by J. M. Briggs
“How did it go?” Merlin asked, looking past Morgana at Alex.
“Adequate,” Morgana replied calmly. “It will take time, but her power has great potential once she gains more control.”
“It went fine,” Alex answered, smiling at Merlin who winked in return.
“Excellent,” Merlin said cheerfully before he turned to the others.
He gestured to the row of desks where Bran was seated. Alex moved over to join the others and they sat down beside Bran. Morgana crossed her arms across her chest and watched them patiently. Nicki grinned at Alex and gave her a questioning look, but Morgana cleared her throat, cutting off anything else Nicki may have said.
“You’ve all made your connections to your magic and the power of Earth itself,” Merlin announced with a beaming smile. “I know that February 2nd was an intense day for you all, especially you Alex, but you all preformed beyond my expectations.” A smile tugged at Alex’s lips despite her exhaustion and Merlin continued, “Many mages do not learn how to access their magic so quickly. Remember even when you are frustrated that you have already achieved a great feat.”
Next to Alex, Nicki shifted in her desk and raised her arm. Merlin chuckled and Aiden snorted, but Morgana nodded to Nicki.
“When will the Hounds return?” Nicki asked, lowering her hand.
“Merlin and I were able to serve the Sídhe’s connection between the tunnel entrance and our realm, but most of the tunnel’s magic is intact,” Morgana explained calmly, not sounding like she was talking about a magical invading army that had already enslaved six whole worlds. “I estimate that they will repair the connection enough to send the Hounds through once again in late March. The Sídhe Riders will be able to pass through sometime in May, potentially Beltane if they devote their magic to the repairs.”
“Beltane is May 1st,” Merlin added quickly. “The next seasonal day when their powers on Earth are at their peak.” He looked at Alex. “And remember that it starts at sundown, not at midnight.”
Alex flushed and nodded, it had been her forgetting the sundown rule that had resulted in her being captured by the Sídhe. It wasn’t a mistake that she’d make again.
“Is there anything else we can do to slow them down?” Aiden questioned from down the row of desks.
“I’m afraid not,” Merlin replied with a sigh. “Once Morgana and I cut the connection we cannot affect the tunnels until the tunnel is reformed and stable. Remember that the Hounds do not need a completely stable doorway to pass through.”
“Will it be in the same place?” Bran asked. “Can we guard the entrance on Beltane to keep the Riders from attacking any people or trying to kidnap children again?”
“The tunnel entrance will probably be close, but I doubt it will reappear in the same location,” Morgana answered with a shake of her head.
Alex frowned, barely containing a shiver at the memory of the dark stone tunnels that the Sídhe used to make the transition between their own world and hers. When Morgana had told that she and Merlin had severed the connection she’d actually thought that it might be over for a brief moment. And just yesterday, Merlin and Morgana had told her even more about the war in which she was now a warrior. Not only was Earth connected to twenty-eight other worlds via magical roads that bound them together, but there was a special human soul that was the protector of Earth, the Iron Realm. Worse yet, it was the guy she had a crush on who was dating her roommate. She hadn’t had time to wrap her head that just yet and all the ramifications, but knew she’d have to tell the others soon.
“I think that is enough for tonight,” Merlin announced, his eyes settled on Alex who was pale and fighting exhaustion. “Alex is still recovering from her battle in the tunnels.” He looked at the others. “I trust that you aren’t interrogating her. You will be told everything in due time.” He looked back at Alex with a careful expression, “Morgana and I are planning to go back to the tunnel entrance and check the protections we put into place soon. When we’re ready we would like you four to accompany us.”
Nodding in relief, Alex collected her coat from her desk and pulled it on without a word. She readjusted her bag and double checked that her dagger was accessible. Around her, the others were pulling on their coats and gathering their things with Nicki stealing some of Bran’s candy. Aiden and Bran were both shooting Alex curious looks and she barely contained a sigh. They’d been very patient with her telling them about what happened in the tunnels over the last five days, but there were always more questions. Rolling her tense shoulders, Alex forced a smile and said goodbye to Morgana and Merlin before starting out of the room. Nicki half skipped to join her with the boys close behind and Alex slowed down her stride for Bran.
Morgana remained silent, leaning against the large teacher’s desk, as the four college students marched out of the room. She could hear voices echoing down the empty hallway as the questions began anew and turned her eyes towards the desks to quickly check that they hadn’t forgotten anything. Behind her, Merlin silently erased the notes he’d made on the board throughout the session. He sat down in the creaky chair behind the desk just as Morgana relaxed back to lean against it. They were both quiet for a long moment, gathering their thoughts before Merlin waved his hand towards the door. It closed with a soft click and a soft blue field covered the doorway, sealing it.
