by LH Nicole
The four men nodded, murmuring a polite greeting.
“And what about that?” Owen pointed to the Dragon on the coffee table.
“He is Daggerhorne…my Dragon guardian.”
Owen’s eyes narrowed as he looked between her and the silver creature. Blowing out a breath, he plopped down onto the loveseat, pulling Aliana with him. “Okay, pleasantries have been exchanged. Now will you please tell me what the bloody hell is going on? Are these guys the reason you were so late getting back?”
“You do not speak to Aliana like that,” Galahad threatened, glaring at Owen.
“Who are you to tell me how to talk to my cousin?” Owen demanded, jumping up, ready to go at it with Galahad. All the guys were tense and watchful.
“Whoa. Down, boys. There’s no need to fight.” Aliana stepped between Owen and Galahad, placing a hand on each of their chests. Neither man stepped back. “Both of you sit down…now!”
With a final sneer, they finally backed up a step. Aliana sighed, relieved, but wondering why they had to be such asses.
Arthur placed a hand on Galahad’s shoulder, pulling the blue-eyed knight back. “Please forgive us, Aliana. Why don’t we all sit down and talk like civilized people.”
Lancelot, Percy, and Galahad all sat on the large couch while Arthur got comfortable in the lounge chair. Aliana took a seat next to her hothead cousin on the love seat, tucking her legs underneath her.
“Owen, I should start this by telling you that this is going to be hard to believe, but everything we’re going to tell you is the truth,” Dagg said from the coffee table.
“Brilliant! It talks too!” Owen snapped.
Aliana glowered at her cousin, feeling very protective of her Dragon. “Yes, he talks. Now shut it and listen.”
Owen appeared understandably skeptical, but he didn’t say anything.
“My name is Daggerhorne, and I am guardian to the Destined One, Aliana. It has been prophesied that she will help King Arthur and his reunited knights stop Mordrid and Morgana from destroying all of the realms.”
Owen’s eyes grew large and unbelieving as he raked his gaze over everyone in the room. “Aliana, are you sure this is real?”
“I know it’s hard to believe,” she said slowly. “I’m still struggling to believe it too, but Owen, I was in Avalon today!”
12
When Aliana stepped out of the lift she seemed different—more alive. But then I saw the guys with her and my world went barmy. I know them somehow. My gut tells me they’re important to me. But their swords and their crazy stories make me question my gut for the first time in a while. Seriously, a talking Dragon? What trouble has my cousin gotten into now?
~Owen
OWEN GULPED AND NODDED for Dagg to continue, but Lancelot took over for the Dragon. “You, Owen, are a reincarnation of Sir Owaine, a Knight of Camelot and a member of the Round Table.”
Aliana bit back her gasp of surprise as she felt her eyes grow to the size of saucers. OMG, Owen’s a knight!
Lancelot continued, “Percy and I are like you, reincarnations of our former selves. Only I have my memories intact, while the two of you do not.”
“And why is that, Lancelot?” Aliana piped up, hoping to finally get one of her questions answered.
“We will get to that,” he said, dismissing her again.
Owen looked across the table to Galahad. “So, are you a supposed reincarnation too?”
“No, I am as I was during the time of Camelot, as is King Arthur.”
Owen glanced to Aliana, confusion drawing his mouth tight as he arched a questioning eyebrow.
Lancelot picked up the story. “Arthur and Galahad have been in Avalon since their last battle with Mordrid over fifteen hundred years ago. Merlin, Galahad, and myself brought Arthur to Avalon as he was dying. We made a pact with Titania, queen of the Fae, to save his life, but the price was that we had to remain in Avalon with the king until the Destined One came to free Arthur and bring us back to the mortal realm.”
“Except you and Merlin weren’t there, Lancelot,” Aliana cut in.
Lancelot nodded his head. “We will get to that, but first, please explain to us how you got to Avalon and what happened before you returned.”
