The Last Knight (Pendragon Book 1)

by Nicola S. Dorrington

  Lance considered it for a brief moment then shook his head. “Camelot might be a ruin, but it’s still the most defensible place I know. The throne room is still mostly in one piece. I say we set camp there. We need to wait for word from Merlin.”

  “Word about what?” I hadn’t been paying enough attention back at the Lake.

  “Merlin has gone into Avalon with Nimue,” Lance replied, even as he tugged me after him into the ruins. “They plan to appeal to the Fair Folk to stop Morgana. The only problem is that there are more than a few who are happy to see the barriers fall.”

  “Because it would amuse them,” I said, remembering what Merlin had said.

  “Not only that.” Lance turned to look at me, his blue eyes serious. “There are more than a few sprites, spirits and other things that were banished to Avalon, but would give anything to return.” He hesitated. “What did the griffin say?”

  Something about the look in his eyes told me that he had a fair idea.

  “It told me about a creature,” I said softly. “One older and more deadly than it. Do you know what it was talking about?”

  Lance nodded, but didn’t reply. Eventually I grabbed his arm, forcing him to face me.

  “What is it, Lance?”

  A sigh escaped his lips as he looked at me. “The last dragon.”

  “Dragon?” I stared up at him in horror. “A real, fire-breathing dragon?”

  We’d reached the throne room and Lance guided me to sit on a fallen column. It was darker inside, some of the roof still held, blocking out the sun. I remembered the last time I’d been there, when it was bright and gleaming. I shuddered and wrapped my arms around myself.

  “The dragons once roamed the earth in great numbers,” Lance said, startling me out of my memories. “They were noble, incredible creatures. Born of the old magic, they were highly intelligent, and possessed powerful magic of their own. Only a dragon’s breath can forge a sword like Excalibur. Dragons were revered, honoured. But as mankind spread across the countryside they came into competition with the dragons for space and food. Some dragons began to realise that humans could replace the lost food source and so the reverence and honour turned to hatred.”

  I listened to Lance’s story with wide eyes, trying to comprehend the world he was describing. I’d seen creatures I’d once considered mythical, but dragons seemed to exist in a league of their own.

  “Men began to hunt the dragons, and it became a great honour for a knight to claim a dragon kill. By the time any of us were born the dragons had been reduced to a handful. And those that remained were bent of revenge for their fallen kin. When Arthur came to power he outlawed the hunting of dragons, not wanting to see the death of an entire species. By then only two remained. The last great female laid a clutch of eggs high in the mountain you now call Snowdonia, but a group of hunters found the lair and, ignoring Arthur’s laws, destroyed the eggs.”

  My heart sank. I could almost picture the great female dragon, gleaming green-gold in my mind’s eye, and her rage at finding her babies slaughtered before they had a chance at life. Her rage would have been terrible.

  “The female flew to Camelot with a burning wrath. Arthur tried to reason with her, but she would not listen and he had to choose between letting Camelot burn or killing the dragon. Percy, Wyn and I, along with a dozen other knights, met the beast in the courtyard of this very castle and battled her.”

  “Still got the scars to prove it,” Wyn muttered from across the hall, jerking me out of the story. He pulled up his t-shirt, revealing a lean, toned chest. He twisted to the side.

  Two long scars stretched from his shoulder blade, down under his arm and round to the front of his hip.

  “The thing damn near killed me.”

  “She did kill two of our brothers. But at the last Arthur led the attack and Excalibur dealt the final blow.”

  My fingers clenched around the sword at my hip. Lance saw the movement and smiled bitterly.

  “The last great dragon was understandably enraged. We had killed the last of his kind, and by killing the female destroyed any chance of them rebuilding their kind. The great dragon swore revenge on Arthur, his knights and all of the line of Pendragon.”

  “So I haven’t just got Morgana to worry about, I’ve got a vengeful, homicidal dragon to contend with?”

