by Steve McHugh
He sprang to his feet and darted forward, but I managed to get in front of him, blocking his path several feet short of the princes and driving a blade of fire into his stomach. “Now this is going to hurt,” I whispered and tore the dagger out of him, turning it into a whip of fire as it moved, almost cleaving Mordred horizontally in half.
He dropped to his knees and tried to hold his insides in as his blood quickly drenched both himself and the pier. Blood magic glyphs lit up over his arms and while part of me wanted to finish the job, to stop whatever healing he was trying to perform, I had more important matters. Mordred wasn’t going anywhere until he’d managed to heal himself.
I turned to the two boys. The youngest, Richard, was scared and tired looking, while his older brother, Edward, wore a look of defiance.
“Who are you?” Edward demanded.
“Nathaniel Garrett,” I told him. “I’m here to take you to safety.”
“Buckingham lied to me and took us by force. He was going to kill us to start a war.”
“I know,” I said. “Was he on the ship?”
Edward shook his head. “He left to go alone several days ago. What was it that attacked the ship and brought us here?”
I saw no reason to hide the truth. “A leviathan. They’re intelligent creatures, more related to dragons. It would be best if you didn’t mention them ever again.”
“A dragon saved me from a ship and its child brought me and my brother to shore inside a wave.” Edward chuckled, but there was no humor in it. “I don’t believe I’ll be mentioning it to anyone.”
He glanced behind me at Mordred. “Did you hurt him?” Edward’s eyes hardened, and I wondered what Mordred had done during his time holding the boys captive.
I nodded.
“Can we leave now?” Richard asked softly.
“Yes, we’ll take you to Brighton for a few days; you can rest up until Avalon arrives to take you to safety.”
“Avalon. I was told about them before I took the crown,” Edward said. “I assume I won’t be returning to my kingship.”
“No, you’ll be taken somewhere safe to live out your lives in whatever matter you see fit. You’ll live good, long, happy lives, but you will never rule anyone.”
“And our mother?”
“She’ll be informed that you’re safe and well,” I explained. “And she’ll be able to come see you both when you’re settled.”
I led the boys off the pier, meeting Thomas who was bloody, but in human form. “We won then,” he said.
“Something along those lines, yes,” I told him. “Take Edward and Richard somewhere safe in the village; I’ll go finish with Mordred.”
“Enjoy,” Thomas said and signaled the two boys to follow him.
I watched them walk off and then slowly made my way back to Mordred, who was leaning up against another wooden post near the end of the pier.
“So, you’re going to kill me?” he called out.
“Yes, Mordred. I’m going to end you once and for all. But first, I’m going to make you tell me where Ivy is.”
I was about ten feet from him when the ocean exploded up around the end of the pier and the young leviathan leapt onto the wooden boards next to Mordred, grabbing the injured man and dragging him into the waves before I could stop him.
“Alan,” I screamed. “You bastard.”
Alan appeared just beside the pier, his entire body made of the same water he stood upon.
“I’ll kill you for this,” I said.
“Sorry, Nathaniel, but you never mentioned that it was Mordred you were going up against. If you had, I’d have never joined you. I owe Mordred, and, quite frankly, I’m a lot more scared of him than I am of you.” With that he vanished back into the waves, leaving me raging and bloody on the pier.
Epilogue
It took weeks to get the boys settled in at Avalon and to sort out the mess that Mordred and Buckingham had created. The entire contents of Alan’s house had vanished, although he left the crowns behind, which I melted down to nothing when I burned his home to the ground.
By the time I got around to getting back to London, Richard had executed Buckingham and then been killed in the battle at Bosworth Field. Merlin explained that he’d allowed Richard to die, since Henry, who had just been crowned, was a better long-term prospect. Even so, I requested that I be the one to give the new king his welcome to the world he now found himself in.
Unfortunately for Henry, I’d begun to hear fabricated tales of Richard’s wickedness and cowardice well before I’d reached London. By the time I found myself actually walking into the Tower of London, the tales turned from fantasy to reality. They included Richard’s naked body being paraded through the city and his grave site being whatever river they’d dumped his body into.
The celebration that was being held in the king’s court when I arrived only hardened the anger I was feeling at the treatment of someone I’d respected.
I walked through the crowd of people, who were all enjoying themselves to the sounds of the lute and harp, and stopped before Henry.
“Do you not bow before your king, knave?” an older woman beside Henry asked.
“My name is Hellequin,” I allowed my air magic to carry the word around the court. Enough people there knew of Avalon, and it didn’t take long for them to quiet others. Once silence had descended, I continued without looking back at the crowd. “Anyone who isn’t I or the king leave. Now.”
