by L. H. Nicole
Titania’s towering, living tree palace came into view. It was beautiful and Lacy wished Aliana could see it. No doubt her missing friend would die to see the castle from this angle. She frowned and pressed her chest and cheek against Percy’s back. One of his large, strong hands covered hers, the slightly callused skin of his fingers soothing her.
They got closer to the Fae city, but the Pegasuses didn’t slow, or start to descend. They tucked into a tight formation with Arthur on one side of her and Percy and Leo on her other side.
“What’s going on?” she heard Arthur ask from her right.
Lacy tried brushing her moonbeam-like magic against Belle’s. She felt an instant snapping connection to the creature. There weren’t exactly words, but Lacy understood that the Pegasus was taking them where they needed to be.
“I don’t think Titania’s in the city!” she yelled to the guys, her voice carrying on the wind. “I think they are taking us to where she actually is.”
At this point they really had no choice but to go where the Pegasuses took them.
Belle whinnied and started to descend, leveling off minutes later, as a tall mountain of gold, purple, orange and white loomed closer. A clearing of blue-green earth appeared and the Pegasuses dived. Lacy’s stomach jumped and spun with excitement, before they pulled back at the last second and set down on the open valley ground.
“That was so much better than a rollercoaster ride!” she said when she could catch her breath. Lacy loosened her grip on her boyfriend, ready to jump down, but Belle and the other two Pegasuses started trotting into the woods.
“Where are they taking us now?” Leo asked for all of them.
One hand still gripping the white mane of his mount, Arthur reached back into the pack on his back and pulled out one of the maps. Lacy was impressed when he bravely let go of the animal to open the map, only his strong legs holding him in place on the moving Pegasus.
His golden eyes scanned it quickly. He found what he was looking for and folded it into a more manageable size. “I’m pretty sure we’re here.” He pointed to the top corner, his finger brushing over a single mountain peak.
If she remembered correctly, they were pretty close to Camelot’s ruins.
Leo took the map from Arthur and held it close to his face. “There’s something written here,” he murmured. “But it’s more like an impression, rather than writing.” He angled the map another way. “Got ya, you sod!”
Startled by his outburst, everyone pulled their mounts to a stop and gathered around the Scot.
“What’d you find?” Percy drawled, stretching to look over the map.
“I can just make out a symbol. I recognize it from one of Merlin’s other maps, sire. I believe it’s the symbol for the Well of Realms, but only Avalon is supposed to have one. That’s what Merlin said, right?”
“Well, it seems someone’s been doing his homework, even if it is wrong!” The almost snide, high-pitched voice surprised them all.
They looked to the side and saw Puck floating a few feet from them.
“Where’s the queen?” Arthur demanded.
Puck tsked and waved one orange-skinned finger like a chiding teacher. “Now why would you want to see the queen when I can offer you all the help you want?”
“We have no reason to trust you, trickster. And I have business to discuss with the queen,” Arthur said forcefully. Something had changed in Arthur since they had come to Charleston. A weird energy sparked around him at times. It had only become more evident since Aliana’s kidnapping.
Puck came a little closer. “That business wouldn’t happen to have anything to do with the Destined One, would it?”
Arthur actually growled, anger seeping into his face. His Pegasus shot forward so fast that not even Puck had time to react before his white tunic was being gripped in the king’s hand, Excalibur suddenly at his throat. “If you know what is happening with her, why we suddenly have memories of her in Camelot, tell me now. Or I might decide you’ll look better without your head.”
“Arthur!” the three of them called out, startled and worried. Lacy couldn’t let him hurt Puck! She needed answers.
Puck gulped, but didn’t seem too worried. He raised his hands in surrender and held Arthur’s furious gaze. “Relax, I’m here to help. I actually like your Aliana.”
“He speaks the truth,” a softer voice said from the forest.
A Fae girl, no taller than Lacy, emerged from the purple hued bushes. She had lavender hair that faded into pink, and pale blue eyes, and she ducked her head before looking to Arthur.