  Lance hadn’t finished his story though, so he ignored my sarcastic question. “When the dragon began wreaking havoc on the towns and villages around Camelot, Merlin went to Nimue and begged for her help. The Fair Folk agreed. They had no wish to see the last dragon killed, so they lured it into Avalon and trapped it there.”

  “But isn’t Arthur in Avalon?”

  Arthur snorted in the back of my mind. Avalon is not like this world. The dragon could seek me for eternity and not find me. It can find you, however.

  “The dragon will never find Arthur in Avalon,” Lance said, unconsciously echoing Arthur. “I’m more worried about you.”

  “You think it might come after me?”

  Lance shrugged. “Perhaps, but I’m almost certain it will seek vengeance on humans in general.”

  “So what do we do?”

  Lance looked down at me. “Nothing. We do nothing. Trust me, Cara, you do not want to face the dragon. It took sixteen knights to defeat the female last time. As much faith and trust as I have in Gwain and Percival, even I would not face the dragon with only them beside me.”

  “You’d have me too,” I said in a low voice.

  He brushed my hair back from my face. “And I would not risk you for all the world.”

  I was looking over Lance’s shoulder as he spoke, so I saw the worried look that flashed across Wyn’s face.

  Percy and Lance had done well on their hunting trip. After settling us into the throne room, Percy retrieved a large deer from the edge of the forest.

  I tried not to watch as Percy set about expertly butchering it. There had been a time when I’d have refused to eat it. Some of my mother’s vegetarianism had rubbed off on me, and I only really ate meat when it didn’t actually look like meat, when I didn’t have to think about where it came from.

  But my time in the real Camelot, and with the boys, had cured me of that. I ate what was given to me, and I was grateful for it.

  In all honesty, the venison smelt amazing as it roasted on the fire, and by the time Lance gave me my share my mouth was watering.

  As soon as we’d eaten the three of them disappeared, and they were in and out of the throne room all afternoon. When I asked what they were doing Lance simply told me they were preparing. I could only assume he meant preparing for some kind of attack. A lot of their time seemed to be spent on the top of the broken wall, staring out across the forest and talking in low, intense, voices. I wondered briefly what they were talking about, but I had too many other things to worry about to care.

  I dwelt instead on things I really didn’t want to think about.

  Like my father. My kind, wonderful, loving father, who had put up with so much from first my mother and then me.

  I wondered what he was doing. Was he at home, waiting for the phone to ring? I was certain he would have reported me missing. Did he sit in dread of a policeman turning up at the door to tell him they’d found my body, picturing a thousand terrible things that could have happened to me?

  A sudden surge of guilt overwhelmed me. I’d barely spared a thought for my father since I’d left. I’d had the chance to call him back in the service station and I had chosen not to. It felt like a lifetime ago.

  My whole life before meeting Lance felt a bit like a dream, like it had happened to someone else.

  It felt like I was losing myself. They all called me Cara Pendragon. Did that mean that Cara Page had ceased to exist? I didn’t want her to disappear.

  My eyes burned and I lifted one hand to swipe at the tears spilling down my cheeks.

  You are still you, Cara. Arthur’s voice was soft and reassuring.

  Then why does i
t feel like the rest of my world has slipped away?

  You stand on the edge, Cara. Between the reality that you understand, and a world beyond your imagination. But they are both real, they both exist. But they cannot co-exist, not anymore.

  What do you mean?

  Mankind has changed too much. They have moved on. Magic has been gone from the world for too long. And most men would not accept it. They would fear it. And the Fair Folk would delight in that fear. That is why the barriers must be rebuilt. And only you, who stands at the gateway between two worlds, can succeed. Then your world will return to normal, your old life will resume. Everything will be as it once was.

  Everything? I repeated that word hesitantly. Was that really what I wanted? Did I want everything to go back to the way it was? I didn’t want Cara Page to vanish, but I also wasn’t sure I could be that girl anymore.

