by LH Nicole
Aliana rolled her eyes. “You know me better than that. But with these guys, I have to be clever about how I approach things.”
Lacy narrowed her eyes skeptically but nodded.
“So what’s the plan?”
“I’ll talk to Arthur and Galahad and see if I can get them to give up the goods about their plans. And I think you should see what information you can get from Percy. Batting those baby blues of yours and your best bedside manner should do the trick.”
Aliana smiled at her friend’s suddenly red ears. Lacy had it bad for the gentle giant. “I guess I can do that.”
The two stayed outside, planning in quiet voices, until Flora flew out to get them for dinner.
“You two look like you’re up to something,” the Pixie probed. “Anything I can do to help?”
“Wow!” Lacy said, getting her first good look at a Pixie. “You are so totally awesome.”
“And don’t you forget it!” Flora giggled.
Dinner was as it usually was, full of talk about tactics, weapons, and strategic attack along with an occasional, well-placed joke. Aliana took her typical seat between Arthur and Galahad while Lacy pulled up a chair between Percy and Owen.
Lacy flirted with her usual shameless charm, gaining Percy’s undivided attention and Wade’s glares.
“You seem happier than I expected after the way things went earlier,” Galahad said softly to Aliana. “I didn’t think you would take our desire to keep you safe so—”
“I’m not stupid, Galahad. I hate to say it, but you had a point earlier. I just wish you would at least tell me the plan so I won’t spend the whole day going crazy.”
He leaned in closer whispering in to her ear. “Would you meet me on the roof after dinner?”
Aliana glanced up. His eyes were that intense blue they always got when he was focused on her. Her plans forgotten, she gulped and nodded.
“I am sorry your friend got pulled into this,” Arthur said, drawing her attention from Galahad. “I know how much you care about her.”
“Thanks, but if anyone can handle this, it’s Lacy. She’s the toughest girl I know and way braver than me.”
“I will not deny her courage, but I don’t think you give enough credit to yourself,” Arthur encouraged her, as always.
When dinner was cleared, Arthur, Lancelot, and Merlin left to finalize their plans for the attack. Wade glared at Percy, who offered to take Lacy on a tour of the house.
“Leave them, mate.” Owen clapped his hand on Wade’s shoulder. “Let’s get the neophyte here caught up.”
The newest member of the Round Table had been mostly silent since Merlin had restored his memories that afternoon. Leo smiled at Aliana as he, Dagg, Wade, and Owen filed out of the kitchen, leaving only her and Galahad.
“Shall we?” he said, rising and offering her his hand.
Nerves rushed through her, but the moment she took his hand, sparks shot up her arm and went straight to her heart. She immediately relaxed, following him up the stairs to the rooftop retreat. The night air was warm with the lightest of breezes teasing Aliana’s heated skin.
“Galahad—”
“Aliana—” They spoke at the same time.
Aliana laughed, biting her lip. “I wanted to…”
“Please, let me speak first, Aliana.”
She nodded, feeling his eyes on her as she leaned against the railing. She looked up and saw worry clouding his blue gaze.
“I knew I shouldn’t have let you go without me today. When Lancelot told us you had been attacked, I was so angry, so full of rage. Most of all, I was scared of losing you.” Galahad’s usual absolute confidence had vanished. He roughly shoved his hands through his tousled brown locks.
Aliana’s heart hurt for him. “Galahad, I’m…” His fingers touched her lips, silencing her.
“Just the thought of you in danger drives me to madness. I want to lock you away where I can always protect you, but I know that is not something I can do,” he growled, quietly letting his finger fall from her lips. “For centuries I waited for this faceless Destined One to appear and free us.”
Aliana looked away from him, but his hand cupped her face, turning her emerald eyes back to his.
“Then you came along and freed me. A girl with big eyes and a beautiful, caring soul. I knew right away that you were the one I had been waiting for.” He stepped closer until only a few inches separated them. It was as if magic had leaped to life around them, freezing time. “I have waited so long for you. We all have. Yet, I would gladly go back to being a prisoner of the Sidhe if it meant I could spare you all this danger and hardship.”
