“Everything, I just never questioned her.” He sighed, rubbing his head. “What tipped you off?”
“You’re questioning about Ivy.” I replied, “And the fact that you wanted to discuss classified information in front of a stranger.”
“Yeah, fuck, that was dumb.” He sighed.
“Sterling is here, he’s taking care of everything,” I told him. He nodded and patted my shoulder.
“You did good, son. Followed protocol exactly like you were supposed to.” It had been a while since I had received a compliment from my father. I gave him a small smile and nodded.
“So, um, I might have done a thing,” Owen said, suddenly standing next to me. He still had his phone open in his hand.
“Ivy’s coming.” I guessed. She was a worry wart.
“And Morgana.” Owen gave me an unsure look. “Not Ivy’s fault.”
“The Lady Morgana is coming?” My father gasped and then stood. He wobbled for a moment, and I managed to support his balance enough to help him sit back on the couch.
“My Lady!” Sterling suddenly shouted from the study.
“What in all the hells is going on here, Sterling?” I heard Morgana's sharp, authoritative voice as she opened the door. She swept into the room like she owned the place, her head raised high and her eyes that sparkling emerald. As soon as Isabel and Morgana locked eyes, the creature fell unconscious.
“Whitney, are you alright?” she demanded.
“My lady.” My father slid off the couch to land on one knee.
“Oh, enough with that.” Morgana huffed, “Tell me what happened here.” She demanded. Ivy followed her out of the study with a sheepish smile. We caught eyes, and she mouthed “sorry” towards me. I shrugged. It wasn’t a big deal and the fact that Morgana was there actually made me feel safer. No matter the power of the knocked out troll in the dining room, Morgana would be able to control any situation.
Morgana went to me, ignoring my father who was still kneeling on the floor next to me. Reaching up, she set her hands on the two sides of my face and stared into my eyes, like she was looking for something.
“I see.” She nodded and then let go. Turning, she addressed the room, “I want everyone who is not combat certified to leave this room” That was Ivy and Owen. I passed my certification exam shortly before school started, as I was a knight and it was expected of me to begin training with special ops teams.
“Ryker, you too sweetling.” Morgana then said to me. I gave her a long look and then obliged, following Owen and Ivy upstairs. “No matter what you hear, do not come down those stairs.” She instructed as the three of us looked back from the top of the stairs. We nodded.
Ivy was the first to sit on the top step as if daring her grandmother to send her farther away. Morgana gave her a look of disapproval but said nothing more. Owen and I sat on either side of her, but it was cramped so we all kind of squished together. From our view at the top of the stairs, we could see half of the dining room and half of the living room.
“I’m sorry about this. I told her you guys had it under control.” Ivy whispered to me. She smelled like coconut, and I had the weirdest urge to bury my nose in her hair. We had only seen each other that morning, and I had missed her.
“It makes me feel better that she’s here,” Owen said when I didn’t say anything. I should have said that, but I was so distracted by having her so close to me. Usually, I avoided situations like this, with her.
“Are you okay?” Ivy whispered up to me. The adults below us were preparing to interrogate the enemy troll. Morgana drew a circle of entrapment under the chair, while Sterling assisted. The old sorceress wouldn’t allow the general to help much, especially since he was still having trouble balancing. Turning my head, I was surprised to find our faces so close together as she gazed up at me with those wide emerald eyes.
“I’m fine.” I shrugged. “I mean, an evil troll just used a cursed medallion to mind control my father, just another ordinary day in Mythos.” She nodded but discreetly wrapped her fingers around mine.
“Alright, wake her,” Morgana ordered Sterling. The Emrys warlock removed his gloves and then ran his palm over her forehead. Isabella jolted awake, her eyes flashing yellow. Yep, definitely a troll. She struggled against her ties, and then as her eyes drifted around the room, she realized the spell circle she was in and who the sorceress was in front of her.
“Morgana Le Fay, I’m honored,” Isabella said in a sinister tone.
“Why were you asking about my granddaughter?” Morgana went straight to the point.
