“This is insane.” I pressed a hand to the glass case. “I can’t believe I’m talking to you. I saw you in my dream.”
“I know. I did that on purpose.” She crossed her arms over her chest, and I noticed her dress wasn’t modern. A medieval A-line gown in a rich emerald green clung to her slender figure, and a gold, braided leather belt wrapped around her waist and fell down the center of the skirt. “It didn’t appear that Avalon or his meddling man-servant Merlin were going to make a move anytime soon, and time is growing short.”
My brows furrowed. “What do you mean?”
“When your memories were taken, the blood bond you forged with Avalon broke. Yet the soul bond created between the two of you held.” Guinevere cocked a hip. “You’d always feel like you were missing something yet never have any memory of what that was.”
Fingers curling on the glass, I closed my eyes. “So, you had to remind me.”
“Of course.” She snorted. “I can’t do much where I am, but some days, I feel like I am the only one who can.”
Opening my eyes at that, I asked. “Where exactly are you?”
Her face fell, and sadness reflected in her blue eyes.
Eyes that matched mine.
“I am where very few can go.” Her arms dropped, almost in defeat at her sides. “That is my punishment.”
“How are we talking now?”
I had so many questions I wanted to ask her.
She motioned to the rosary in my hand. “When you hold relics that once belonged to me, it strengthens our connection. Also, we share a soul, so our link was already there, just dormant.”
Bringing the rosary into view, I stroked my thumb over one of the black beads. “This is just incredible. How did you invade my dream?”
Her smirk returned. “When Merlin took your memories, he only took those memories which included Avalon. He left a void that a spirit in limbo like me can filter through quite easily.”
I nodded, not completely understanding but beginning to.
“Behind you is a chair that served as our throne.” Guinevere pointed behind me, and I glanced over my shoulder. “Before you lost your memories, you sat in that chair, and I was able to bond to you and show you things from our past.”
“Really?”
Curiosity got the better of me, and I moved away from the case and studied the chair carefully. It sat next to a slightly larger throne, and I didn’t have to ask which one that belonged to.
“So if I sit in this, you can show me things?” I wanted to be sure this wasn’t some kind of trap before I sat. “You can’t possess me?”
“I can show you things, or I can speak through you, but only if you sit in that chair.” Guinevere’s voice sounded sad. “I do not know if we will ever be reunited again, but for brief moments, I can lend you my strength.”
Her sorrow dug its nails into my heart, and I readied myself to sit. “I’d like to know about our past. About how life was for you.”
“Then have a seat, and I will do my best to show you. However,” she cautioned, “the man you know now is not the man I knew then. Be prepared.”
She meant Avalon.
Arthur.
Lowering myself onto the worn cushion, I placed one hand on each armrest and leaned back, staring directly at the door where I’d come.
“Show me.”
Darkness bathed everything around me.
And then, nothing.
When I came to, the Great Hall buzzed with excitement and people. Smells of food, earth, and leather flooded my nostrils. Someone held my hand, and glancing to my side, an older man smiled and led me through the cheerful crowd.
“Your Majesty, may I present Sir Leo degrance and his daughter, the Lady Guinevere.” A servant bowed before the king and made a sweeping motion with his hand to usher us forward.
“Leo, my friend!” A young and fresh-faced man jumped up from his throne and greeted the man at my side warmly. “I thank you for the gift of the Round Table. You’ve kept it well in my father’s absence.”
I didn’t look at either man while they talked. Instinct told me I wasn’t to look up until addressed.
“Of course, Your Majesty. Your father was a great friend, and you shall bring the Round to new heights.”
The shuffling of feet made my heart soar, and I felt eyes on me.
“And this is your daughter?” The change in his voice surprised me.
From boisterous and commanding with my father to a soft, rumbling tenor at his notice of me, the change was noted.
“Aye, my eldest daughter, the Lady Guinevere.”
I lowered myself and lowered my head even farther. “Your Majesty.”
Fingertips gently guided me back to standing, and I finally dared to look into the king’s eyes.
Green.
Such a brilliant emerald green held me captive.
Avalon.
My brain scrambled to realign the image of this man in my brain.
Legend.
Suddenly, he gripped my shoulders in his hands and began to shake me. “Alexandria!”
What is this?
“Alexandria?”
It continued until the scene faded to black again, leaving me alone with the echoes of my name on his lips.
SIXTEEN
Avalon
No matter how many times I called out her name, the glazed look in Alexandria’s eyes wouldn’t break. She stared past me as if caught in a vision, her knuckles turning white as her grip on the armrests tightened.
“God, please Alexandria, come back to me,” I begged, brushing tresses of her hair back away from her face.
Late in the night, Vivian woke me, saying she felt a presence in the castle. She hadn’t been able to pinpoint who, but she did say that the spirit was attuned to Alexandria. Immediately, I’d bolted toward Alexandria’s chambers, praying this wasn’t some demonic invasion from Mordred.
The last thing I needed was for Alexandria to become possessed and walk out of the castle. So when I felt the cold chill coming from just past her open door, I knew where she was.