“What do you think?” He asked Morgana softly, resting his elbows on the desk.
“Her powers are interesting Ambrose,” Morgana informed him without turning around as her hand moved to her triskele pendent. “They all have strong potential, one of the best groups we’ve ever had.”
“I agree,” Merlin replied with a cheerful tone that quickly faded. “But there are other issues that need addressing.”
“Indeed,” Morgana agreed calmly. “At least the police have followed the trail you made for them out of town.”
“That went in our favor,” Merlin agreed, folding his hands in front of him. “If they continue to follow the trail then with any luck it will go cold near the Canadian border. I was careful to give the impression that while kidnapping attempts were made, there were no children actually in danger.”
“The authorities may operate on the assumption that there are,” Morgana reminded him with a sigh. “I regret the need to waste their resources.”
“As do I,” Merlin admitted. “But there is still a chance that someone will see something and accept it for what it really is. I still find it hard to believe that all the witnesses believed the Hounds were normal dogs. This age of cameras could still be very dangerous for us. While most dismiss magic as primitive beliefs, there are always those with open minds.”
They were both silent, lost in thought until Morgana spoke once again. “What have you observed recently with Arthur Pendred?”
“It goes well,” Merlin replied. “He is… exactly what I’ve been hoping for. There is power in him that seems ready to manifest fully when the need arises. The fact that only Alex has formed a Connection with him thus far worries me a bit. I don’t like the idea that there is something interfering with or wrong with his magic, but otherwise he strikes me as an intelligent young man, athletic and good tempered.” Merlin looked over at Morgana’s back, watching as she tensed. “Arthur reminds me of Arto when he was that age. His mannerism and easy charm are so much like…” Merlin trailed off and slumped back in the chair. “Although I am not certain how he will handle the revelation when the time comes.”
“Alex is smitten with him,” Morgana observed with a frown. “That could become an issue.”
“Or it may be the saving grace,” Merlin countered. “From what I’ve seen he is very fond of Alex in return. When his relationship with Jennifer comes to its conclusion then Alex may be able to stabilize the situation. She is a link between the life he knows now and the truth.”
“If he is still alive when the betrayal passes Ambrose,” Morgana reminded him sharply. She breathed in slowly and murmured, “But I worry about pu
tting too much on the girl. She has not settled from her experience in the tunnels and her magic has aspects that we aren’t familiar with. Putting her into too many trying situations may cause her harm or cause an accident with her magic.”
“You’ve become very fond of her,” Merlin observed with a soft smile. “It’s been some time since you were so taken with a student.”
“She reminds me of myself in a way,” Morgana sighed, crossing her arms over her chest and glancing back towards the door.
“Really?” Merlin blinked and shook his head. “I don’t see it, but I suppose you know yourself best Morgana.”
“Indeed,” Morgana replied calmly, pushing herself off the desk. She turned to look at Merlin and added. “The others are gaining control faster than I expected them too, this group is certainly talented, but we must keep control of the situation.”
“Agreed,” Merlin said with a nod. “We need to form some plans for dealing with the Sídhe. They will repair the tunnel soon enough.”
“The students need more information,” Morgana told him with a sharp look. “I suspect that Alex will talk to them about the Iron Soul soon, she seemed calmer tonight. Once she does, allowing them to ask their questions freely is the next step.”
Merlin chuckled and leaned back in his chair, giving Morgana a calculating look. “I’m not sure I agree with your idea of having Alex tell them about the Iron Soul.”
“Alex has the potential to be a great mage,” Morgana informed Merlin. “Having her tell the others about the Iron Soul gives Alex a chance to assert herself within her generation of mages. They need to trust each other and work together.” Morgana frowned and shook her head. “You know that we can’t always be there Ambrose.”
“Perhaps not,” Merlin agreed sadly before chuckling. “But a question session should be particularly interesting with Nicole. I wonder if she has a list of questions ready to ask.”
“Even if she doesn’t, I suspect that she will still manage,” Morgana intoned with a raised eyebrow. Her fingers fiddled with her pendent and Merlin glanced at the triskele thoughtfully before reaching down to his satchel.
Merlin withdrew a thermos and two small cups, making Morgana smile. She turned and gestured to a chair at the side of the room. It floated off the ground and flew over to her, landing on the floor with a soft sound just before Morgana calmly sat down in it. Chuckling, Merlin poured her a cup of tea and handed it to her. They both raised their cups in a silent toast and took a sip, each lost in their thoughts.