“Who isn’t asking about your granddaughter?” Isabella laughed, then her eyes flipped up to the top of the stairs. I had the sudden urge to throw my body in front of Ivy’s, to block her from the trolls view.
“Oh, she is pretty.” Isabella grinned. That was when the realization hit me. We were comfortable in the protection that the school provided, but outside of campus, Ivy was a big deal, for the good and the bad guys. I don’t know why it had never occurred to me that the only heir of Morgana Le Fay would be a major target for those wanting anarchy and chaos. The pressure to protect her amplified tenfold.
“Who gave you this?” Morgana held out the strange pendant that we found on my father.
“Just something I had lying around.” Isabella shrugged. Morgana gave her a long look.
“Fine, then you won’t mind if I just put this on you.” Morgana reached over Isabella, holding the chain wide to set it over her head.
“No!” Isabella cowered away, moving her head this and that. Morgana took a step back, giving her a knowing look.
“Who gave it to you?” Morgana demanded again. “Trolls cannot do this type of magic, someone had to make it for you.” Isabella started to sob as she realized that all hope was lost for her. She was in the clutches of the oldest sorceress on Earth, trying to harm the most precious possession of that sorceress. There was no escape for her.
“I don’t know.” Isabella choked out through sobs. “This person, I don’t know, he was in red and gold robes, and he asked if I needed some extra cash. I thought no problem. Then he instructed me that a man was coming to the resort for a week and to befriend him and get him to put that on.” Once she started spilling her guts, it all came out. “I did, and then when I got it on him, it quickly became apparent that he did whatever I told him to do. The man in the robes paid me a ridiculous amount of money to join him here and have him question his son about a girl named Ivy. I had no idea who she was or who she was related to.”
“And if you did?” The air was suddenly thick with Morgana's power. It was hard to breathe.
“I would never cross you, my Lady.” It was amazing to me how people could change their dispositions so easily when threatened.
After that, the black suits came and carted her away to some remote Mythos prison. The three of us sat on the stairs and watched for probably over an hour. What did this mean? Were dangerous people after Ivy? I set my arm over her leg, and she rested her head on my shoulder. No one was getting close to her, not while I was around. I shared a long look with Owen, and I could tell he was thinking the same. We shouldn’t be separated. It was too dangerous. Ivy needed us, and it was apparent that we needed her.
Once the danger was clear, they had to take my father in for questioning. Before he left, he waved me to come down the stairs. I stood in front of him, wondering how I should feel or what I should say? I had saved him, but that was more for my country than protecting him.
“You did well, son.” He smiled, setting his large hand on my shoulder.
“I think I’m going to go to Texas,” I said, nodding my head towards Ivy. He looked up at her too.
“She sure is a pretty one.” He nodded, then he did something that I never thought possible. He pulled me into a hug. My father wasn’t one for physical affection; in fact, I could never really remember him embracing me before. “Thank you, son,” He whispered in my ear. “You are a great man and a testament to the Pendragon name. I
am proud of you.” He then pulled away, his face stern as he looked up at Ivy again. “And if you need help about that one, let me know.” With that, he followed the black suits outside. Did he just offer to help me get the powers-that-be to back off if I wanted a relationship with Ivy? Did he have that kind of power?
“I’m going to go with him,” Sterling said, walking up to me.
“Thank you for your help,” I said, shaking his hand. He paused to gaze up the stairs.
“I know that, uh, well, a year ago and all that, but know, the three of you can always call me if you’re in trouble.” He said in a serious tone. I nodded. I had known this man my entire life, he had been like another father to me, but the disdain I felt for him clutched in my stomach, making me feel nauseous. I wasn’t sure if we could ever forgive him for what happened, but I also knew that he thought he did the right thing.
“Alright, you three with me,” Morgana said when the house cleared out.
We followed her like obedient puppies. We were scared, and Morgana was a safety net. She led us back to the den where a large mirror hung on the wall. Sweeping her hand over the glass, a new image appeared of a feminine looking study. She instructed us to step through. Ivy went first, then Owen, and then me. We entered the study, full of light colored woods, flowers, and other feminine touches.