  Then I realised things would never be exactly as they were. Even if my life returned to normal I would still know the truth. That magic, and dragons, and Fair Folk existed. Who could live a normal life knowing that?

  As normal as possible, Arthur said, amusement colouring his tone. But I don’t want who you are to affect your whole life. Being of my blood should not be a burden. I don’t wish for you to regret it.

  There was a solid thud as Lance jumped the last three steps into the room. As I glanced up at him, he raked his fingers through his hair, shooting me a heart stopping grin.

  No, I said softly to Arthur. I could never regret it.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  I dreamt that night. Something I hadn’t done in a long time.

  Standing on the side of a road I could only watch, helpless, as a city street was engulfed in flames. People ran screaming in all directions. The flames were blue, edged with green and I knew they could only be caused by magic. As always in my dreams, my body wouldn’t move, and no matter how much I wanted to help there was nothing I could do. A nearby car exploded in a ball of flame and the screams of the trapped passengers took on a desperate quality. Bile rose in my throat as I stood and watched.

  “You see what I can do?” The voice seemed to echo in the air around me. A low, hissing voice that nevertheless was oddly sensual. “You see the power I have, and you think you can stand against me?”

  “Morgana?” The name slipped through my lips as little more than a breath. I knew it wasn’t a normal dream. This wasn’t a vision of the future, it was a warning.

  “Get out of my head, you vicious bitch,” I muttered, trying to force myself to wake up. Something held me tight in the dream. It frightened me that she could control me, that she had power, even in my own head.

  “You are nothing, Cara Page. To think that you can stand against me is foolishness. Return home, forget all of this, and I will leave you and yours in peace. We are family after all.”

  “Family?” I spat the word back at the formless voice. “You don’t know the meaning of family. You caused the death of your brother and your son. And all for nothing.”

  “That’s about to change. Albion will be mine at last.”

  “This isn’t Albion,” I shouted, but the dream was fading, her presence vanishing. “This isn’t your world anymore. It’s mine!”

  “What’s yours?”

  Snapping open my eyes I found Lance leaning over me. I wondered if he’d been asleep – he, Percy and Wyn had been trading off watches all night – his hair was flattened on one side and he was dressed in just his jeans.

  I bolted upright and locked my arms around his solid chest, pressing my cheek against his warm skin. His heart beat a steady rhythm under my touch.

  “What’s the matter?” He stroked his fingers through my hair, combing out the tangles.

  “Morgana,” I mumbled against his chest. As my lips moved against his skin he shivered, and the hand on my hair froze for a moment. Thoughts of Morgana vanished as something inside me stirred and I tightened my arms around him, turning my head to kiss his chest properly, trailing my kisses up to his collarbone.

  “Cara.” His voice sounded strained, but his fingers rubbed small circles on my back.

  My lips found his and I kissed him hard. For the briefest moment his lips were still and unresponsive, but then he was kissing me back with an urgency matching my own.

  I didn’t think as I crawled into his lap, moulding my body against his. All I knew was that I needed him close. I needed to know that he was real. Of all the things that had happened to me in the past few weeks, Lance was the only good thing, the thing making it even half worthwhile. And now I was terrified I was going to lose him.

  I hadn’t missed the threat implicit in Morgana’s words. Walk away and those I loved would be safe, continue trying to fight her and she would hurt them. I knew she would.

  As the thoughts flashed through my mind I crushed myself closer against Lance. So close I could feel his heart rate speeding up. His hands moved over my skin, stoking a fire that burned deep in the pit of my stomach.

  My breath came in short gasps between kisses. I didn’t want to stop, and I wasn’t sure I could anyway. And this time I felt Lance wasn’t about to stop either. He’d waited a lifetime to hold me like this.

  He trailed kisses along my jaw until he reached my ear. “You don’t know how many times I’ve dreamed of you – of this. I can’t lose you again.”

  I frowned even as he continued kissing my neck. There was something in his voice, something he wasn’t saying.

  “Lance?”