Sighing, Aliana told them about her adventures in Avalon. She left out the part about the kiss stolen by Galahad. What had happened between her and the knight wasn’t something she wanted the others to know. Not until she figured out how to get her feelings for him under control. She did tell them about Titania’s offer to turn back time and give her back her old life and her parents.
Every pair of eyes had widened in surprise at that information.
“Thank you.” Arthur’s words caught her off guard. “You had the chance to live your life and you chose to help us instead. It was an incredibly courageous thing to do.”
When Aliana didn’t say anything, Galahad took over for her. “When we got back, Lady Deidre had a message for us from J’alel. He’d searched but found no trace of the cursed TreTale, so we do not know who sent it or who it was meant to track.” Galahad ran a hand through his brown locks.
“I told you guys you were overreacting,” Aliana said, then looked to Lancelot. “Now, how did you and Percy find us while we were being attacked by the black knights?”
Owen’s whole body stiffened. “What do you mean you were attacked by black knights?”
“Just that,” Arthur told Owen, briefly explaining the demon knights.
Aliana squeezed Owen’s arm, visions of the horrible monsters flashing in her mind. The memory of their putrid scent still made her want to gag.
“Because of the prophecy, I could feel when you arrived at the forest of Avalon.” Lancelot drew her mind from the darkness. “I have had dreams over the years about the Destined One, but last night was the first time I saw your face, and I could once again see the entrance to Avalon. I knew you were coming. When you woke Arthur, I felt the magic pulsing in my body, as did Percy.”
“I felt it as well,” Galahad added. “As soon as you freed the king, the barrier fell, allowing Lord Daggerhorne and myself into the cave.”
“But how did you find us in the woods?” Aliana asked Lancelot again.
“When I left Avalon, several things changed. I was able to sense magic, or rather, hone in and track it. Over the centuries I have trained myself to recognize different…patterns, if you will. Each one is as unique to the caster as a personality. The dark magic led us to you just in time.”
“Why did you never return?” Galahad’s deep voice was quiet, his shoulders tense and his gaze fixed on his dark-haired friend.
“I could not find my way back.” Lancelot looked past everyone to the photos on the wall. “Titania’s punishment for breaking my vow was that I would always remember, but never find the entrance again. And she must’ve insured I’d be unable to track Merlin’s magic, because I’ve yet to be able to sense his power.”
“Was it also Titania who gave you the ability to track magic?” Arthur asked, his eagle-sharp eyes studying Lancelot.
Lancelot cleared his throat. “Not exactly. I believe my ability to sense the magic is because of the pact and the time I spent in Avalon.” He looked at both Aliana and Owen. “Magic always has an effect on people. Spend enough time surrounded by it and the magic starts to seep into you.”
“But how are you still alive?” Aliana asked softly. “Titania didn’t strike me as the kind to let someone break a vow and just punish them with banishment.”
“You are very perceptive, Aliana. The Fae queen is ruthless in her punishments.” His eyes clouded. “I have lived since the day I returned to the mortal world, but I am not immortal.” Lancelot’s pale eyes, shadowed with angst, finally met his king’s. “I can die, but within a few years I am reborn. In every life, when I start to mature, the memories of every previous life I’ve lived return to me. Every detail from every life is fresh in my mind. I can’t forget anything. Every scent, every sight and sound
as clear to me as the moment it happened.” Aliana wondered if Lancelot realized he was clutching his hands together.
With the truth falling from Lancelot’s lips, Aliana saw that there was much more to him than the I-know-what’s-best façade he let the world see. If this was Lancelot’s punishment, what had Titania done to Merlin?
“So, what will happen to you now that Arthur is back in the mortal world—if you’re killed?” Owen broke the sad silence.
“I don’t know, but I hope I don’t find out any time soon.”
“How did you meet Percy?” Aliana asked, pulling his focus back.
“I was visiting London, a little over a year ago,” Percy said. “I was here with some teammates for a competition when I ran into Lancelot at a pub.”
