by L. H. Nicole
Aliana snorted a laugh and sat down on her bed. She held up her hand, willing her ruby glove to appear. Concentrating, she imagined the book lying on the bed. A soft weight hit the bed as the book appeared in a flash of dark pink. With the fire still burning in her fireplace, Aliana flipped open the book, got comfortable on the bed and continued to read through the pages until her eyes could no longer stay open.
Rays of sunlight hit her eyes, and Aliana moaned, stretching her legs before pulling the blanket up over her head.
“You need to get up, Aliana.” Dagg’s own, ageless voice sounded like even he was still trying to wake up.
“Why?” she asked, still buried under her blanket.
“Because we’re about to have a visitor.”
Aliana flipped the covers back and looked at the Dragon through squinted eyes still trying to adjust to the light.
A soft knock came before her door opened. “Pardon, my lady, are you awake?”
Aliana recognized the voice of Clara, the servant girl who came to check on her every morning. “I am.”
Aliana sat up and stretched, then ran her fingers through her hair. Her magic from last night seemed to be doing its job, because her hair was still tangle free.
“You slept in your clothes, my lady?”
Aliana looked down at herself. “I guess I did.” She looked at the book still open by her pillow and quickly snapped it closed. Her eyes fell on her visible ruby. Aliana pulled her sleeve forward to cover it. “I must have fallen asleep reading last night.”
Clara seemed not to notice her sudden behavior. That’s when she noticed the burnt-orange-colored dress in the girls’ hands.
“What’s that, Clara?”
Clara laid the dress out on the bed. “The queen sent it for you.”
Aliana stared at the dress. She was grateful, but she couldn’t understand why the queen was being so generous. “Please thank the queen for me, but really, she’s already done so much for me. I can’t accept this.”
Clara shook her head. “Her Highness was quite insistent.” Clara leaned in closer to Aliana. “Besides, these are her old gowns. I think she is only pleased to see them worn again.”
Aliana sighed. “Has there been any other news of Merlin or the knights?”
Clara nodded. “The king received word that they will be here before midday. He also asked that you meet him in the throne room at your earliest convenience.”
Clara left the room and Aliana quickly hid her ruby behind her veil again and returned the book to its magical depths. She changed quickly, but instead of going to see Arthur she made her way through the halls to the record room that led to Morgana’s secret room. She would see Arthur after she satisfied the need to know if anyone had gone into the room after she had. The hall was empty again, and so was the hidden magic lab.
It reinforced her belief that Morgana hadn’t been the one to send the Manticore after the people in Camelot. But then who? Mordrid? “Dagg, can you go find the queen? I need to speak to her. I want to see if I can get her thoughts on who could have attacked Camelot. And I want to let her know that we’re going to tell the guys more about why I’m here.”
“I can, but I do not like the thought of leaving you alone.”
“Dagg, I’ve been wandering around alone several times. I’ll be fine. I promise, I’m going straight to Arthur.” His reluctance was heavy in her mind, but he changed to his true form and disappeared through the door.
She exited the room, this time without Galahad and the others catching her. She stopped to gaze out one of the windows. It overlooked the sea and its crashing waves. Aliana opened the window and breathed in the briny breeze. Her mind wandered, so many different questions rolling around that needed answers. Not the least of which was how her friends were doing. She missed her magic sisters, Lacy and Dawn.
A burly, sweaty hand appeared out of nowhere and clamped over her mouth. Cold, sharp steel pressed against her neck. “Scream, an’ I slit y’ur throat.”
Aliana fought back out of reflex. Her hands gripped the one on her mouth and the one holding the weapon against her. The knife bit into her skin and the hand around her mouth clamped down with a force so hard she knew she’d have bruises.
“Donna test me, gurl.” His hot breath was like foul smelling acid against her ear. His voice was heavily accented, like a strange form of Leyon’s Scottish brogue, but vile as opposed to the smart and smooth voice of the knight.
“Y’ur gonna come with me, nice an’ quiet.”
Her chest heaved as she struggled to calm her racing adrenaline. She jerked her shoulders again, but she couldn’t get free.