“This is my mother's office,” Ivy said absently and then led us through a pair of French glass doors. A middle-aged couple sat on bar stools that they had positioned to face the doors.
“Oh, thank goodness you are alright.” The woman said, throwing her arms around Ivy. Without a doubt, this was Ivy’s mother as she shared all the similar features of the other Le Fay women – blonde hair, green eyes, ridiculously pretty. Ivy’s father looked like a typical middle-aged man, complete with a pot belly and thinning brown hair. Wire-framed round glasses sat on his long nose.
“Mom, dad, this is Owen Emrys and Ryker Pendragon.” Ivy then said once her mother had released her. The pair looked at us with wide eyes. I was the first to step forward and hold out my hand to her father.
“Harold Hudson.” He said, shaking my hand. Owen went next, and we spent a couple minutes exchanging pleasantries.
“Enough of that,” Morgana said, sweeping into the room. “We have work to do.”
“What happened?” Ivy’s father demanded.
“I can’t tell you that Harold, you know that,” Morgana replied politely but sternly. Harold’s face tightened, and then he looked at Ivy. I could tell the man adored her.
“Well, you boys must be hungry, let me fix something real fast, and then I’ll make up the guest room.” Helena, Ivy’s mother, said and then she started bustling around the kitchen. Owen was weirdly quiet. I gave him a questioning look.
“We still need to go to that thing tomorrow.” He whispered. I nodded, understanding the importance of it.
“What thing?” Ivy asked. We both stared at her surprised by her presence. The adults had dispersed, starting one job or another, so we were alone in the living room.
“To see my mother,” Owen said after a moment. Ivy gave him a long look. We hadn’t told her what happened, though she does know that something did happen.
“Oh, with the way you talked about her, I thought she was. . . well, dead.” Ivy said gently. Owen shook his head. “Well, I can bring you back there tomorrow.” She then said, no questions asked. I had to admit, this was one of the things I admired most about her; she wasn’t prodding.
Morgana called us into the dining room where both a feast and a mountain of books were waiting for us. We took our seats, and Helena helped make our plates. She was a wonderful, warm woman that actually reminded me of Constance.
“Alright,” Morgana said, sitting down with us. “You three will focus on research about your winter project and nothing else.”
“But,” I started.
“No buts.” Morgana cut me off. “I will handle the other situation, you three focus on your own job.”
“Yes, my lady.” I begrudgingly agreed. My curiosity churned at the knowledge of the people with the red robes and the weird symbol.
While we ate our delicious food, the three of us each grabbed a book and started reading. It was an odd sort of moment as this was the first time the three of us had faced real danger. I knew that this was only the beginning, but already I could feel our group growing closer. The protectiveness I felt for them, and they me, was so intense that I feared what might happen if it was tested.
Chapter Seven:
Owen:
“Don’t say anything to the other team,” I said to Ivy. The day after we arrived at Ivy’s house, two letters came in the mail for Ryker and me. Ivy didn’t get one. Inside, was an actual literal letter, I got “E” and Ryker got “A.” The members of the other team each got a letter as well. They were on their way to Ivy’s house so we could assemble and strategize. There was no return address on the envelope, but all of our guts told us to follow it. Ryker was the only one giving us a hard time. He was suspicious now after what happened to his father.
“Of course I won’t,” Ivy replied glaring up at me. Had I insulted her?
We had gone to see my mother two days ago. Ivy went with us, and for some reason, that seemed right. We went to the Mythos Mental Health Facility in Arlington. I brought her flowers, as always, lilies. She was no better than she was before. All she did was sit, staring off into space, babbling incoherently. I doubted she even knew we were there. I would never forgive my father for what he had done to my mother. She was a shell of her former self, the once proud Emrys sorceress deduced to tapioca pudding and eating Scrabble letters. I tried to see her at least twice a year, but every time I went, it grew harder. She wasn’t getting better, and no one knew why. Though Ivy usually asks a million questions, she was silent that day, just offering her support. I could not have been more grateful to her.
