by Lexi Blake
“Will you be joining us for dinner?” I asked him as we all started down the stairs.
“No,” he replied. “I must think for a while. Now that the king is on the road to recovery, I believe things will happen very quickly. I have a feeling that big events are upon us, and I need to decide how to handle them.”
“Shouldn’t Daniel decide?” I wasn’t able to stop the question from leaving my mouth.
“I must make sure he understands all the possible outcomes,” Myrddin said mysteriously. “I have found that when playing chess, it’s important to think many moves ahead. You must anticipate your opponent’s next move and decide your strategy accordingly, even if that strategy requires some rather odd maneuvering. I will think on it. Good evening.”
Somehow, I was pretty sure he wasn’t really talking about chess.
Chapter Twenty-Six
It was forty-eight hours before Daniel was up and walking. I spent that whole time taking care of Dev, who was the biggest baby about having his heart reach critical mass and come minutes from exploding. He needed someone—that someone being me—to hold his hand. He was too tired to feed himself. He was scared at night and had nightmares and needed me to hold him while he slept. When he mentioned he was too tired to have sex but really needed it and a blow job might be helpful to Daniel because he fed off sexual energy, I just laughed at him.
After that he found the strength to pin me down and take full advantage of the fact that he didn’t have to wear that little piece of dreaded latex. The funny thing was he was right. Daniel woke up about an hour later, his head throbbing and in desperate need of a fix. After a little play time with me—and he got the blow job I wasn’t about to give Dev because his heart had actually come out of his body—he was ready to get out of bed. I had been eating like a horse, anything Nim cooked, because the last thing I needed was to get weak and have Danny’s body try to take up the slack, so I was sure I wasn’t dragging him down.
“Is that a good idea?” Dev asked as he walked in front of Daniel down the stairs toward the main floor of the crystal castle.
Daniel growled a little. “Dev, I’ve been in bed for days. I’m fine. I’m not going to get better if I don’t get up and move around.”
“Well, I felt terrible for days,” Dev said, backing down the stairs. I’m not sure what he intended to do beyond be something Danny fell into if he lost his balance.
Danny’s dimples came out. “That’s ‘cause you’re a wimp, Dev.”
I threw my hands up and moved passed them. “I don’t think it helped that I was so freaked out I promised him anything. I fed the man for a day and a half and rubbed his feet because he said he couldn’t feel them because the operation had screwed up his circulatory system.”
Daniel held his hand up and Dev smacked it. “Nice, Dev,” Daniel said. “I should have thought of that. All I managed to get was a blow job.”
Dev shook his head. “I overplayed my hand and asked for oral too late into the game. She was tired from all my other requests.”
“I’m peeing on a stick at the first given opportunity,” I swore. “And after that, the two of you are waiting on me hand and foot for the next nine months.”
“Z,” Neil said from the bottom of the stairs. “You should hurry. Myrddin and Nim are screaming at each other.”
“About what?” I hurried down because if Nim was going to turn Myrddin into a pretzel, then I wanted to see it.
“I don’t know.” Neil guided me toward the stairs to the dungeons. “You know how Myrddin’s been doing all that prophecy stuff? Well, he thinks he knows what’s going to happen and he won’t tell Nim.”
I could hear Nim yelling from the top of the stairs.
“You can’t! You know we can’t do that,” Nim yelled, her voice hoarse. It was obvious they had been at it for a while. “He needs you. He needs a mentor now more than ever. You can’t just leave him.”
I wanted to jump up and down and throw a big old party at the thought of Myrddin leaving, but then I saw Daniel’s face. He steeled himself and started down the stairs.
“Damn it, Dan,” Dev cursed. “Be careful, please.”
Daniel wasn’t listening. He rushed toward the fight and Dev, Neil, and I followed.
“What do you mean you’re leaving?” Daniel asked, and I heard the little boy behind the question. It made me wonder what that single moment when Daniel had reached out and Myrddin answered had meant to my husband.