“If y’u donna stop strugglin my friend will kill the li’ttl pretty one y’u all seem so fond of.” Aliana immediately stilled. Vira!
She forced herself to relax enough to call out to her guardian. “Dagg, help! One of those intruders has a knife to my throat.”
She felt his anger and the swell of magic through their bond. “I am coming!”
“No! There’s another one that has Vira! You need to tell the queen and go save Vira!”
“You are my charge, not her!”
“And she can’t protect herself like I can! Tell the queen, save Vira and send Arthur and the knights! He wants me to go with him, that means he doesn’t want to kill me! Please, Dagg!”
His loud growl filled her head. “Stay calm, do what you must to protect yourself, even if it means exposing your magic!”
“Les’ go.” The brute pulled her back from the window. “If my friend donna get my signal, he will kill her.”
The knife eased on her throat and Aliana’s training took over. She pulled at the blade-wielding hand, pushed her body back and jabbed her elbow into his soft gut at the same time. He cursed as she slipped from his arms and turned to get out of his reach. Her foot caught the edge of a loose stone on the floor and she stumbled. The brute’s hand smacked her into the wall, her head cracking against the pale surface as she cried out in aching pain.
15
I spent almost a century in Olympus in the seventeen hundreds; it hasn’t changed since. Rothik was the first to sense my problem. Without his help and friendship things would be very different now. His cost for helping me at first was that I stay and help teach the ones here how to use and control their magic. Doing so was the first time in my long years of banishment I felt like I had a real purpose again, outside of helping Arthur. I had even been able to forget about Morgana and the aching loss of my souls mate, for a while at least. Now we have memories of Aliana in Camelot bombarding us. There is much we need to discover here besides finding this Atlantian.
~Merlin
STARS BURST BEHIND HER EYES, her vision swam and spun as something wet trickled down her temple. The man jerked her back into his arms, his hand clamping down on her mouth again and the other wrapping around her stomach. The long knife pressed harshly against her ribs, just under her heaving chest. She tried to clear her mind, to grasp her magic, but she couldn’t focus enough to even touch the bubbling sparks.
She heard the sound of tearing fabric and felt the cold of the blade cut into her skin. She moaned behind his hand, the sound barely registering as she felt him force her through the deserted hall and down a set of stairs she couldn’t remember seeing before. She felt Dagg’s foggy presence roll through her, her head clearing along with her vision. Light pounded her eyes as her captor pulled them out into a small courtyard. She saw an open gate, one that she remembered led to the stables.
With a clearer head, Aliana grabbed his thick sweaty wrists again and tried to break free. But he had her off balance and stumbling side to side so she couldn’t get a strong enough stance to shake him off.
“Let her go!” The roar of Arthur’s fury was almost as loud as the sounds of pounding feet, jingling chainmail and the hiss of drawn swords.
The brute gripped her tighter, the knife sawing into her skin as he turned them both in circles, his panicked breath puffing against her.
Arthur, Lancelot, Gawain and dozens of soldiers surrounded them. Their weapons were drawn, all in fighting stances, watching for their moment to strike. But she was still his human shield. None of them would be able to attack him as long as he had her.
She felt the man’s hand slip and Aliana bit down hard on his fingers. He cried out, but his grip didn’t loosen. Instead his fingers gripped her throat like a vice. She choked and struggled, trying to draw breath. The little calm she had managed to gain shattered.
He repeated his threat from earlier, his voice barking loud. “Y’ur gonna let us walk out’a here or the li’ttl one y’u all so keen on is gonna die.”
Arthur’s anger was a living entity in the open yard. The king snarled at the man. “You mean by this fool’s hand?”
Two more men appeared, dragging a bleeding, limp man between them.
She relaxed for a half second. Vira was safe. Her eyes flickered up. She caught sight of Galahad atop one of the walls that surrounded them, his bow trained on them.
The man jerked her side to side again. He looked at the warriors who clearly wanted to kill him, then to his partner’s dead body. “Dosnna matter. Y’u still canna harm me without hurtin this pretty one.”
