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Chapter Six
“Tell me everythingyou know,” Arthur said to Simeon. “Leave nothing out. I also want to know how you know these things.”
“First,” Simeon said. “Tell me. Are you truly him? Are you Arthur Pendragon?”
“It depends,” Arthur answered. “Who is asking? Are you Merlin? Do you know?
Roldan started to shake his head, but then stopped and shrugged his shoulders instead. “I don’t know. The knights asked me…” Tears welled up in his eyes, and it seemed, his throat. He swallowed back emotions, almost choking on them. “…what was the witch’s name who cursed me to travel through time. I didn’t know. I still don’t. But I believe it was Morgan. I may indeed be Merlin and you, my friend, King Arthur.”
“My dearest friend,” Arthur said on a deep groan. He wished he remembered, but just knowing this was likely his closest friend in all the world… “It’s been a long time.”
“Yes,” Simeon wiped his eyes and sighed, looking at him. “She’s been searching for you. She—” He stopped for a moment to look around. “Where’s Elia?”
“I sent her away this morning. I knew Morgan was getting closer. I felt it.”
“You sent her away?”
“Yes. Believe me it pained me to do so. I want her safe.”
“Is she her? Is she Guinevere?”
He began to tell him that he didn’t think so, when he heard Miss Upton whispering, “Is this real?”to…
He turned to have another look at Sebastian. His nerve-endings came alive, his senses honed for danger, his heart about to burst with love.
“I believe my firstborn son has come to me. What does it mean?”
Simeon leaned over his shoulder to whisper near his ear. “He will betray you. He was born to kill you.”
Arthur shook his head. “The same outcome doesn’t have to happen.”
“Even you are not permitted to change the past,” Merlin reminded him. Then when Arthur turned to him, he added, “You feel him in your blood.”
“Yes.”
“And you feel danger.”
“But I also feel…something else.” Arthur stared at his dearest friend. Did he see Merlin in there? Yes. Yes, he did. “I feel something like the old Mordred, and if he’s there, I will fight to the death to free him.”
*
“I want tohelp him.”
Noelle gave him an incredulous look. “How could you help a powerful magician fight an angry witch?” She widened her eyes and touched her fingers to her temples. “This is too much. It can’t be real. I must be dead or something.”
“’Tis real,” Sebastian told her softly.
Lancaster—or the king, was busy trying to explain to Simeon why he’d helped their mutual friend, Elia, move away to Hawaii.
They had stepped away and were speaking off in the corner.
“And he is in trouble.”
“I understand that,” she argued softly, glancing over at the two magicians. “But what could you possibly do to help them? I think we should get out of here before she arrives. It’s him she’s after—oh, gosh,” she stopped her rant and covered her hand with her mouth. “I sound horrible, don’t I?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ve never been in a situation like this before.” She drew in a deep breath and looked at Lancaster as she blew it out. “Okay, I’m with you. What can we do?”
All at once, he seemed to let down his guard. Walls fell and crumbled around her feet. How was it possible that a guy who looked as if he just stepped off the cover of a magazine would be so serious about anyone, let alone her?
“I can take this moment to tell you that I feel like I have waited a lifetime to meet you again, and now that I have, ’tis a disaster. I cannot express to you how sorry I am. I want to make it up to you. Have dinner with me when this is over.”
