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“You don’t understand. I had to go. The children... The children were there.”
A cold shock jolted through me. “What are you talking about?”
“I was right. They weren’t all at Meridium. He had... kept some.”
“Kept some?” A shiver ran down my spine. “Why?”
Rychel shifted slightly. “To display. To use. Residual power.”
My heart sank. Of course. The despicable man. Of course he had.
“They frightened... the others.”
“Those in my father’s court, you mean?” I said.
“Yes. I got the grail. And then... I managed to get... a child.”
Not a dead specimen like the one she had been dissecting back in the Court of Umbral Flames. But one with unnatural life still flowing through its veins.
I wasn’t sure I even wanted to know how she had done that. How she had managed it without coming out looking like Lancelet.
“I used the grail’s power,” Rychel whispered. “Before he sent it away.” To Arthur. My father had passed on the poisoned cup to my brother. But evidently not before Rychel had used it herself. “I knew it would work. I knew it. I was right.”
“But it took something from you, didn’t it?” Draven demanded, his voice grim. “What happened?”
“It took... all of me.” Rychel slowly turned her head towards the little girl beside the bed. “I had... no idea... what it would be like. What it would... feel like. But... it was... worth it. I saved one.” She closed her eyes. “Just one. But it was... worth it.”
Draven and I both stared at the child. At the girl’s pale, nearly colorless eyes. At her vacant expression, as if she were in this world but not entirely of it.
“What’s her name?” I asked eventually. “What do you call her?”
“She has no name. None that I knew. I call her Lynette.” There was a pause as she gasped for air. “She... answers to it.”
Draven stroked Rychel’s arm. “Stop. Don’t strain yourself. We can speak more tomorrow.”
Rychel closed her eyes. “There... won’t be... a tomorrow. Not for... me.”
“Why did you wait so long? Why not come to us before now?” I shook my head helplessly. “Maybe we could have, I don’t know... done something. Tried to undo this. Is it truly too late?”
“Don’t cry for me. I saved one life,” Rychel said, her voice suddenly strong and familiar. “My only regret...” She broke off coughing. “My only regret was not being able to save them all. He wouldn’t let me.”
“We’ll do what we can for them when we get there,” Draven said, rising to his feet decisively. “As for you and Lynette, I’ll arrange for you both to be carried in a wagon tomorrow. I’ll hire guards to accompany you. I’ll make sure Madoc and his wife care for you themselves the rest of the way to Camelot.”
“Camelot,” Rychel breathed. “Not going to Camelot. Take Lynette.”
“Lynette will be taken care of for the rest of her days,” I promised. “Don’t be concerned for her.”
“We’ll see to you both,” Draven insisted. “Both of you. Not just Lynette.”
Rychel smiled slightly as if she knew there was no point in arguing with her stubborn, hard-headed brother.
Hard-headed but soft-hearted.
“I’ll go and speak with Madoc now,” Draven decided. “Then I’ll return with warmer blankets for you both. In fact, you’ll take our tent. Mine and Morgan’s. We’ll move you there. I’ll ask Amara...” His voice drifted away as he left the tent.
I looked at Rychel and she looked back at me, then lifted her hand and gripped mine, squeezing gently.
“I’m...going... now.”
