The Pendragon's Quest (The Last Pendragon Saga Book 4)

by Sarah Woodbury

  The Pendragon's Quest

  A Note to Readers

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Sample: The Pendragon’s Champions

  Book four in The Last Pendragon Saga

  The Pendragon’s Quest

  by

  Sarah Woodbury

  Copyright © 2011 by Sarah Woodbury

  The Pendragon’s Quest

  Although the dark forces of Arawn are defeated, the Saxons have massed on the border of Wales, aiming for nothing less than the complete subjugation of the Welsh people. But defeating an army of Saxons is only the first step Rhiann, Cade, and their companions must take if they are to stop Mabon from claiming dominion over the human world for all eternity.

  The Pendragon’s Quest is the fourth novella in The Last Pendragon Saga.

  To my Dad

  who loved Cade and all his friends

  The Last Pendragon Saga:

  The Last Pendragon

  The Pendragon’s Blade

  Song of the Pendragon

  The Pendragon’s Quest

  The Pendragon’s Champions

  Rise of the Pendragon

  The Lion of Wales Series:

  Cold My Heart

  The Oaken Door

  Of Men and Dragons

  A Long Cloud

  Frost Against the Hilt

  The Paradisi Chronicles:

  Erase me Not

  The Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mysteries:

  The Bard’s Daughter

  The Good Knight

  The Uninvited Guest

  The Fourth Horseman

  The Fallen Princess

  The Unlikely Spy

  The Lost Brother

  The Renegade Merchant

  The Unexpected Ally

  The After Cilmeri Series:

  Daughter of Time (prequel)

  Footsteps in Time (Book One)

  Winds of Time

  Prince of Time (Book Two)

  Crossroads in Time (Book Three)

  Children of Time (Book Four)

  Exiles in Time

  Castaways in Time

  Ashes of Time

  Warden of Time

  Guardians of Time

  Masters of Time

  www.sarahwoodbury.com

  A Note to Readers

  Although I’m sure that many, many of you have perfect retention of the cast and plot of The Last Pendragon Saga up until now, I must report that my own husband failed to retain the entirety of the plot up until now. I’m shocked, I tell you, shocked!

  So, a refresher:

  In the opening chapter of The Last Pendragon, Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon (Cade), enters the court of Gwynedd after King Cadfael’s men ambushed and killed all of his men, including Cade’s foster father, Cynyr, on the road to Aberffraw. As Cadfael had married Cade’s mother (Alcfrith), Cade had believed that Cadfael’s overtures towards him were genuine. A mistake.

  Rhiann, Cadfael’s daughter (not by Alcfrith), rescues Cade from hanging and they flee Aberffraw. In the process, Rhiann learns that Cade has been changed by the goddess Arianrhod into one of the sidhe (of a sort, anyway). Eventually, they connect with Cade’s men: Rhun (his foster brother), Goronwy, Bedwyr, Taliesin, his seer and bard, Dafydd, Goronwy’s younger brother, and Geraint, one of Cade’s captains.

  Word comes from the south (Llanllugan) that Saxons are encroaching into Wales and Cade leads his men—and Rhiann—into battle. It turns out that the Saxon force has combined with demons, who’ve been released from the Black Cauldron by Arawn, lord of the Underworld, and are controlled by Mabon, the son of Arawn and Arianrhod.

  Adventures ensue, carrying into The Pendragon’s Blade and Song of the Pendragon, including the defeat of this combined demon/Saxon force at Llanllugan, the capture and rescue of Cade at Caer Ddu, the crowning of Cade as King of Gwynedd at Aberffraw, where he is reunited with his mother, and the assault on Arawn’s lair underneath Caer Dathyl by Cade and his friends.

  Song of the Pendragon ends in a clearing outside of Caer Dathyl. Arianrhod has rescued them from Arawn’s cavern and set them to rights. She visits Cade, tells him that Mabon has been returned to her, and blesses him.

