My Merlin Awakening (13 page)

“It doesn’t matter.” I stepped past the threshold into the living room.

***

The Wizard’s Council gathered in a small room just beyond the Great Hall in Camelot. As First Member, I should have been sitting at its head. Instead I’d experienced a frightful vision the night before and had to know if it were true. I dreaded it was. The great and powerful Merlin wasn’t supposed to dread anything, but I tried not to lie to myself. Only one person could evoke such panic.

I hurried through the main keep of the castle. Servants in grey uniforms with small sashes of colorful red went back and forth between the bedrooms. Mid-morning sunlight streamed in with cheerful vibrancy through small square openings in the walls.

King Arthur was sequestered at the Round Table through the night. The knights readied to defend the kingdom against an invading army from the east. It was said an immortal king led the aggressors, and every knight had been called to arms.

Half the city would be empty by the afternoon. The Council was to elect how many wizards would be sent with the knights. They would make up part of the front lines. Two knights who guarded Arthur’s chambers saluted me as I walked past. I gave them a small nod. My heart hammered with fear. I could only hold onto the false hope that what I’d seen wasn’t true.

I rounded the corner. A passageway led to a dead end that held only a decorative tapestry from floor to ceiling at its middle. I stood there for a few minutes. Hoping against hope to be wrong.

My heart sank when the tapestry moved. A figure pushed the heavy fabric aside and walked out of a hidden door. The stone door shut behind him. He stopped when he saw me. The tapestry fell back into place.

“Merlin,” he sneered. “Skulking about the castle again?”

“Vane,” I said evenly. Sweat covered him in a fine film. A hint of lavender wafted from a crumpled shirt. I pointed out. “Your trews are loose.”

Vane looked down at his navel and smiled arrogantly. He took his time tying them. It was a wonder they hadn’t fallen to his knees already. He read my thoughts easily.

“Would be a good show,” he grinned.

“What are you thinking? You’re a knight!” I glanced at the corridor. It remained empty. Nonetheless, I lowered my tone. “She’s the Queen! Arthur will have you drawn and quartered.”

Vane shrugged. “Apparently I am set to die anyway. I may as well put his nose out before I do.”

“Why do you hate him? He has only given you what you wanted.”

Vane frowned. “Are you really that naïve? He sends the wizards out without thought, but what have we gotten in return? I might be a knight, but I am the only one. We were supposed to bring the Council out into the light by now, but they are not even acknowledged by the court. You are First Member of the Council, yet you are barely acknowledged and only as an advisor, when you make every strategy. You’re the one who brought all the nobles together under one banner. You’ve built this kingdom for him. On our blood.”

He pointed at the corridor. “You need to remember those people out there are not yours. When are you going to realize he will never make room for
our
people in his kingdom? He has delayed every edict that would give our people any power. They can’t even own land. How can this be the Camelot we were promised he would bring? We will always be hiding in the shadows.”

I shook my head. “It is not like that—the people must accept us. We need to have patience. Change comes slowly. Move too fast and you will see nothing but intolerance.”

Vane muttered, “Platitudes without action.”

My eyes narrowed. “What are you planning, Vane?”

He snorted. “I have little time to plan. Apparently, I have another battle to fight today. Now, if you will pardon me, I should get to the armory before all the good swords are taken.”

Vane tried to move past me. I caught his arm, forcing him to pause.

“Why are you with Guinevere?”

“I told you.”

I searched Vane’s expression, but it told me nothing. It was one of the great frustrations of my life. I had never been able to follow my brother’s thinking. He had a mind far more devious than I could understand and it kept him one step ahead. Only the visions saved me from complete blindness. This last vision filled me with a deep sense of foreboding. “Arthur tells Guinevere everything.”

“Does he? I wouldn’t know. We are usually quite… busy with other things.”

I wished I could believe him. “Do you love her?”

Vane gave a love laugh. “Love? I suppose you could call it that.” His eyes sharpened. “But then I’m not the one who gave her such a powerful charm. She never takes the amulet off. Do you like that? Do you like seeing a piece of you on her bare skin? Almost touching her bosom? In front of Arthur? Everyday?”

I sputtered. “I-It’s nothing of that sort.
Arthur
asked me to make it—” I broke off when I realized he was laughing. I released him. “You’re trying to distract me.”

“Maybe, but I’m also right. I see how closely you watch her,” he said. “Don’t worry, I won’t say anything to Arthur. I know you’re a monk.” With a crooked smile, Vane sauntered down the passageway. “Farewell, brother. We shall see if today is a good day for me to die. Who knows? You may yet get lucky.”

***

At six a.m., my cellphone beeped in low tones. Darkness still layered the room. Vestiges of the dream lingered in my mind. The funny thing was that it didn’t seem like a dream. Matt. Vane. The sights and sounds of a busy castle. The subtle pattern of the tapestry. I remembered all the details. I could have been there. I could have stood within Camelot.

Making as little noise as possible, I gathered my coat and boots. Vane had put the car keys on the kitchen bar. I grabbed them and tiptoed out of the apartment. I pulled the boots on in the hall outside. It took me another two minutes to get to the SUV, only to find Vane standing by the car.

“I’m going to this meeting,” I told him.

Vane didn’t reply. The breaking light of dawn bolded the gold tones in his hair. The slim-fitting wool coat he wore accentuated the breadth of his shoulders. The lean curves of his face seemed serene. However, by the completely still way he watched me, I sensed disquiet behind the tiger’s eyes.

His gaze traveled over me. I don’t know what he saw. I was a mess. I’d combed my hair with my fingers in the dark.

He said silkily, “Bad dream last night?”

I blinked at the unexpected question.

“You talk in your sleep,” he elaborated.

“And you listened. What a surprise.”

His eyes narrowed. “Dream or another vision?”