“I recognized him instantly and introduced myself,” Lancelot said, “but I realized he had no memory of me. We talked and he told me that he was about to graduate high school, so I asked him to call me after graduation if he was interested in a job opportunity in London. He called, and I hired him as an assistant at my consulting business. Once we got to know each other better, I told him about who I was, who he was, and our history.”
“I didn’t believe him at first, but I gave him a chance because it just felt right.” Percy smiled at Aliana, his brown eyes sparking. “He showed me all of the artifacts he had from that time, and that night, I swear I had some kind of wonky dream that made me a believer.”
Aliana leaned forward, her interest piqued. “What was it?”
“Heck if I remember. I forgot it as soon as I opened my eyes!” Percy shook his head then asked, “How did you find Owen?”
Owen squeezed her hand and gave her an encouraging smile. Aliana took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, tightening her grip on his hand.
“I already told you my parents died two years ago. After their deaths, I was going through their files and found two copies of my birth certificate. One with my parents’ names and another with the name of a woman I didn’t know.” Aliana felt the pain rushing to the surface. “I looked through more of the files, and I found an adoption record from a lawyer here in London. It wasn’t hard to put two and two together, and I realized I was adopted.” Aliana looked past everyone out the window, studying the lights of London.
“Your parents never told you?” Percy asked softly.
Shaking her head, Aliana put on her calm face, trying desperately to hide the sadness and betrayal she felt. “No, I confronted one of my father’s closest friends, my godfather, and he told me it was true. I made it my mission to track down the woman on my original birth certificate, but all I found was an address here. So, I got on a plane and went to the address, but it was a cemetery. She had died after giving birth to me.” Aliana bit her lip, forcing tears back. Not only had she lost the people who’d raised her, but her birth mother was also dead, all because of her.
“I found Aliana there that day,” Owen said. “The woman she had found was my aunt. I had gone to bring flowers to my mother and aunt’s graves and ended up bringing Aliana back to my place. We spent the night talking, getting to know each other. Luckily for Aliana, she now has a smashing cousin to look after her.”
“Whatever.” Aliana couldn’t help her watery giggle as Owen hugged her closer. “It’s more the other way around. I swear Owen can’t do a thing on his own. I don’t know how he managed to live to nineteen.” Owen retaliated, pinching her in the arm. “Dagg, you’re the only one left to explain your side of things.”
“My story is far simpler than all of yours, I assure you,” the Dragon said. “I was born from the pact. My only purpose is to be your guardian. For centuries I passed through all the realms, forever searching for you and learning everything I could so I could better protect you.”
It was quiet for a moment, and Aliana peered up at her cousin. “You’re taking all of this pretty well, Owen.”
He gave them all a thoughtful once over and glanced at Percy. “How did you feel when Lancelot told you all this?”
Percy grinned boyishly. “I felt like I had found something that had been missing.”
Owen nodded. “I’ve always felt like something was missing from my life too, like big pieces of a puzzle, and now I’m finally finding some of those missing pieces.” Owen kissed her head. “It’s all because of you, dear cousin.”
“I think we have all said enough for tonight.” Arthur spoke as Aliana tried to hide her yawn.
“It’s nearly midnight. Aliana, do you have enough space for all of us to stay here?” Lancelot asked, as he rose from the couch.
“I thought you wanted us at your place,” she said.
Lancelot frowned. “Your home already has its own magical protection, and it’s damn strong. If I’m not mistaken, anyone who isn’t invited in by you, wouldn’t be able to get in here. I haven’t felt anything this powerful in decades.”
“What?” Aliana frowned, looking around. Everything felt and appeared the same as it always had. “How could that be? I would have known if my parents had magic.” She wavered. Would she have known? They had kept her adoption from her; what else had they hidden? The thought struck at her aching heart.
“I don’t know how,” Lancelot said, “but it’s more than strong enough to protect all of us. We won’t be in any danger here.”