  He pulled back to look in my eyes, holding my face in both hands.

  “I need you to know that I love you. I’ve loved you for over a thousand years.”

  “I know…”

  He silenced me with one finger against my lips. “Which is why I know that you’ll forgive me.”

  My body turned cold. “Forgive you for what?”

  His eyes locked on mine then he kissed me again. The force and passion of his kiss drove the conversation out of my mind and I barely even noticed when he tugged my hands behind my back. It was only when I felt the rough fibres of a rope being wrapped around them that I jerked back from him.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Wyn will be finishing his watch in about an hour. He’ll untie you then.”

  I struggled, but the ropes were already tied tight. Lifting me from his lap, he set me on the floor and bent to loosely tie my ankles.

  Complete confusion silenced me for a long moment, and I could only stare at him.

  “Lance.” I finally managed to force his name out. “I don’t understand.”

  He stroked my cheek with one finger. “I can’t let you face Morgana, not if there is any other choice. She won’t be expecting me to confront her. Perhaps with surprise on my side…”

  “You’re crazy,” I yelped. “Totally insane. I won’t let you do this. Wyn and Percy won’t let you do this.”

  “Wyn isn’t here to stop me. As for Percy-.” He leant to the side. Percy stood behind him, an apologetic grin on his face. His ears were pink with embarrassment, and I realised he’d been there the whole time.

  “Sorry, Cara,” he said with a shrug. “But I’m kinda with Lancelot on this one. I’m going with him.”

  “Please, don’t do this.”

  Lance caught the first tear that slid down my cheek, wiping it away with his thumb. “See, this is why I planned on doing this whilst you were asleep, but you woke up at just the wrong moment. I’m glad in a way though, that I have the chance to say goodbye.”

  “No. Don’t say goodbye. Lancelot, don’t you dare leave me.”

  He flinched at the use of his real name, and then caught my face in his hands again.

  “I’ll scream, and Wyn will come running,” I threatened. I knew Wyn would never let this happen.

  “You could try, but he’s on the far side of the castle right now. I doubt he’d hear you.” He heaved a sigh at the look on my face. “I’ll be fine, Cara. But this is for the best. You are too important for me to lose.”r />
  I shook my head. “If you die, you’ll lose me anyway.”

  “If you’re safe, I’ll die happy. Besides, I’ve died before. It’s not so bad.”

  I wanted to hit him, but I couldn’t. I wanted to shake him and tell him to get over it, that we would face Morgana together or not at all.

  But I could only sit there as he pressed his lips against mine and then rose easily to his feet. I could only watch as he pulled on his t-shirt. Percy held out his sword and he took it in one hand. I stared at him, desperately trying to memorise every last detail about him. This would be the last time I saw him, I was certain of it. At the door Lance turned to look at me, and the pain in his eyes matched my own. But his jaw was set, his expression resolute.

  I knew as long as I lived, which wouldn’t be very long after Morgana killed him and came after me, I would remember those last moments. The moments when I felt like my heart was breaking.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  For a full ten minutes after he’d gone I sat in stunned silence. My brain wouldn’t work and even though I could hear Arthur’s voice, I couldn’t focus on the words.

  It was a few minutes before I realised I was shaking uncontrollably.

  Stop ignoring me. Arthur’s sudden shout made my head reel. You need to stop panicking and focus.

  Why didn’t you stop him? I shouted back at him.

  If he wasn’t going to listen to you, he certainly wasn’t going to listen to me.

  You could have ordered him, he still sees you as his king.

  Exactly, and right now he thinks he’s doing his duty to his king in keeping you safe.

  He’s going to die, I whimpered.

  Not if you pull yourself together. You need to go after him.

  I tuned Arthur out and focused on the ropes restricting me. Arthur was right. I had to pull myself together. I wasn’t going to let Lance just walk into death’s open arms.

  The ropes were too tight, and I rubbed my skin raw trying to free my hands. I gave up after just a few minutes. Instead I opened my mouth.