Aliana gasped, her eyes wide with questioning surprise. His free hand settled lightly on her waist, and she let him pull her against him, scarcely daring to blink for fear she would wake up to find all this to be a dream.
“I wish it wasn’t you that had this destiny,” he said.
Aliana’s heart raced, beating so loudly she feared Galahad would hear it. He truly cared for her! But was she ready to give him her heart?
“You have lost much in your life,” he said. “I know how that feels. Losing the people you love, family and friends, it can make you wish to never feel such pain again. But no one should live their life like that, Aliana. Least of all you.” His thumb stroked her cheek, and she leaned into his touch, her eyes fluttering closed.
“Give me your trust, Aliana, and I swear I will never willingly betray it. Give me your heart, and no one will care for it like I will,” he promised in a gruff voice.
“And what about your heart, your trust?” she whispered, her gaze returning to his, begging for the truth.
“Don’t you know Aliana? You had all of me the first time you touched me. My heart, my trust, my soul, and my loyalty.” His face lowered to hers, stopping only inches from her lips. “And you have my love.”
His sweet breath mingled with hers, and his wintery scent wrapped around her as the bond between them thumped, trying to pull them together. Yet, even if the band she’d felt around her heart since the first time he’d looked at her didn’t exist, she still would have fallen in love with this knight.
Her eyes widened as she finally admitted to herself what she had been fighting from the beginning. His blazing eyes and soft promise wove their way around her heart, shattering the last of the walls she had built to protect herself. His lips were so close and she wanted so much for him to kiss her, but he waited. It had to be her choice.
“I want to be brave enough, Galahad.” Her voice cracked, her eyes searching his. “It scares me how much I care for you. I have fought this. I want my life to be more than just fulfilling a prophecy! I’ve had my heart broken so many times, and I’m scared that if something happens between us to ruin this, I won’t be strong enough to survive the heartbreak this time.” She gave him a sad smile. “My mom used to tell me that love is trusting a person enough to know they’ll always stand by you. She said that everyone has one person in the world meant for them—their soul mate. We just have to be strong enough to let them in when we find them.”
Galahad’s eyes filled with hope. “I want you to be mine, Aliana, only mine. But the decision is yours.” His voice rasped against her lips.
Aliana closed her eyes, taking a leap that she hoped she’d survive. Softly, she brushed her lips against his like the caress of a butterfly’s wing.
His hand tightened on her waist, his breathing speeding up. “Is this your choice?”
“Yes.” She kissed him again.
Galahad’s hand slid into her hair, his lips taking over. They were hot and demanding like the sparks that were building into an inferno inside her. Aliana gripped his shoulders as she rose to her tiptoes. She wrapped her arms around him, her fingers teasing the base of his neck as she deepened the kiss. Galahad groaned, pulling her tighter against him, tilting her head and nipping at her lip. Without hesitation, she opened her mouth to his command, and his tongue swept in, dancing with hers.
<
br /> He was consuming her, laying claim to every part of her, and Aliana responded in kind. She was his, and he was hers!
Galahad’s lips broke from hers, trailing kisses across her chin and down her neck. She gasped as his teeth nipped at her sensitive throat. Wanting to feel his lips against hers again, she pulled him back to her mouth. They stayed there for what seemed like ages, kissing and touching until they heard the others gathering in the backyard.
Aliana broke the kiss and rested her forehead against his, fighting to catch her breath and cool the raging inferno between them. “We should probably go down and join them,” she said as Lacy’s shrieks of laughter filled the night air.
His fingers ran across her cheek and down her neck before tangling in her long locks again. His lips claimed hers, strong and sure, leaving a searing brand on her heart. He pulled back a scant inch, whispering, “What if I said I wanted to keep you up here all to myself?”
Aliana giggled breathlessly. “I wouldn’t object, but Dagg might. I can feel him waiting for us.”