Confused and unsure, Aliana gave the guest room with two beds to Lancelot and Percy, and the second guest room to Galahad. “Owen, I’m afraid you’re going to have to sleep on the couch tonight. Arthur, you can have my parents’ old room next to mine.” It was hard to think of anyone but her parents sleeping there, but if anyone should have their room, it was King Arthur.
Lancelot said, “I have more clothes in the car. I’ll go get them while everyone gets settled in.” Aliana tossed him the apartment key as he put on his shoes.
After seeing the guys settled in, she leaned against her bedroom door, grateful for the privacy. There was so much that her brain was trying to process. She wasn’t sure how she’d managed to keep herself together for this long, and now everything was starting to crash down around her.
“You have a colorful room, Aliana.”
Aliana nearly shrieked at Dagg’s lazily offered comment. The little Dragon was curled up on an overstuffed, pale green pillow. Her entire room was decorated in light summer colors, the walls painted a pale yellow and covered with prints of her favorite paintings and photographs. A blue and pink comforter lay over her bed, and half a dozen colored throw pillows were strewn across the floor where she had thrown them a few nights ago.
“I have a very bright personality, as you should know. What are you doing in my room, anyway?”
“I’m your guardian. I am to always be at your side to protect you.”
“But Lancelot said we were safe here.” Aliana desperately wanted to be alone so she could have her impending breakdown without an audience.
“Are you saying you don’t enjoy my company?” he teased.
Aliana sighed. She didn’t have the energy to fuss with him and stay in control of her emotions. “I love your company, but there are ground rules. You vanish while I’m changing clothes, and absolutely no snoring. You snore, you’re gone.”
“If you insist,” he said, smirking.
Nodding, Aliana locked herself in the bathroom. She turned on the shower, wrenching up the temperature to as hot as she could handle. Standing under the falling water, she felt tears spill from her eyes as she choked back a sob. Titania’s offer played over and over again in her head. She didn’t regret her decision, but seeing her parents again had brought back all the pain and loneliness she’d worked so hard to push away.
“Stop it, Li!” she scolded herself. “They would be proud of you. You’re stronger than this.” She started to think about Galahad and kissing Arthur. She had saved three lives today, four if she counted Belle. So many of her dreams had come true despite the pain.
She straightened her shoulders, shut off the water, and wrapped herself
up in a soft towel, her long hair plastered to her skin. She hated weepy girls who let self-pity rule their lives.
Leaning forward, she wiped the steam from her mirror. She didn’t consider herself beautiful. Pretty, yes, but in a normal kind of way. Blotting her hair, she remembered the feel of Galahad’s fingers tunneling through her hair as he kissed her. She’d already started to develop strong feelings for him, but what would he possibly see in her? She had a small nose, thin upper lip, and a slightly plump lower lip, “half lips” as she always called them. Her bright green eyes were the only thing she really liked, but she didn’t see anything special about herself that could hold the attention of a guy like Galahad.
Shaking her head, she grabbed her brush and walked out of the bathroom, completely forgetting the silver Dragon curled up on her bed.
“That towel doesn’t look like it would be comfortable to sleep in.”
She shrieked, pulling the towel tighter around her body while Dagg roared with laughter.
“If you were any kind of gentleman you would turn around!”
Still laughing, he stretched a wing to cover his face. “Better?”
Aliana glared at the Dragon, grabbed her pajamas, and stormed back into the bathroom. She changed quickly, brushing through her long, unruly hair and braiding the damp mass. Stepping back into her room, she was slightly annoyed to see Dagg still curled on her pillow with his eyes closed. “And what makes you think you get to sleep on my bed?”
“I’m your guardian. Besides, your pillow is comfortable,” he mumbled, half asleep.
Far too exhausted to argue with him, Aliana crawled into bed, praying she’d get more than a few hours of sleep.
Three hours later, she jerked awake, gasping for air. She still felt the fire from her dream blasting her with tiny pieces of exploded metal and wood. Shaking, she glanced over at Dagg, afraid she had woken the very perceptive Dragon. She sighed as she realized he was still asleep.