“We are both here to help. But the queen does not know it.”
Ever so slowly, Arthur lowered Excalibur and released his death grip on the trickster’s shirt.
He zoomed several feet away, his hands flicking down the material like he was trying to brush away the wrinkles. “Geesh, talk about tightly wound!”
Arthur dismounted his Pegasus, his eyes locked on the trickster.
“Sire, he’s trying to get a rise out of you,” Percy said, swinging a leg over Belle’s bent head and sliding to the ground. He turned and helped Lacy down, tucking her close to his side as they went to their king.
Leo went to Freya and they stared into each other’s eyes for a long moment before gathering with the others.
“Now,” Arthur said, taking a calming breath. “Explain what you two mean.”
The trickster grinned as another came out of the tall brush.
The king and the knights were wide-eyed.
Arthur took a step toward the pale, apricot-haired Fae with beautiful green eyes. “Delphina?”
Dawn snuck another glance at the dark-haired elf leading them through the forest. J’alel was exactly like Lia described him. Though she failed to mention how hot he is, being a dark-haired version of Legolas and all.
Their little party of four, plus an Elf, was hoping the Elven Elders of his people would be able to help them find the Well of Realms. Just after leaving Deidre, the Lady of the freaking Lake, the guys all lost it and suddenly had memories of their lost friend in Camelot.
Camelot! As in the Dark Ages. I wonder if she’s freaking or floating on cloud nine?
“We need to cross the Garnet River before we can reach the village.” J’alel’s regal voice carried through the thick forest vegetation. They had been walking on a thin path through the thick, winding trees of the Red Wind forest.
They trekked up a sloping hill covered with green, gold, red and other autumn-colored leaves until they final reached a long, wide river with rushing water.
Dawn took a leery step back. “We have to cross this to get to your village? Anyone else but me think that’s a little dangerous with rushing water and all?”
J’alel shared a smirk with Galahad. The Elf whistled a long sharp note. For a second nothing happened, then the water started to tremble as large flat stones rose from beneath the waters forming a path to the other side of the wide river.
“Shut the front door!” It was just like the one scene from her favorite movie!
J’alel’s smile broadened. “You sound like your friend, the Destined One.” He leapt gracefully to the first stone. “We must hurry. These stones will not remain above water for long.”
Galahad followed him, both guys easily stepping from stone to stone with a little hop until they reached the other side. Owen was close behind, only Dawn and Wade remained.
“Ladies first, sunshine.”
Dawn narrowed her eyes at him. He knew how she hated that nickname. She also knew he only used it to get a reaction. “Then by all means go ahead, maybe there’ll be some hungry crabs waiting for you as you cross over.” She couldn’t resist the taunt. Verbally sparring with Wade had always been like her own form of catnip. One whiff and she was a goner.
He crossed his arms over his muscled chest. “I already apologized for hurting you, but you must know that we did what we thought best at the time. We only wanted to protect you and Aliana and Lac
y!”
Dawn remained stone faced, but her hands trembled. She could see Wade’s own guilt. Honestly, she had already forgiven him, but she didn’t know if she could place herself in the position to have him disappoint her again.
“You can’t stay pissed off forever.”
She clenched her hands and lifted her chin. “And you’ve done nothing to show me that I can trust you again. I’m not some mindless bimbo who needs a guy to make all her decisions for her.” Not letting him respond, she stepped on to the first stone then the next until she reached the other side.
Wade followed, and she swore she could hear him mumble, “I’ll show you that you can believe in me still.”
J’alel’s silver eyes were asking Dawn what had happened, but she ignored the Elf as he led the way. It wasn’t until the Elf used his longbow to pull aside a heavy curtain of green and orange ivy that she stopped caring about ignoring her knight.
Trees and stone towers had grown together, blending so seamlessly that the intricate detail of the carved stone and the rich green leaves of the trees were almost one. The towers stretched as far back as the eye could see, stone stairs leading up to wondrous homes. Even more breathtaking were the translucent, bubble-like blooms that glowed with colored orbs. Each flower was lit with the different colors of the magic living inside them, lighting up the village like small lanterns.
