiently.
“You have a small tear on the shoulder,” she pointed out. “I can fix it for you real quick if you want.”
Merlin glanced over his shoulder at her as he secured his large Knight of the Round Table cuff. Aliana stepped close to the clean scented Druid and traced the tear with her finger. Closing her eyes she summoned a small bubble of her sparkling pink magic, commanding it to seal the tear like it had never been.
When she opened her eyes the tear was gone, and the door to Merlin’s tent flap opened.
Morgana stood frozen, her eyes wide and confused until she noticed how close Aliana was to Merlin, who had stopped in the middle of tying the cords on his leather vest. Her fine face frosted over as Aliana took a step back from Merlin.
He smiled warmly at the sorceress. “Hello, my love.”
How was the Druid blind to the jealousy so evident in Morgana’s gaze? “Merlin and I were just discussing a problem we need to talk to Arthur about,” Aliana offered, hoping to cool the blonde’s chilly demeanor.
“Indeed.” She went to Merlin and wrapped her arms around him possessively. “My lover and I need some time in private.”
The order was clear in the forced, polite statement. Aliana nodded and turned to leave the tent, Dagg returning to her wrist. �
��I will be happy when we return home and I do not have to spend so much time in bracket form.”
“You can always stay in my room.” She stifled a giggle at his immediate, heated burst of annoyance. “I was joking, Dagg.”
“Your safety is not something that will be left to chance again!”
Aliana sighed and took her time navigating her way back to the arenas.
A head of blue-black hair caught her wandering eye.
She scanned the area, catching sight of the dark-haired, lavender gray-eyed woman who had bumped into her. But she was so far back in the crowd, with so many people shifting in front of her, Aliana couldn’t get a clear look at her. Maybe she would see the woman again at the feast tonight?
The final race was about to start in the oval arena when she finally returned. From the sound of the people in the stadium, it was the biggest turnout yet. Arthur, Galahad, Gawain, Merlin and Leyon were part of the final eight in the race. Percival, Owaine and Lancelot had been eliminated during the last match.
She pushed her way through the crowd, toward the seats she and the others had been using, next to the queen’s throne. The knights who weren’t competing in this final race were all seated next to the girls, their face bright with energy.
Vira waved her over when the shorter teen caught sight of her. All the girls were there, even Morgana, her blond hair a little disheveled and wearing a new dress.
Aliana’s brows rose than fell. “Guess I know what she was doing with Merlin. I’ll bet she used magic for that quick change!”
“We feared you would not make it in time!” Delphina said as the Fae patted the open seat between her and Vira.
Aliana tried to catch Morgana’s eyes as she passed, but the Sorceress pointedly ignored her by carrying on a very loud conversation with Guin about the feast that would be held in honor of the winner.
She sighed and took her seat. Seconds later, the knights entered the arena on their mounts, decked out in their armor with the long wooden lance-type swords in their hands. They lined up in front of the empty throne where the queen would be sitting.