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“I didn’t want to go!” I shot back.
“I know, but... If what you’re doing could help Pendrath and end the war, then I wanted to come. Who knows if we can trust these men.” I felt a gnawing anxiety as she spoke. “Draven may not have harmed you, but we know what he is and who sent him. And that other man... He’s handsome, yes, but you hardly know him. Why did he follow you?”
“I... he... we...” I stuttered.
She was quiet. “So it’s like that, is it?” She sighed. “You have terrible timing, Morgan.”
“I know,” I admitted. “But it wasn’t exactly my choice. It just... happened.”
“You like him?”
“I think I do, yes. He’s... different. Different from anyone I’ve ever met.” I thought of Vesper’s lips. His hands on my body. “You always wanted me to explore more. Shouldn’t you be happy for me?”
“I am happy for you.” She gave a low laugh. “But perhaps he’s not so very different. He’s like you. Part fae. Maybe it makes sense. You need someone like you in your life. Someone who can relate.” I felt her eyes on me. “But... Your hair, your skin. Those marks. How can you be so changed?”
“I still don’t understand it all myself. It happened when I stopped taking the medicine.”
“So, this is the real you,” she said softly. “Hidden for years. I don’t understand. What was your family so afraid of? You were always pretty, Morgan. But now? You’re downright beautiful.”
I flushed in the darkness, thinking not of how changed I looked but of the fire that had erupted from my palms, the burst of power that had blown out the wall of the inn. “They wanted to protect me, I suppose. I don’t think they intended to harm me.”
I wanted to believe that. I didn’t want to believe my uncle had deliberately crafted a poison he knew could kill me. Then I remembered the iron shavings in the bag Whitehorn had been given.
“Protect you? Or protect themselves from you?” Lancelet asked pointedly.
I didn’t know how to answer that. I had wondered the same thing. For a moment, I was quiet. “Does Merlin know? About me?”
“I’m not sure. But she believes you’re capable of more than you realize.”
I gave a wry laugh. “You mean like her? Does she think I was hiding it like she’s been doing?”
“I don’t think she meant you were hiding anything deliberately. And as for what Merlin herself hides, I think we should be grateful she’s been wise enough to do so. Can you imagine what Arthur would make of her abilities? What he would do with the arch if he got his hands on it?” She paused. “I didn’t want to speak of it in front of strangers. But Galahad...”
I sat up in the tent, my head brushing the soft fabric of the roof. “What about him?”
“He’s all right. Calm down, Morgan.” Her hand shot out to gently push me back down. “I mean, he’s mostly all right. It’s just more of your brother’s bullshit, to put it bluntly.”
“Tell me,” I demanded. “What has Arthur done? Did he hurt Galahad?”
She hesitated. “Not yet. But in the future, yes, it’s possible. He says men and boys who are... like Galahad... are impure and shouldn’t serve in the temple. Or in the army either. I’m sure women like me will be next.” She gave a little laugh, but I could hear the fear in her voice.
“Galahad wants nothing more than to be an acolyte,” I whispered. “He’s devoted. Absolutely devoted. He has more faith in one pinkie finger than you or I have in our entire bodies.”
“I know.” Her voice was tired. “He’s devastated. So is Sir Ector.”
“Perhaps Arthur will change his mind. Perhaps I can speak on his behalf. Pendrath has been a kingdom of tolerance for generations. All of our neighbors are, too. Does Arthur really mean to send us backwards?” Yet as I asked the question, I already knew the answer. There was no limit to what my brother might do to get what he wanted. And what was that exactly? Greater power. Greater territory. More of everything. And if the world burned around him while he took what he wanted, I didn’t think he would even blink twice.
“He wants to divide people. Sow as much animosity as he can. So that we’re turned against one another, instead of against him. But it won’t work, Morgan.” Lancelet’s voice was strong. “Because we have you.”
I felt a surge of apprehension. “What is that supposed to mean?”
She threw her arm over me and squeezed my shoulder gently. “Let's go to sleep. I’m exhausted.” She turned over, snuggling into her bedroll. “I hope you have better food,” she mumbled. “I’m tired of hardtack.”
A minute later and her soft snores filled the air.