“Wow!” was all Dawn could say, slowly taking in everything, not wanting to miss a single detail. Her heart started to race, her blood rushing through her veins, and the tingling Merlin had taught her was associated with her Wood Nymph magic blazed to life. The magic was almost calling to her.
“Welcome to my home,” J’alel said, stepping back to allow them to enter. “This is the forest village of the Elves of Red Wind forest and the Wood Nymphs.”
Dawn snapped to attention. “Wood Nymphs?”
“Dawn is part Wood Nymph,” Galahad told J’alel. “It cannot be a coincidence that her people are here with the elders who can lead us to the Well of Realms.”
J’alel studied Dawn with heavy eyes. “I can see it now, your magic,” he said softly. “The magic of this glen must be bringing forth the true strength.”
The Elf led the way through the living city until they reached a wide set of connected towers held up higher in the trees than the other homes they had passed. Gold, orange and green leaves blanketed the forest floor, standing out in stark contrast to the pale gray stone stairs.
“Fantastic, we get to climb a mountain of stairs,” Dawn mumbled.
The guys chuckled as they all started their journey up. The trip up was beautiful, giving Dawn a better view of the village from the high vantage. Aliana would kill to photograph this place! The thought sobered her a little.
“Are we sure this Well of Realms can transcend even time itself?” She’d managed to get a private moment earlier to contact Lacy using the talisman they’d created to communicate across the realms. She wanted to see how their mission was going, as well as to ask if they also gained memories of Aliana in Camelot too. If Aliana was really in Camelot, their time mirrors were even more important!
“Nothing is impossible for the Well of Realms. But it will be no simple task. I know of few who can truly harness the Well’s great magic.”
Galahad’s jaw tightened. Even though Dawn totally thought King Arthur was a better match for her missing sister, she couldn’t deny that the knight was hopelessly in love with Aliana. And he had one heck of a strong will. Merlin had taught her that magic was only as strong as the will of the person who wielded it. The white knight was most likely their best hope for controlling the Well. It was almost scary how in control and focused he had become.
Finally they reached the top of the curving staircase. It opened up into a beautiful rounded courtyard filled with stone statues of serene looking warriors and elegant women playing instruments. Small pools of glowing water were placed in an even pattern around the edge, each pond filled with more of the glowing bubble flowers under the crystal waters.
A soft, feminine voice broke their awestruck silence. “You have returned, J’alel.”
The Elf knelt on one knee, his right hand covering his heart. “My Lady.”
Galahad and the guys bowed to the short woman. Dawn followed suit, feeling all kinds of silly. But she wasn’t from this realm, and they couldn’t risk offending the people who could help them.
“Please rise,” she commanded. “I am Lady Varaness.”
Dawn took a second to look over the raven-haired, pointy-eared Elf. She was dressed like a Roman empress in draped silk of pale blue, purple and white. The stola dress had a darker colored limbus layer of silk and intricate pleated folds. It was all held in place by a white cord belt under her small bust and around her waist. The dress hung to her delicate shoulders by strands of colored jewels and a long pale blue cape draping behind her.
She was radiant. The men surrounding her were dressed much like J’alel, in long dark tunics with gold accents and belts that held long curved sabers. All of them were unimaginably beautiful, and deeply terrifying to Dawn. The power flowing from them was almost palpable.
The two women on the right had pale, freckled skin and earth brown eyes. One’s hair was golden blond and the other’s a light chestnut similar to Dawn’s. They wore dresses similar to Varaness’s but in tones of gold, brown, red and green. Tiaras of flowers were weaved into the piles of curls their hair had been styled in. They truly looked like Roman goddesses. Roman goddesses with rounded ears, not pointy ones like the Elves.
They must be Nymphs, she realized.
“It has been long since we last shared your pleasurable company, Lord Knight.” The Elf woman held out her hand to him, a way too familiar glint in her stunning eyes.