Flying up the stairs, I’d found her sitting in Guinevere’s chair—the one that took hold of her before—staring into a place where I couldn’t follow.
“Please, love, come back,” I whispered against her cheek, begging. “Let her go.”
Alexandria slammed back against the chair, and her grip loosened on the wooden arms. I pulled back, taking her face in my hands and searching her eyes.
“Alexandria?”
Slowly, her blue orbs landed on me, but the usual warmth wasn’t there.
In its stead was a critical, unflinching gaze.
“Hello, Arthur.”
Instantly, my eyes narrowed, and my grip lowered to her slender throat in absolute rage. She pulled out the dark man inside biding his time, the part of me who promised he’d play nicer. However, this woman caused me to lose my mind.
“How the hell are you here?” I snarled, our noses brushing.
She chuckled. “Don’t worry. I can’t keep this form for long.” Without warning, she raked fingers through my hair and pulled. “I just wanted to see how you were doing.”
Do. Not. Give. In.
I wrapped my hands around her smaller wrists and pried myself out of her touch. “Give me Alexandria back.”
Those lips I loved so much turned into a pout. “I thought you’d be happier to see me, Arthur.”
“Did Alexandria know you could take over her body? Or did you leave that part out?” I leveled my gaze on her. “The moment I pull you from this chair, you’ll go back to wherever you belong.”
Before I could jerk her to standing, fear crossed her face. “Wait, you need to hear this.”
“You have mere seconds to speak.”
With an irritated huff, she spoke. “Alexandria is just like you. She has to be reconnected to me in order for her to survive.”
“What?” Alarm coursed through me. “What do you mean she has to be reconne
cted to you in order to survive?”
Guinevere tapped her fingers against the ancient wooden arm. “Mordred made a deal with the devil, a fact I’m sure you’re aware of by now.” Her lips pressed together in a thin line. “He’s managed to inter my soul somewhere very hard to get to. It’s not in a sword like yours.”
“So even if we manage to break the curse over all of us, Alexandria will still die if you two don’t come back together?”
It felt like someone had kicked me in the gut and ripped out all hope stored in my chest. Merlin and I always focused on my end of the curse and never thought about Alexandria and Guinevere having the same issue.
She gave a resigned nod. “Alexandria is my reincarnation, but she is still missing a small part of her own soul.” Offering a sad smile, she shrugged. “Mordred is always one step ahead, Arthur. He’s your son.”
“No, don’t say things like that.” I shook my head and took her hand in mine. “Everyone is paying for my sins continuously, and for that, I am so sorry. I’m so sorry you cannot be at peace because of me.”
I could see the gears in her mind stall at my apology.
And her response plunged my heart into my stomach.
“I’m glad because now I get a chance to make things right.” She forced a smile. “The way they should have been.”
“Guinevere …” I whispered, understanding all too well what she meant.
“I have to go, Arthur.”
“Where are you being held?” I squeezed her hand tightly. “Tell me, and I’ll come rescue you.”
With a soft laugh, she reached out and caressed my cheek. “Never changing, always rescuing me.”
Emotion lodged in my throat. “Always, you know that.”
She opened her mouth to say something, but blue eyes rolled back in Alexandria’s head, and the woman slumped forward into my arms.
“I’ve got you, love.” Picking her up gently, I carried her bridal style out of the Great Hall and down the stairs to the warmth of the second level’s hall.
Her skin felt ice cold. I knew partially from the cold room, but also because a spiritual energy had surrounded her.
“Mmhm … Legend …” Alexandria stirred as I continued past her rooms, determined not to let her out of my sight tonight. But what she said caught me off guard.
Glancing down at Alexandria, I found her blinking awake.
Relief washed over me in waves. “Hello, you.”
A few moments of silence fell between us, and I stopped just long enough to lean down, open the door, and whisk Alexandria into the safety of my rooms.
“Avalon,” she whispered, staring up at me with a strange expression on her face.
“Yes, love?”
Her hand reached up and gently touched my hair, her brows furrowing in confusion. “You had blond hair in the past and green eyes.” She allowed her fingertips to wander over my face. “You looked like Legend.”
Setting her down on a large, leather sofa, I took her hands in mine and regarded her curiously. “What do you mean I looked like Legend?”
Alexandria took her time, sitting upright and meeting my gaze. “She showed me the first time she met you.”
I inhaled sharply. “She did?”
“Yes, and you were blond.” Her nose wrinkled, studying me carefully. “I mean, you’re handsome either way, but I prefer this darker version.”
Chuckling, I tapped the end of her nose. “Well, I’m glad because that’s the version you’re stuck with.”
She took a moment of pause, staring down at her hands and then back up at me. “Can I stay with you tonight?”
My heart melted under her large, cerulean gaze. “You may do whatever you like.”
Tears welled in her eyes, and I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her protectively against my chest.
We didn’t say anything.
We didn’t have to.
We understood we were a part of something much larger.
“I just want to remember you.” Her trembling voice broke my heart, and I buried my face in her hair.
“I want that more than you know, Alexandria.” I struggled to hold back my own emotions. “I just want you to look at me the way you used to. To know you love me by the look in your eyes.”