He pushed the knife harder into her ribs. She couldn’t hold back her cry as blood started to flow around the blade.
Arthur took a threatening step forward, Excalibur trained on them. “This is your last warning. Let her go or you will beg for death before I send you to hell with your pathetic friend.”
Aliana had seen Arthur angry before, but this was a level she had never thought him capable of. Her eyes flicked back to Galahad. He pointed to his left bicep.
What was he doing? She had a psycho trying to kidnap her! Now really wasn’t the time for Galahad to show off his muscles!
The brute’s left arm tightened around her waist again, the blade slicing even deeper into her skin. The white knight touched his arm again as she hissed in pain and he drew his bow. Her eyes widened as she realized his intent.
Arthur ordered him to release her again, distracting the brute as Galahad took aim. Her blood sang, her nerves tingled and shook as everything slowed. She never took her eyes from Galahad, trying to force stillness through her screaming tight muscles.
Galahad released the arrow. Her heart jackknifed, afraid for a second that he would miss and hit her instead. Time sped up again and the arrow sliced into the man’s arm. The knife fell from his hand as he jerked, his grip loosening. Aliana grabbed the hand around her throat with both hands and pushed her hips back, flipping her would-be kidnapper over her shoulder. He landed in a heap, like the last man she’d done that to.
Arthur and the knights rushed them, Aliana stumbling into the king’s outstretched arms. She buried her face in his neck and inhaled his scent, calming a little as it surrounded her. Her throat ached, her lungs felt like they were going to burst. She gripped the bleeding wound under her breasts, whimpering in pain.
His arms tightened. She could feel the pommel of Excalibur pressing into her, but it didn’t hurt her. “Seize him!”
Aliana peeked back at the brute, yelling in pain as he struggled against the soldiers that held him. Lancelot and Gawain glared down at him, their swords still held ready to skewer the guy. With a hard jerk the man broke free, grabbing one of the soldier’s swords.
Aliana tensed and gasped as he rushed forward like a deranged man. The knights moved forward, and then Arthur’s hand was suddenly cupping the back of her head blocking her vision, his own head pressing down on hers as he cradled her close. “Don’t look,” he ordered.
She heard the man’s gurgled cries and the sound of lots of steel pushing through flesh. She tried to look again but Arthur’s grip was gentle, yet unyielding. “Some things, you do not need to see.”
She heard the body drop to the ground and looked over Arthur’s shoulders to see Galahad rushing through archway, barreling toward her.
Arthur’s grip relaxed as he turned and gently placed her in Galahad’s arms. “Take her to the healers’ chambers. Mother will be there waiting!” Galahad nodded sharply and herded her inside the castle. She turned to look back at the knights, to see the dead body of the man who had harmed her, but all she saw was the guys gathered around him, and Arthur’s last heavy, molten look before she was taken completely from the courtyard.
“How badly are you hurt?” Galahad sounded strained.
“I…I’m not sure,” she croaked. It hurt to talk; her esophagus felt like it was swelling and throbbing. She started to tremble and her legs shook as Galahad took her through another unfamiliar door and up a few stairs. Her hand pressed harder against the still bleeding cut, trying to call her magic to stop the flow.
She moaned again, the pain in her head and body too much to focus enough. “Dagg!”
“I’m waiting for you in the healers’ room!”
Galahad stopped and turned to face her with eyes wild with worry. Aliana sagged back against the stone wall, Galahad following her movements. His hand gripped her waist steadying her as his eyes roamed over her. His fingers stroked her cheek, just below the blood trail from where her head had hit the wall. His fingers carefully tilted her head to the side and looked at the angry marks she felt on her throat. Then brushed over the ones around her mouth.
“When I find the person who ordered this, I will kill them with my own hands!” he raged.
Aliana trembled again and tears burned her eyes. She opened her mouth to tell him to calm down but his silenced her first.