His lips brushed against hers once, twice, his fingers tangling with hers. “Your wish is my command.”
Aliana laughed. Her heart felt so light. For the first time in over two years, she felt whole again.
Dagg was waiting for them at the base of the curving staircase. His purple eyes flicked to their entwined hands, and the Dragon smiled. “Glad to see that’s sorted,” he teased, circling the pair.
“What are the others doing?” Aliana asked, wanting the Dragon off the subject.
“Lacy has somehow convinced everyone it’s a good idea to see who the better tracker is. She has managed to blindfold first Percy and now Wade to see if they can seek out everyone else.”
“You’re kidding! They’re playing Marco Polo?” Aliana doubled over, laughing.
“Shall I go prove my dominance again, Aliana?” Galahad’s mouth turned up in a smile as she pulled herself together.
“Go get ’em, tiger.”
Galahad settled his hand on her back, leading her out to others.
Wade fumbled around the yard, a black scarf tied over his eyes as he called out to the others. Lacy couldn’t contain her giggles when he charged toward her. But before her brother could grab her, Percy swooped in, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her against his body, out of Wade’s path.
“Damn it!” Wade cursed, taking off after Leo.
Lacy and Arthur spotted Aliana and Galahad at the same time. Arthur studied them with a slight frown on his face.
“’Bout time you two joined us.” Lacy winked at Aliana, giving her a big thumbs-up.
Wade untied the blindfold. “I think it’s Galahad’s turn. Don’t you, boys?” He tossed Galahad the cloth.
“Don’t be a sore loser, brother,” Lacy teased.
Handing the scarf to Aliana, Galahad bowed so she could tie the black fabric around his eyes. “No peeking,” Aliana warned, giggling.
As the others spread out, calling to Galahad from every direction, Wade came to Aliana’s side. “I see Galahad finally made his move.” Wade glanced from her to the tall knight, who was currently tracking down Owen and Lancelot. “But you know you’ll need to explain this to the king.”
“Why? I mean, I planned to tell him. He’s my friend just like you and the others.”
Wade shook his head. “You can’t see that he’s infatuated with you?”
Arthur approached, and Wade returned to the game, letting the king take his spot.
“This may be none of my affair, Aliana, but you and Galahad seem closer,” Arthur said.
She blushed but smiled, watching Galahad as he tackled both Percy and Leo with his super speed. Only Merlin and Wade were left uncaught.
“Yeah, we…remember when I explained to you about girlfriends and boyfriends?”
Arthur nodded, his face set in the calm mask he only seemed to drop when they were alone.
“Well, I guess that’s what Galahad and I are now.”
Arthur was silent for a moment and Aliana frowned, worried, until she saw the corner of his mouth turn up. “I assume our chats and dance lessons won’t be continuing.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“I would think you’d be busy with Galahad.” Arthur watched said warrior tackle Wade.
“Just because the relationship between me and Galahad has changed doesn’t mean I don’t want to spend time with you, Arthur.” She looked up at the king, taking his hand. “I like spending time with you. It’s fun and I feel like it’s one of the only times I can just be myself. You’re my friend. Galahad will understand.”
Arthur appeared relieved but something in his expression still seemed troubled. She guessed that he was probably thinking about his mystery love again—the vague memory of her seemed to constantly plague him.
The night ended soon after that. Lacy followed Wade, Leo, Percy, and Owen to their wing of the house, where Flora and the other Pixies had prepared a room for her.
Dagg flew off to the kitchen, intent on grabbing a snack before bed, giving Aliana and Galahad privacy to say good night. Galahad followed Aliana into her bedroom. It was the first time he had been past the doorway, and he paused a moment to take in the lovely room. “I see you like flowers,” he said, noticing the bouquets Flora had placed around the room.
“They smell nice.” Aliana stood with her hands clasped, completely distracted by having the gorgeous knight taking up so much space in her room.