Myrddin’s face was long as he turned to his pupil. “Daniel, you have to understand that things will play out as they will. I’ve spent the days since I fixed your heart in quiet contemplation. I have been musing on the way things must work and I’ve come to several conclusions.”
“Like I don’t need you?” Daniel asked and there was an accusation behind the question.
Myrddin sent him a sad smile. “You do not, Your Highness. Not just yet.”
Daniel’s jaw firmed, a sign of stubborn will. “How can you say that? I just had surgery and I have to go out to the biggest fight of my life. I need everyone I can gather on my side.”
The wizard walked forward and placed his hands on Daniel’s shoulders. They were almost the same height and Myrddin looked deeply into Daniel’s eyes, seeming to find some connection there. “I know that it seems like that, my king, but this is merely the beginning. I have come to the conclusion that I must step back and allow you to claim the crown on your own. It’s a mistake I made with Arthur that I don’t intend to make with you.”
Daniel moved away from him and began to pace the room. “How is it a mistake to get my crown? I thought that was the goal of all of this.”
“I believe Myrddin is saying he needs to allow you to claim your crown on your own,” Dev interjected. He looked back at me and it was easy to see Dev was perfectly fine with Myrddin leaving.
The wizard nodded. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. Daniel, I don’t want to take this step but I believe it’s important. Part of Arthur’s problem during his reign was the fact that some of his subjects believed I placed him on the throne and then controlled him. It was not the truth, but we couldn’t get past the rumor with some.”
“So you just let me hang?” Daniel asked.
“I don’t know what you mean by that, Daniel,” he replied, obviously confused by the modern slang. “Please don’t think that I want you to fail. I’m only doing this because I know you will succeed. You’ll gain your crown and it won’t be tainted by my presence. You’ll be the king and no one can challenge you on it. When the time comes, and it will, I will return to you and be your good counselor.”
“I don’t give a damn what people think,” Daniel challenged him. “I don’t give a real damn about any of this. I just want to get it over so I can have my life back.”
Sorrow dimmed Nim’s natural light as she approached the vampire. “Daniel, I’m so sorry but whatever life you’re talking about is gone. You will either be the King of all Vampire or you will die. If you die, Devinshea and Zoey won’t be far behind. Once you’re king, your life will be changed forever. You will never be the anonymous husband and father you wanted to be. You will never be left alone to live a quiet life. It’s a sad truth about those with a grand destiny.”
“I didn’t ask for a grand destiny.” Daniel argued, but he was caught and had been for a very long time. “I don’t want it.”
“Which is why you were chosen, Daniel,” Myrddin said gravely. “Fame seekers and gold diggers are not given these great gifts for the simple fact that they would misuse them. But you were given great compensation for the job you must do. You were given your queen and your friend. Not many people get to spend a long lifetime with two people they love.”
Daniel slumped into the nearest available chair, and I moved to his side, tucking my hand into his. Dev sat next to him. “And I am grateful for the love I’ve been given, but I don’t see why I can’t have someone to guide me through this. I don’t know how to be a king. I was born in New
port, Rhode Island. I was raised in Dallas. There aren’t a lot of kings there. My dad was a thief and my mom worked at a beauty salon washing people’s hair. I don’t how to do this.”
Myrddin knelt at the king’s knee. “You do, Your Highness. You know what to do deep down. You know what the world needs and you know how to achieve it. The rest of the stuff, the rituals and superficialities, Devinshea can teach you, but you were born to do this. I don’t care where you were born or where you were raised, you were born a king and you will die one. No counselor can change that. Trust your queen. Trust your partner. Trust yourself. You will win the day and you will rule wisely. When you have true need of me, I’ll come for you and then we can keep our acquaintance quiet. It doesn’t need to taint your crown.”
“I’m not ashamed of you, teacher,” Daniel said with far too much emotion.
“And that makes me happy, Daniel,” Myrddin replied. “You can’t understand how that makes me feel. But Daniel, if you trust me, then you must trust me even when my wisdom runs counter to your own wants. You need to do this on your own. I swear I won’t steer you wrong.”