She rested her head against my chest with a heavy sigh. “I want us back.”
My jaw clenched, and I stared ahead, blinking back tears of my own.
“We can start now, Alexandria.”
I felt her head nodding against my dress T-shirt. “I’d like that.”
Kissing the top of her head, I held her tighter.
Whatever she wanted, I’d give her.
If that meant my heart on a silver platter, I’d take it out myself.
But if that meant living without her—that was the one thing I refused to do anymore.
Alexandria was mine.
And I was hers.
SEVENTEEN
Avalon
Morning came early, and I took my time getting up. With Alexandria sleeping safely on the other half of my very large king-size bed, I had a good enough of an excuse, but duty called. I needed to check in with Vivian and John about how Bedivere held up through the night and then plan our next move.
We needed to figure out where Guinevere was being kept so that I could do for Alexandria what she did for me. If I lost her again, I’d lose her for good this time. Breaking the curse over our lives meant nothing if I lost the most important person in my life by doing so.
Carefully moving around so I didn’t disturb Alexandria, I dressed quickly and slipped out of the room. The moment my feet touched the carpet in the hall, a strange sense of foreboding seeped into my skin, making it crawl. Unsure of the cause, I made my way down to the first level and found everyone except Bedivere huddled around the table in the morning breakfast room.
“What’s happened?”
I drew my arms across my chest as the group parted and the person sitting came into view.
“Morgan, to what do I owe this pleasure?” I sniffed, trying unsuccessfully to hide my distrust. Yet the closer I looked and the longer I stared, my arms fell to my sides, and I walked toward her.
Morgan, who usually acted so cold and unmoved—like sister, like brother—seemed upset by something. Dried tear tracks marked her cheeks, and her nose was red.
She’d been crying.
“Arthur …” Vivian’s tone laced with a gentle warning. Obviously, something happened, something bad, and my gut told me it had everything to do with Alexandria.
Heeding Vivian, I spoke calmly, coming to sit in the chair opposite my sister. “Morgan, what happened?”
Her head shook, sending raven hair sparkling in the morning sunlight streaming through the windows.
“Oh, Arthur, it’s horrible.” A fresh wave of tears spilled over, and Morgan covered her face with her hands. She sobbed, and her shoulders shook, doing nothing to ease my fears.
I glanced up at Merlin, his face grim.
“What happened, Morgan?” Gently placing my hand on her arm, I gave it a gentle squeeze. “You being here is a danger, so why did you come?”
She took in a shaky breath and finally met my eyes. “Mordred wasn’t happy that Lancer lost control of Alexandria. So, he took matters into his own hands.”
My heart stuttered in my chest.
Fuck.
Terrified to know the answer, I still needed to know. “Is Lancer still alive?”
“Yes, he’s fine.” Her lower lip trembled again. “But Alexandria’s grandmother is not.”
Jerking back from Morgan, I retracted my hand as though burned. “What do you mean Margaret is not okay?”
Her black eyes locked onto mine, pulling me into an endless void of regret and shame.
“Tell me,” I demanded, my voice rising slightly.
“Excalibur’s sheath provided a magical barrier that allowed Margaret to raise Alexandria without being noticed, without being harmed.” Her tears dried slowly. “Bu
t when Alexandria brought that sheath here, the barrier around Caliburn strengthened but no longer protected her grandmother.”
Merlin stepped forward, speaking through clenched teeth. “Are you telling me that Mordred ordered the death of an innocent, old woman?”
She glanced guiltily up at Merlin but nodded. “He ordered Lancer to do it.”
My blood ran cold. “And did he?”
“Yes.”
The collective inhale of the room was sharp, all of us reeling back from the news.
This changed everything.
Alexandria.
Everything in my soul ached for her.
The last familial link she had was severed.
Gone.
Squeezing my eyes tight, I took a few deep breaths before I trusted my voice to speak.
How can I break this news to her?
Hasn’t she been through enough?
She’s strong, so damn strong, but this will break her.
“Arthur,” John said softly, nodding toward the door.
Following his gaze, I stood and pivoted slowly, terrified to look.
There she stood, fingers digging into the molding around the doorway, eyes wide in shock, mouth parted, and face pale.
“Alexandria.”
She didn’t acknowledge my voice, but a small whimper escaped from her lips.
I moved toward her slowly, unsure of what her reaction would be.
“Did you hear what was said?” I asked, taking one step at a time.
She nodded, body shaking and knees trembling.
“I am so sorry, Alexandria.”
There would only be two ways this could go.
One, she’d break.
Two, she’d fight.
Shuffling to a stop in front of her, I didn’t make a move. She might not want to be touched or have anything to do with me after this.
So I waited.
Seconds melted into minutes as Alexandria stared past me into oblivion, her mind warring with the weight of this tragedy. Finally, her blue gaze trailed upward to mine and tears overflowed, cascading down her cheeks.
“Arthur …”
Voice broken, her legs gave out beneath her, and I caught her, pulling her against my chest. The use of my real name wasn’t lost on me, but ignoring that for now, I hooked my arm behind her knees and cradled her. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and she cried into my shoulder.
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