The entire room emptied apart from me, the king and the older woman.
“How dare you speak to my son in this manner,” the older woman snapped.
I waved my hand and she fell silent, the air removed from her lungs. She choked and coughed and dropped to her knees.
“If you speak to me in that way again, I will burst the lungs in your chest,” I informed her before allowing her to breathe again.
“Black magic, demon… demon spawn,” she stuttered, remaining on the floor.
“It’s magic, but nothing black about it,” I assured her without taking my gaze off Henry, who was the very picture of shock. “I come from Avalon. I assume you have been told about us.”
Henry nodded. “I am king because you allow it,” he said. “Does that sum it up?”
“That’s a pretty good summation, yes.”
“I don’t understand why you’re so angry, though. I won the battle against Richard fair and square.”
“Less than fair,” I said. “But I don’t begrudge you a win. I begrudge your treatment of Richard after his death.”
“He was not fit to be king. He was without God’s will,” the older woman said.
“Your name is Margaret, is it not?” I asked her and she nodded. “As you’re the king’s mother, I will give you one final warning. Be silent or leave.”
She opened her mouth to speak, but Henry raised his hand and she remained silent. “Do not speak to her in that way,” he said calmly. “Your anger is with me.”
He had a point and I took a deep breath. “Richard doesn’t deserve the lies of cowardice and rumors that he had his nephews murdered. Neither of those things is true. He was a good man.”
“I agree,” Henry said to my utter shock. “But whatever I think, the damage is already done. I cannot recant a rumor any more than I can turn the tides away from the shore.”
“You can bury him properly though.”
“Yes, overzealous followers are wont to do stupid things. His body is already being recovered and will be buried. There will be no fanfare or procession for his legacy, but I will not allow him to be dumped in the river like rubbish. Does this ease your anger?”
“I liked him,” I said louder than I’d meant to. “You killed someone I liked, and I should take your head for it. I’ve killed for less. But you are needed here.”
Henry remained silent for a short time. “He was not a bad man,” he finally said. “But I defeated him, and I am now king. My destiny was always to wear the crown and rule this land. I do not ta
ke my responsibilities lightly.”
To be honest the meeting wasn’t going the way I’d expected. I’d hoped he would be so full of pomp and arrogance that I could vent and make him fear me with satisfaction. But instead, he was calm and rational, making me seem to be the crazy asshole who’d stormed a king’s coronation.
“You will be the best king this land can have,” I told him. “You will bring stability and common-sense to these people. Because anything less and Avalon will send someone for a second visit, and they’re normally a lot less pleasant than the first.”
Henry stepped forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. “I am sorry that I am not the king you wanted. But I will be the king these people need. I will do great things and I will not dishonor this crown or position.”
I looked him in the eyes as he spoke. His mother would try to control him. I’d heard she’d been trying to arrange power for her son for many years, and I doubted she would stop just because he’d achieved her goal. If Henry could become his own man, he could be a great king.
We spoke for a short time more about what Avalon wished of him, and I left believing that maybe England could gain some stability after so many years of civil wars. As I exited the Tower of London, I said a silent good-bye to Richard and hoped that at some point people would remember him for his bravery in battle and his willingness to try to create peace in the country he lived. And not as the monster the tales were beginning to suggest.
Acknowledgements
The list of people I need to thank for helping me put this novella out is no shorter than when producing a full-length novel.
Firstly, my wife and 3 daughters. You are, and always shall be, one of the main reasons I write. Your unwavering support and interest in what I do, makes those long days of editing and pulling my hair out over a tiny plot decision worthwhile. I love you all.
My parents, the rest of my friends and family, you too have always supported me and I probably wouldn’t be here right now, typing out these words without it. Thank you.
To D.B.Reynolds and Michelle Muto, both incredible writers and friends and both deserving of every accolade and fan they receive. Never could I have hoped to meet two more amazing people.
To my editors, Jennifer Gaynor and Bea, you both helped create this novella with your red pen and suggestions. You both have my eternal gratitude for your help.
Eamon O’Donoghue. The man who has done my covers since Crimes Against Magic was published over 18 months ago (seriously where has the time gone?) I’m honored that you agree to do the covers for me. I probably owe you several pints of beer by now.
To everyone on Facebook or Twitter who took the time to say hi and tell me they enjoyed the books. To those of you who e-mailed and did the same, or spent a few minutes writing a review. Thank you. It’s always a pleasure to get feedback and be able to talk to people who are as excited about my work as I am.
If you want to come say hi, or see what I’m up to, feel free to pop over to my author page on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/hellequinchronicles) my twitter account (https://twitter.com/StevejMchugh) or my blog (http://stevejmchugh.wordpress.com/)