  Thank you for reading The Pendragon’s Quest. Enjoy!

  Prologue

  Arianrhod

  “You can’t rely on hope, Sister. You know that.”

  I leaned over the rail of the boat, trailing my fingers in the water and ignoring my brother, Gwydion, as I usually did. He might be a great warrior, and my senior by millennia, but what he didn’t know about matters of the heart could fill Taliesin’s great tome.

  I grasped Gwydion’s hand as he helped me onto the shore and then tilted my head to feel the warmth of the sun on my face. Mist had descended on the water as I’d made the journey across the sea, moving from the human world to that of the sidhe. But the sun always shone on my Isle of Glass.

  “Arianrhod—”

  “I am listening, Gwydion, but you have never been a parent and cannot know what it means to have a son. Mabon is my child—”

  “You may wear a glamour in the human world,” Gwydion said, “but I have never seen it cloud your thinking as it has in this case. You can’t fix this merely by wishing. Mabon has left you, and if you can’t find him before another does, he will face the greatest punishment our kind can inflict on one of its own.”

  “I know that,” I said.

  And I did. If the Sidhe Council, of which I was a member and which my mother and father had ruled through all the ages of the world, discovered that Mabon sought the Thirteen Treasures of Britain, they would strip him of his powers and condemn him to walk the earth as a human man. The Treasures were great gifts of the sidhe to the Welsh, the possession of only a handful of which would give Mabon enough power to usurp my father’s seat.

  My father, Beli, had described his command of the Council as akin to riding an untamed horse. With the coming of the Christian God and the failing of the old ways, it seemed at times as if he’d dropped the bridle. He would want to make an example of Mabon to prove that this was not the case.

  Mabon might not survive such a fall from grace.

  “What of your champion? This Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon—can he help?” Gwydion said.

  “Not this time,” I said.

  Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon, the future High King of Wales, might prevail over his Saxon enemies and thwart my son’s plans again, but I couldn’t depend upon it, not without interfering in the human world myself more than my father would condone.

  “Besides, he hates Mabon.”

  Gwydion snorted laughter. “For good reason. But Cadwaladr doesn’t hate you. He has served you well in the past.”

  I had given Cadwaladr the power of the sidhe, and because of that gift, he had succeeded in banishing Arawn, Mabon’s father, to the Underworld. Arawn, at least, wouldn’t be interfering in human affairs for some time to come. In addition, Beli had spoken harshly to him of his foolish actions—of stepping beyond his mandate as the Lord of the Underworld. That Arawn had done so out of love for Mabon couldn’t excuse the error. It was probably better not to dwell upon what my father might say about my own meddling, which, admittedly, was unlike me. I hadn’t had a true champion among humankind for centuries—I hadn’t wanted one nor seen the need.

  “Will you help me, Gwydion?” I said. “Will you find
Mabon for me before our father discovers what he’s trying to do?”

  Gwydion gazed over my shoulder, towards Wales, though of course he couldn’t see it from where we stood. For a moment his face was shadowed, as if a cloud had crossed the sun. But that couldn’t be … could it?

  “I have distanced myself from the human world of late. You know that.”

  “The bard, Taliesin—” I said.

  “No longer sees. He is the last of his line. Given that, I’ve seen little use in furthering my patronage.” Gwydion focused on me and though his face was bright, my memory of the shadow hadn’t faded. “It is a fine line we walk, Arianrhod. I sometimes wonder why we ever desired interaction with humans at all.”

  I couldn’t make sense of that so I changed the subject. “Speak to Taliesin now. He will not have forgotten you.”

  “I’ll think about it,” Gwydion said.

  “What do you fear?” The words burst from me, though I’d never known Gwydion to fear anything.

  “We are fading, Arianrhod. Our power wanes, even as Father strives to rule the council as he always has, hanging onto his dignity with both hands—while Mabon tries to take it from him.”