“I just, no one else really knows her condition.” I tried to explain.
“I would never say anything to anyone.” She snapped. I didn’t understand why she was growing so irritated with me.
We were standing near one of the many baggage claims of DFW Airport. It was crowded as it was the holiday season. Ryker had volunteered to stay home and try to make sense of all the letters. With my “E” and Ryker’s “A,” the other team also got an “E,” “L,” “N,” and “B.” We figured it was an anagram, and Ryker was best suited for that sort of mind game. Our research was fruitless as the only mention of the sword was that Merlin cast it “far away.” So at least we had that.
At the bottom of each page that the letters came on, there was a symbol stamped on it. The symbol looked like the one that Whitney had been tricked into wearing, only no swords were sticking out of it, and the same runic symbol was in a triangle instead of a circle. Since Morgana was not allowed to help us with our quest, we decided that the best way to proceed was to figure out what the letters spelled.
Ryker was also on the verge of a panic attack since we picked, in his words, “the most impossible damn quest known to man.” I reminded him about the Holy Grail, and he told me to go fuck myself.
Cooper, Agatha, Melody, and Hailey emerged from the gate. We greeted each other and then loaded up in Ivy’s mom’s SUV. On the way from the airport, we discussed the letters.
“So, from what I can decipher the most likely anagram from the letters is El Bean.” Melody was saying.
“Why the hell would it say El Bean?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
“Why didn’t Ivy get a letter?” Cooper then asked. Ivy stiffened in the seat next to me as she let out a loud huff.
“That’s a touchy subject,” I replied. In fact, when Ryker and I had received our letters, and the other team had received theirs on the same day, Ivy threw a fit.
“El Bean could be a restaurant,” Hailey added.
“See if it’s on the TomTom,” I said handing the device back to Hailey.
“The word could also be Enable,” Agatha added.<
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“Enable what?” I asked as I weaved in and out of traffic.
“I don’t know.” Agatha snapped, “This whole thing is confusing.”
“Who sent us the letters?” Cooper asked. I stared at his dumb face for a moment. I loved knights, in fact, they were among my favorite mythos creatures besides wizards, but sometimes they can be narrow-minded and dull. Not all knights had to be smart.
“We don’t know,” I said after a moment.
“Then why are we following it?” Hailey asked, tossing her golden blonde hair out of her eyes.
“Do you have a better idea?” I countered.
“Look, I know you guys are the coveted and renowned Team Camelot,” Melody started, rolling her big blue eyes, “And we’re, like, basically Camelot light, but we demand that you share all information with us.” I saw immediately that the comment had infuriated Ivy. Her eyes sparked green as she twisted around in her seat to glare into the back.
“Let’s get one thing straight,” Ivy started, “We are Team Camelot, and you guys are, what was it? Team Lake? So, I’m going to say that we don’t have to share whatever damn information we want.” I had never seen this bitchy side of Ivy, and I had to admit, I liked it. Melody leaned back in her seat, her eyes wide with outrage.
“My legacy is just as powerful, if not more.” Agatha asserted, leaning forward towards Ivy. Ivy glared at her for a long moment.
“And yet, you’re team didn’t even rank.” She replied in a low, threatening voice with a wide smile on her face. The results of finals ranked all the teams in numerical order. We had finished first that year.
“Come on ladies, right now we’re all on the same team.” Cooper tried to intervene.
“You take your orders from the Pendragon, you don’t get a say in this.” Melody snapped.
“He is the King of Knights.” Cooper shrugged, sitting back in his seat.
“That’s just an empty title, and you know it.” Agatha snapped. The Code of the Order stated that the King of Knights wielded Excalibur. Therefore, though Ryker holds the hereditary title, it didn’t have a lot of weight behind it in actual government. In fact, the other knights just honored it as a sign of respect.
Legacies Page 11