Galahad took it and placed a formal kiss to the delicate flesh. “You have grown in grace and beauty, my lady.”
She drew her hand back. “I was a young woman, new to adulthood, the last you saw me. I am now regent of the Red Wind forest, thanks to the grace of my elder brother, Lord Oberon.”
Oberon? Oh boy, we are in real trouble now! Dawn remembered every terrifying detail Lacy and Aliana had told her about the crazy Elf king.
“And whom have you brought, Lord Galahad?”
Galahad motioned for Dawn and the others to step forward. “My lady, may I present my fellow Knights of the Round Table, Sir Owaine and Sir Gawain, and our dear friend and companion Dawn Anson?”
She walked up to Owen and Wade, looking each knight up and down several times. “I was led to believe your fellow knights had perished at the hands of the vile Mordrid and Morgana LeFay.”
“We did, my lady,” Owen said. “But thanks to Queen Titania’s help we were reborn to finish the fight we began in Camelot.”
“Yes, I have heard much about the queen’s doings.” She favored J’alel with a knowing look. “And I have heard much about the Destined One. Does she not travel with you?”
“That is why we are here. Aliana, the Destined One, has been taken. We now have reason to believe she may be trapped in the past, in Camelot. We wish to find the Well of Realms so we may find her.”
The Elf princess stepped close to Galahad, her silver eyes searching his. Her delicate hand came up to touch his whiskered cheek. Galahad’s flinch was barely noticeable, but Varaness immediately dropped her hand.
“You care very deeply for the Destined One, love her beyond measure.”
He nodded slowly. “And it was because of me she was taken from us.” Galahad’s deep voice was even, but his hands were clenched so tightly his knuckles were white.
“I understand.” Varaness stepped back. “J’alel told me all about what happened when the Destined One was last here in Avalon. Where is King Arthur? I would have thought the Golden King would be as vested in finding the Destined One.”
Wade spoke up this time. “He is in the Isle of the Blessed with the rest of our friends, seeking an audience with Queen Titania. We believe she may hav
e had a hand in Aliana’s appearance in Camelot.”
Varaness’s purple painted lips tightened. Dawn got the feeling she wasn’t the biggest fan of the Fae Queen. Join the club, sister.
The Elf woman’s eyes jumped to Dawn like she had heard her thought. “And how is it that you have come to join these valiant warriors, fair lady?”
Dawn squared her shoulders, not liking the skeptical look she was giving her. She was already suspicious of the almost intimate connection between this princess and the white knight. “Aliana is my best friend. My sister in every way but blood.”
“Indeed. How strange that a half blood wood Nymph is so closely linked with the Destined One.”
Dawn’s hazel eyes widened. “You know what I am?”
“Of course. I have lived among the wood Nymphs all my life. I will always recognize one who bears their heritage.” She indicated to the two Nymphs standing behind her. “Lady Iris and Lady Isis are two of the Wood Nymph elders.”
“Lady Varaness.” Galahad drew the Elf’s attention. “We do not have much time to spare. We need to find the Well of Realms.”
The princess turned to the tallest man behind her with dark brown hair. “Summon the guardian at once.” The Elf and two others bowed and left quickly. “J’alel, see to Sir Galahad and the knights, I wish a moment with Lady Dawn.”
Wade took a step toward Dawn but Galahad stopped him with a hand on the shoulder. He shook his head and steered Wade toward J’alel, who led them toward the other side of the courtyard.
“I am correct to believe you have been feeling the power of these enchanted woods since your arrival, yes?” Varaness asked in a low voice when everyone around them was far enough away.
Dawn nodded.
“How long have you known the truth of your heritage?”
“Not very long. I was hoping I might learn more about the Nymph side of me while I’m in Avalon.”
“There are many wood Nymphs here who would be happy to tell you all you wish to know. I fear you may be in my demesne for some time.”
Dawn’s anxiety dimmed the excitement of learning more about herself. “Like Galahad said, we don’t have a lot of time to spare. I do have a question, Lady Varaness.”