  “The sun still shines—”

  “Don’t be a child, Arianrhod,” Gwydion said. “A darkness has crept into the world, filling the chasm between us and this new God of the Christians. It stands now as a barrier between me and my servant, Taliesin.”

  “I don’t believe it,” Arianrhod said. “You are the son of Beli. You can do anything.”

  Gwydion pursed his lips. “If I do as you ask, if I renew my ties with Taliesin, you must promise me something.”

  “Anything.” Hope rose within me. Gwydion was wavering.

  “You must go to our father and reassure him of our loyalty. You are the goddess of battle, as well as time and fate. Look to your duties and stop trying to protect your son. He does not deserve your love.” Gwydion’s eyes bored into me.

  “And Cadwaladr?” I said.

  “Leave him to his fate.” Gwydion turned away, ending the conversation. He strode away from me, into the mist.

  “I don’t know if I can do that.” Though I’d allowed my brother to vanish before I answered him.

  Chapter One

  Tonight the hall of my lord is dark,

  With neither fire nor bed.

  I will weep a while, then still myself to silence.

  Tonight the hall of my lord is dark,

  With neither fire nor song.

  Who will give me peace?

  Tonight the hall of my lord is dark,

  With neither fire nor hope.

  Grief for you overtakes me.

  Darkness descends on the hall of my lord

  The blessed assembly has departed, praying

  That good comes to those of us who remain.

  —Taliesin, The Black Book of Gwynedd

  March, 655 AD

  Cade

  “Wake up!”

  Cade had been dreaming of the battle in Arawn’s cavern. His stomach hurt from clenching it in his fear and desperation. Even with Arawn’s defeat, his people were still in danger. Geraint and Tudur would soon face a host of demons which Arawn had unleashed, in such numbers as Geraint could never hope to counter.

  “Goddamn it, Cade, don’t scare us like this.” That was Rhun’s voice. His foster brother had always been one for telling Cade what to do.

  “Oh please, please, wake up, Cade.”

  Cade’s eyes snapped open.

  Rhiann gazed down at him, her face six inches from his. They looked at each other for one of her heartbeats before she threw herself at him and wrapped her arms around his neck. “I was so worried! It was as if you were really dead!”

  Cade’s arms came around Rhiann. He reveled in the feel of her, kissed her forehead, and patted her several times on the back, trying to get her to look at him again. Tears tracked down her cheeks as he brushed her hair out of his face with one hand.

  After another reassuring look, Rhiann released him and sat back on her heels. Cade pushed onto both elbows, studying his friends who formed a circle around him: Rhun, whose deeper voice he’d heard; Dafydd, a bit wide-eyed, clenching and unclenching his large fists; Goronwy and Hywel, mirror images of each other, not in looks but in temperament, their swords out and half-turned away, ever watchful for potential menace; and Taliesin, who gazed at him reflectively while leaning on his staff.

  “From the seer who no longer sees, I, Taliesin, speak of Cadwaladr ap Cadwallon—who calls usurpers to account, who vanquishes demons, who, with his magic sword, banished Arawn to the Underworld—”

  “All right, all right. Enough.” Cade scrambled to his feet. “Next you’ll say something about escaping Aberffraw without help, or battling the storm that shipwrecked us in the world of the sidhe and saving you single-handed.” He glared at Taliesin. “None of which would be true.”

  Cade’s critique didn’t seem to affect Taliesin. “You are not normally one to sleep.”

  “I haven’t slept too long, have I? The sun isn’t yet up, is it?” Cade checked the skyline above the trees that surrounded the clearing in which the companions found themselves. No light showed on the eastern horizon and Cade allowed himself a moment of relief. Then he noted the location of the moon, and stared at it, puzzled, for it was in the same spot it had been when Arianrhod had visited him after they defeated Arawn. He could have sworn their conversation had occurred hours ago, but if he’d really slept, perhaps that wasn’t something he had the ability to gauge.

  “Not for a long while yet,” Rhun said. “Or, at least that’s my feeling. I don’t have a good sense of the hour.”