Galahad was suddenly in front of her, catching her startled gasp with his lips. The kiss was long and sweet, his hands brushing down her arms and circling around her waist. All too soon, he pulled back, his eyes still closed and a satisfied smile on his lips. “Good night, Aliana.”
“Good night, Galahad,” she whispered back, still out of breath. He leaned in, kissing her softly one last time before stepping into the hall and closing the door behind him.
“Wow,” she said, falling back onto the soft covers of her bed.
22
I knew something had changed the moment they stepped out from the house. When Aliana told me that she and Galahad are dating I had to battle down my howl of anger, and I’m ashamed to say, my jealousy. Losing my chance with her hurts more than struggling to remember my ghost woman, yet I must accept it. Both women are a distraction from my duty to my friends, my kingdom, and to fulfilling the Fae queen’s prophecy. Saving the realms must come first. Yet that knowledge doesn’t make the decision to not wake the girls as we prepare to face Mordrid and Morgana any easier. But I agree with Merlin; it is for their safety.
~Arthur
“LIA, WAKE UP!” Lacy demanded, pulling Aliana’s pillow out from under her head.
“What the heck, Lacy!” Aliana whined, noticing Dagg perched on Lacy’s shoulder.
“Get up! The guys are suiting up to leave!”
Those words banished Aliana’s sleepiness. The brunette jumped from her bed, grabbing clothes from the floor and running into the bathroom to change. “When did this happen?” she asked, hopping on one foot, trying to get her jeans on.
“Merlin located Morgana early this morning. They want to attack before the rain clouds clear. Mordrid and Morgana won’t be expecting an attack this soon,” Dagg explained.
Aliana’s temper flared, realizing that the guys weren’t going to bother to wake her. Galahad hadn’t come even after everything he’d said the night before. Thundering down the stairs, the trio stopped in the foyer, watching the eight men strap weapons onto their chain mail- and leather-covered bodies.
Leo had katanas strapped over his shoulders and was loading a crossbow, securing several bolts for reload. Percy, Owen, Lancelot, and Wade all had broadswords hanging from their right hips along with shorter, thinner swords on the left. Dagger handles peeked out from their boots.
At his waist, Arthur had attached the beautiful sword the fire Elves had forged for him. At his feet was an honest-to-God spiked mace. He was breathtaking, but this time it wasn’t his
good looks that made Aliana’s heart race. It was the realization that they were actually doing this.
Galahad had his sword strapped across his back with several daggers and long knives at his waist. His eyes met hers as he kneeled down, hiding small knives in his boots. He rose, like a terrifying and strong warrior god ready to defeat his enemy using any means possible.
Worry and terror swamped her. This wasn’t a good idea. They should wait, but what could she say to convince them? “Were any of you going to wake me before you went running off into a fight for your lives?”
She and Lacy hadn’t even had time to pull together a decent plan to follow them. Lacy had come to her room late the night before to tell her she’d been successful in getting some information from Percy and Owen. But Wade had caught on to her snooping and cut her off.
“This is our best chance. We have to take it while we have the advantage,” Lancelot said, straightening his vest.
“Aw, come on, don’t look at me like that, sis,” Wade said as Lacy went to his side, worry evident on her pale face. She had to be having a harder time with this than Aliana—at least Aliana had seen them fight before and knew what they were capable of.
“Do not fret, Aliana.” Arthur smiled, coming over to kiss her hand. “Our plan is solid and the dark clouds will give us cover. We know what we’re doing.”
She wanted to believe him, but the little worrying voice in her head wouldn’t be silenced. No sooner had he let her go than Merlin announced it was time to leave.
“How are you even getting there?” Alana asked, growing more frantic by the moment.
“I am taking us through a grid portal, and Lancelot will guide us the rest of the way,” Merlin explained.
“Can I at least help?” Aliana tried one last time. They all shook their heads.
“You are learning fast, Aliana,” Merlin said. “But you’re not ready, and it’s safer for you and us if you are here. If you were on the battlefield with us, we would be too worried about you. None of us would be able to focus on the enemy.”