I felt Daniel squeeze my hand and he slowly let out a deep breath. “All right, teacher. I hope you’re right.”
“You’re sure?” Nim asked, flustered by the turn of events.
“I am, Nim.” Myrddin sounded tired of the argument. “I don’t know how many times I have to say it. If you no longer believe in my magic then please feel free to find another tutor. I need to learn this plane as it is today. The king needs to claim his crown. It’s not the end of his trouble, not even close. When he needs me, I’ll find him.”
Nim bowed her head in acquiescence. “All right, then. I will be your teacher in this. I know this world a little. I’ll go with you and we’ll learn what you need to learn.”
“Nimue?” The word came out as a breathless question, and I could see the remnants of whatever feelings the wizard had once had spark back to life.
Nim flashed a brief smile. “I promise you nothing but companionship, Myrddin. I want to watch over you and make sure you cause no trouble. Devinshea, can you arrange to have the contents of the castle moved to a secure location? Now that the veil has been opened, any decent witch should be able to find it.”
“I’ll have it all moved to Ether,” Dev promised. “Your rooms will be kept ready for you at any time and if you require money, I’ll provide it.”
“Are we leaving then?” Stewart walked into the room. He’d been conspicuously absent for the last two days. Zack had told me Stewart had acted as a focal point for the wizard’s divination.
The wizard stood and regarded the demon with a certain affection. “It’s time we all did our jobs, Nemcox. I’m sure there will be a reward awaiting you on the other side of this mess.”
Stewart’s smile was sure and slick. “I’m certain of it as well, My Lord.”
Myrddin crossed over to a large table and picked up a box. “This is for you, Daniel. When I was exiled here, Nimue was kind enough to pack away certain important items she knew would be helpful to my next student. Among them are the thirteen treasures of Britain. They will be moved to this club of Devinshea’s along with my other possessions, but you will need this one, I’m certain. This is the Mantle of Arthur and now it’s yours.”
Daniel let go of my hand and opened the box on his lap. He pulled out a long dark cloak. He looked at the wizard, confusion plain on his handsome face.
“Devinshea, if you will permit me?” Myrddin gestured for Dev to stand.
I started to protest because the last time the wizard experimented on my faery prince it had almost cost him his life, but before I could get a word out, he tossed the cloak over Dev’s shoulder and everything from his neck down completely disappeared.
“Holy Harry Potter, it’s an invisibility cloak,” Daniel said with a look of wonder.
Myrddin shook his head. “I don’t know this Potter boy, but he must be important. Your retinue references him often. Perhaps I shall seek him out. Anyway, it’s indeed an invisibility cloak. Keep it close to you. You’re still very weak and it may come in handy.”
“Do I look like a dancing head?” Dev grinned as he moved around.
“Yes, it’s creepy.” I shuddered. We were on British soil, planning a coup. I didn’t need to see my husband’s head without his body. It was too close to what could happen if we got caught. “Take it off.”
Dev drew the cloak off, but he was still smiling. “Halloween is going to be so much fun this year.”
Daniel put the lid back on the box after Dev folded the cloak up. His lips turned down. “I should get back to the real world, then. Nim said I would heal better there.”
“You will, Daniel,” she said sagely. “It’s your home plane. The energy of it will be more soothing to your body. You’ll be feeling much more like yourself in a week or two. For now, you will go through periods of great weakness and you just have to get through them. No training for at least a week. Devinshea might need longer.”
Dev shook his head. “I’m feeling much better. My body feels fine though when I attempted to use Bris’s powers, they were a bit sluggish.”
“The magic I used threw off his, I would think,” Myrddin explained. “Can the fertility god take over?”
Dev’s eyes bled to a full emerald green. “I am still here, wizard. If your thought was to get rid of me, you have failed.”