Was that what he was after?
I spit out, “Dream.”

“I see.” He brushed snow off the car handle. “You don’t want to tell me more.”

“Not really.”

He continued as if I hadn’t answered. “I… disappointed you last night.”

Understatement.
But it was also a question. Vane grabbed my hand. He squeezed it as if he could squeeze out a reply.

I sighed. I didn’t have the guts to ask the one question burning inside me. So I answered his instead. “It would be nice if my boyfriend actually believed in me.”

“Like Merlin does,” he finished.

“Matt has nothing to do with this.”

“Doesn’t he?”

Alright. Maybe he did a little. I don’t know why I was having these dreams, but Matt was definitely involved. “Matt isn’t the one sitting there figuring out when I am most likely to die.”

A look of disbelief colored his expression. “I’m trying to save your life. I’m looking at your vulnerabilities so we can remedy it. Would you rather I just let you delude yourself that everything is fine?”

Yes, I would.
I was being ridiculous, but I didn’t care. I was tired of everyone else running my life. “I am going to this meeting. I’m going even if I have to walk. It’s about Excalibur. It’s always about Excalibur. If you care at all what I think, then you’re going to let me.”

He gave me a look like I’d lost my mind. I turned away from him.

Vane’s grip tightened on my wrist. “Is this a test?”

I looked at him. Snow fell in fat flakes, highlighting the dark strands of his hair. They crashed against the steel line of his jaw and dissolved. Before I knew it, I was asking the question I’d made up my mind not to ask. “Why are you with me, Vane?”

His eyes narrowed. “I see I have been too lenient. I thought you needed time to come to terms with all that’s happened. I was wrong. No more free passes.”

I had no idea what he was talking about. It must have shown in my face, because he smiled suddenly. “I keep forgetting how young you are. Probably too young.”

“I am not too young—” I never finished the sentence.

His lips captured mine and his mouth consumed me. The brash thrust of his tongue held an underlying edge of desperation. When he finally released me, my lips stung. I licked them. Vane’s hands at my waist squeezed me in response. He said hoarsely, “I let you go last night. It was a mistake. I’m not going to repeat it. Does that answer your question?”

I put my hand to his chest. His heart raced with the speed of a fast-breaking wave, echoing mine. It was enough. For now.

I met his dark eyes. “Are you going to let me in the car?”

With a growl, Vane opened the car door. “After you, milady.”

***

Matt’s expression when we entered the manor’s living room did not speak of happiness or approval. He glared at Vane who shrugged in response. Matt opened his mouth to sound off.

“Don’t bother,” Vane said. “She always gets what she wants.”

Sylvia got up from the sofa where she and Grey had been sitting. She gave me a brief, but tight hug. “I wish you had stayed away from this, but after what Grey told me about last night, I am glad to see you.”

I returned the hug, glad to be home. Blake and Gia stood together near the fireplace.

“You look better,” I told her.

She returned a crooked smile and ran a hand through her hair. It was short again. “Blake had to give me a haircut. That bastard gargoyle burned most of it off.”

A blaring alarm sounded through the entire manor. It hammered my eardrums with relentless force.

The front door flung open and Clarence burst in. “A limo just turned into the woods. They’re here.”

“They’re early.” Matt cursed. He muttered a word I couldn’t make sense of. A slight flutter filled the room and the alarm shut off.

Vane repeated the word and added what must have been a negative because the alarm started blaring again.

“What are you doing, Vane?” Matt shouted.

Vane went to the front window and pushed out his hand. The window splintered into a million pieces, but all of the glass fell outside, not a shard landing in the living room.

“Just getting ready to fire at the gargoyles, if need be,” Vane declared. He sent Clarence a wry look. “I’m sure you have a way to communicate with them. I suggest you tell them now.”

Clarence looked at Matt with worry.

Matt flicked a hand and the alarm turned off.

“
Bhii,
” Vane muttered. A whoosh of air and the alarm started blaring again.

I slapped my hands over my ears, which threatened to start bleeding. “Vane! Shut. It. Off!”

Matt’s jaw tightened. “This is not a game, Vane.”

Vane waved his hand. The alarm shut off. “No, it’s not a game. They attacked us last night. I want them to know they’re not exactly guests.”

Clarence’s pocket beeped. He drew out a cellphone. “The gargoyle’s have reached the first checkpoint. What do you want us to do, Master Emrys?”

“Tell them they’ll be searched before entering…
as we’d planned
.” He looked at Vane. “They’ll be fired upon if they try anything.”

Clarence nodded. Putting the phone to his ear, he walked out of the manor and into the courtyard. We all gathered at the window. Vane shoved me behind him.

The limo glided into the circular driveway with languid grace. The low hum of a sophisticated engine cut with barely a whisper in front of the window. A man dressed in a dark suit and light shirt got out of the passenger side of the limo.

“Gargoyle,” Grey hissed. “You can smell it on him.”

I frowned. “What?”

Grey made a face. “He smells… dirty.”

I looked at him with worry. The gargoyles didn’t smell any different than other people. More than anyone else, I should know—after having dated one for months without knowing it. I glanced at Vane, but his gaze was fixed on what was happening outside. Matt picked up on the oddity too. He shook his head slightly. “
Later,”
he thought to me.

In the courtyard, the gargoyles emerged from the limo, five in total. I recognized Rourke right away. I’d seen him on the worst night of my life. I doubt I would ever forget any detail. He stood in the middle of his bodyguards, although they didn’t cover him very well since he was the tallest one, at well over six-foot-five. With a shock of long blond hair tied back in a tight ponytail, he reminded me of a berserker or some sort of Norse deity. Ironic, since Matt and Vane were born more than fifteen hundred years ago and Rourke was just a bit older than Sylvia.