  “Nor I, and that disturbs me.” Taliesin studied Cade some more. “Has something happened we should know about?”

  Cade bit his lip. His friends weren’t going to like this. “Arianrhod visited me.” There was no good way to say it, except straight out.

  Taliesin narrowed his eyes at Cade. “And …”

  “She apologized, not so much for giving me the power of the sidhe but for bringing us into such danger.”

  “She apologized?” Rhun said. “That’s—that’s—”

  Taliesin finished for him. “Unprecedented.”

  “She also thanked us for doing what she could not,” Cade said.

  “You’re being polite.” Goronwy glanced at Cade, flashed a smile, and then looked away again. “She thanked you, you mean.”

  Cade had to acknowledge that Goronwy was right, though he hadn’t wanted to say it. “If that was an oversight on her part, allow me to thank you now, if not for her, then for myself. I couldn’t have defeated Arawn without you.”

  “Modesty at last,” Goronwy said.

  Cade ignored that, as Goronwy deserved. “She also gave me two gifts.”

  Taliesin took a step towards Cade, his face paling. “Don’t tell me you accepted them! A gift from a goddess is never without price!”

  Cade choked on a laugh. “Did I have a choice? Need I remind you how little control I have over the goddess?”

  “That would be none,” Rhun said.

  Taliesin nodded and subsided, his expression grudging. “She made you so you could do her bidding. I have not forgotten.”

  “I would like to think these new gifts were in thanks and not in expectation of future services,” Cade said, “although I suppose I’ll have as little choice in the matter then as now, were she to ask more of me. As it is, she gave me the gift of sleep, as you saw.”

  “So you were sleeping!” Rhiann said. “I could hardly credit it.”

  “… and the ability to do this.” Cade reached for Rhiann again, pulling her to him. She fit perfectly in his arms—as he remembered from their brief interlude underneath Caer Dathyl—tucked under his chin with her slender arms tight around his waist, holding on. Laughter bubbled in his throat at how natural it felt to hold her.

  “So this means you can touch me now—can touch any one of us—without fear of
doing us harm?” Rhiann leaned back to look into Cade’s face.

  “So it seems,” Cade said.

  Rhun stooped to pick up Caledfwlch, which lay on the edge of the blanket, a yard from Cade’s feet. The companions gazed at the sword, and Rhun held it out. Rhiann took it, with a wary look at Cade. “You told me when we first met that your touch had the power to kill. I have seen you use it. And struggle to contain it.”

  Cade had been unable to touch anyone—unless he meant to kill them—since Arianrhod had changed him from man to sidhe two winters earlier. From the moment he’d found Caledfwlch at the enchanted Caer Ddu, however, the sword had given him both a strength and a control over his power that he’d never known before. He’d only allowed himself to admit to loving Rhiann because of it, because the sword gave him a chance—a slim one, but a chance—at a normal life.

  Rhiann drew the belt around Cade’s waist and buckled on his sword, fumbling a bit with the stiff leather. He studied her downturned head and then looked at Taliesin. It was he who would best understand what Arianrhod had done to him, and what she’d changed.

  “I still have the power,” he said. “But it’s quiet, as if it’s waiting for me to use it rather than waiting to use me.”

  “That’s all to the good,” Taliesin said, “but something tells me that Arianrhod isn’t finished with you yet.”

  “And if she’s not done with Cade, we’re all in for it,” Rhun said.

  “I’m sure you have the right of it,” Cade said, “but for now—”

  “For now, we need to move,” Goronwy said. While they’d talked, he’d surveyed the entire perimeter of the clearing. It was thirty feet across, surrounded by leafless trees. A fire pit sat at its center, the flames still burning brightly, though to Cade’s knowledge, nobody had stoked it. “I, too, am confused about many things, but I do know that we still have the demons from Caer Dathyl to deal with. Geraint and Tudur need our help.”