Myrddin sighed. “Always thinking the worst of me. I merely wanted to make sure you could still come out. Devinshea says your powers are weak.”
Bris nodded. “Yes, but I believe you’re correct. The magic of the stasis chamber drained us both. We feel a bit better every day. We’ll be in fighting form in a week or two. We need rest and sex.”
Dev came back, giving me the most delicious grin. “Damn straight.”
Daniel stood suddenly. “Right. We’ll leave now. I need to get Z to the Order’s HQ. I’m not the only one who needs to rest. She needs better than what we can provide her with here.”
Myrddin shook Daniel’s hand warmly. “I’ll look forward to the time when you truly need me, Daniel. Get your crown. Take care of your queen. I’ll see you before you know it.”
“I’ll look forward to the time as well,” Daniel replied, obviously trying not to get choked up. He turned to Dev. “Let’s go get the wolves ready. I want to leave as soon as possible. We’ll get out of here and call the Order to come pick us up. Do you need a ride somewhere, teacher?”
“I think we’ll figure something out, Daniel,” Nim said. “We need a few more days here to get things ready and then we’ll make our way. I’ll go with you. I’d like to say good-bye to the wolves as well. Come along, Stewart.”
Stewart followed eagerly but when I attempted to ascend the stairs, the wizard pulled me back.
“Your Highness, a word, please.” His dark eyes took in every inch of me.
“What do you want?” I would prefer not to spend alone time with a dude I had a kill order on.
He let go of my arm and slumped into the chair Daniel had previously occupied. “I’ve spent the past days in divination. I’ve been attempting to see the future, but it all comes back to you, dear. Every single scenario comes back to you. Now why is that, my queen?”
“Maybe it’s because I’m a nexus point.” It was the only thing I could think that might answer his question.
The wizard threw back his head in rueful laughter. “Naturally. I was hoping you were some light-skirt I could distract with the fertility god but no, you have to be a nexus point. I’m leaving for a while because it has been made clear to me that this isn’t my charge’s fight.”
“How can you say that? This is all about Daniel.”
Myrddin pointed a finger my way. “No, this is all about you. I can lift Daniel’s ego, but it means nothing. Daniel won’t win this fight. It will be won or lost because of you, girl. You will either have the guts and the courage to look past your own grief or you will not. You must sta
y strong, my queen. You must not give in.”
“Grief? Over what?” I asked, a chill running across my skin. Something bad was coming for me. For all of us. I could see it in his eyes. He’d seen my future and it wasn’t good. “You have to tell me.”
The wizard shook his head. “I do not envy you, my queen. I can say nothing further without angering people I don’t wish to anger. They watch you, Queen Zoey. Heaven and Hell and everyone in between. If you survive, I’ll see you again. I know we’ve started poorly, but I look forward to the day. Now go and play your part. In the end, it will be only you but you are never alone. Remember that.”
“Please tell me what’s going to happen.” I didn’t like to beg, but I would get on my knees if I had to.
The wizard put a hand on my shoulder. “The world is a balance, child. I cannot upset it without paying a price none of us wishes to pay. Even if I told you, the outcome wouldn’t change. Some things are written. And some things that seem to be punishment are truly a reward for a job well done. You won’t see it until much later.” The wizard hissed and clutched his chest, his skin becoming pale. He looked up as though someone was speaking to him. “I understand. I will be quiet now.” His eyes found mine again. “Don’t hate me, my queen.”
He took a long breath and then he was standing tall again, his face utterly blank. He would say no more to me.
I rushed up the stairs, eager to get back to Danny and Dev. I tried very hard not to think about what the wizard had told me.
* * * *
Stewart seemed almost vibrant with happiness as we approached the veil. It was daylight and the pocket world seemed lit with radiance as we prepared to leave it. We hadn’t come in with much and we were only leaving with one extra souvenir. Myrddin had made sure Zack had the Mantle of Arthur in his backpack. I found it odd that he’d been very specific. Zack must carry it. He’d instructed the wolf how to use it should his master have need.