His warm lips claimed hers, gently at first then his tongue slipping into her open mouth with a desperate passion. He kissed and kissed her like he was trying to assure himself that she was still there, in his arms and safe. A dam of emotions burst inside her and Aliana gripped his leather vest and flexed arm as she kissed him back with all the aching loneliness and rekindled feelings that had been stirring in her since she arrived. She forgot about everything and let the rolling emotions anchor her to this world and not the one of fear and pain she had felt since that guy first grabbed her.
Galahad pressed into her, caging her against the wall. She cried out in shocked pain as he pressed into her bleeding wound.
He pulled back with wide eyes and looked down at the pulsing cut. “Damn! Forgive me, I…”
She tried to tell him it was okay, but he swept her up in his arms before she could speak. They were up the winding stairs in minutes then rushing down a hall toward the waiting queen, a tear-stained Vira, and an anxious Delphina and Guin.
Igraine took command as soon as they reached her. “Set her down on the bench, quickly, Sir Galahad.”
Galahad entered the room and did as told, setting her down on the long table with exquisite care.
The queen followed, grabbing a rag from a bowl of water and wrung it out. “Vira, Delphina, go to my rooms and get her a fresh dress.” Both girls disappeared.
Galahad moved to her other side, gently pressing her back onto the table as she tried to sit up. “Stay down, Aliana.”
Igraine dabbed the cloth on the long cut on her ribs. Aliana hissed in pain, her eyes squeezing shut as a few tears escaped.
“Aliana!” Galahad’s hand gripped hers and she squeezed back, hard.
“Sir Galahad, I need you to leave.”
The knight glowered at the queen silently.
Igraine’s sunlight eyes narrowed. “Now, Sir Galahad.”
“Why?” he asked, his voice rough.
“Because I need to remove her dress to treat the wound, and I cannot do that with you hovering.”
Aliana felt her face heat. She squeezed Galahad’s hand drawing his eyes back to hers. She nodded once and let go of his hand. Guin came to his side and pulled the hulking knight until he finally relented and let himself be led from the room.
Guin shut the heavy wooden door. “I swear, he can be so pigheaded sometimes!”
Igraine took Aliana’s hand and gave her a wadded piece of cloth. “I need you to h
old this against your ribs, to stop the bleeding.” Aliana did as ordered, moaning again.
“Guinevere, you and Delphina have to keep the men calm and outside until I’ve finished!” The redhead slipped from the room.
As soon as the door closed, Dagg shot down from the rafters, landing at her side in an instant. His silver scaled hot claws touched her face and she felt the immediate rush of his healing magic enter her body.
“That’s enough, DragonLord.” The queen’s voice held an edge of authority that even Dagg couldn’t deny. His powers drew back.
Her head stopped spinning, her vision was clearer and the headache that had formed disappeared.
Igraine gently wiped away the dried blood from her temple. “We cannot heal her too much with magic. The salves and potions I have will do enough.” She set the rag back in the water bowl and helped Aliana sit up. Her entire body still ached and she felt cold and shaky. Shock, she realized with a numb thought.
The queen’s eyes flared with magic. “The three of us need to have a long talk.”
She met her guardian’s glowing purple eyes. She felt his worry and gnawing guilt for leaving her side.
“It’s not your fault, Dagg.” Her throat felt marginally better. The swelling and pulsing pain had receded, but the external bruises still stung. At least it didn’t hurt to talk anymore.
The queen chimed in. “Of course not,” she said kindly. “I’m sorry to say but your dress will need to be cut off.” She pulled out a strange looking pair of scissors.
Aliana looked back at her Dragon, trying to smile at him. She wanted to ease her friend’s despair as much as she could.
He turned his back as the queen cut away the top of the dress and sleeves. Aliana flushed with embarrassment as Igraine helped her out of the tattered cloth. She pressed another towel into Aliana’s hand, which she used to cover her exposed chest. Aliana hissed as the queen cleaned the cut on her head.
“How did you save Vira?” she asked, trying to distract herself from the stinging.
“I was already with the queen when you called to me,” Dagg said, his wings covering his eyes as well. “We were close to her chambers, and we got there just as the man made an attempt to grab Lady Sophvira.”
