AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Well, you wouldn’t have to actually go through with it.” My uncle stroked his long, white, braided beard thoughtfully. “This is why I wished to catch you as soon as you awoke.”
“Have you been watching me sleep?” I exclaimed.
“Not at all.” He looked offended. “In fact, I sealed up the peephole to this room long ago. Why do you think I bothered to knock? It was my second time trying this morning.”
“Oh. I see.” I took a breath. “Well, thank you for that, I suppose.”
He nodded. “We should discuss the strategy you plan to adopt before you leave this room.”
“Dutiful sister, obedient to her king in all things. Loyal subject, grateful to be back at court,” I said in a flat, monotone voice. Weren’t those the roles Merlin would have wished me to play?
“Excellent. Exactly.” He cleared his throat. “But perhaps we could also add ‘swooning maiden who is exceedingly grateful to Lord General Fenyx for rescuing her from treachery’ to that list of roles you’ll be playing.”
“Be grateful to Merlin’s murderer?” I gritted my teeth.
“Fenyx is a dangerous man, Morgan. He is much more observant than Arthur. Subtler, too. He’ll be watching you closely. If one thing could put him at ease, it would be that which almost every mortal man is weak against.”
“Flattery.” I sighed. “Fine. I’ll do my best not to vomit all over his feet while I sing his praises.”
“A few sweet looks here and there,” my uncle encouraged. “Wide eyes, a gentle manner. That should be enough to help lower his guard. And then your time in the castle will be... well, let us hope, much more pleasant.”
“Iwillkill him in the end though, you know,” I said, meeting my uncle’s eyes.
He didn’t dismiss my bold claim. “He’s your kill to make when the time is right. I shan’t try to stop you or take it from you.”
“Thank you.”
I already knew how I longed to do it, too. Slowly. And with fire.
There would be no letter openers to the throat for Fenyx.
But just in case.
“Guinevere was helpless before Arthur,” I said before I could stop myself.
My uncle watched my face. “And that terrifies you now that you are back here. Of course, it would.” He leaned forward, his face serious. “Believe me, Niece. I would never let it get that far. There will be no wedding night.”
“But you didn’t stop Arthur,” I said, my voice low. “Not in time.”
He leaned back, his face suddenly haggard. “I did not. Before I knew what was happening, it was too late. There were too many people around them. To save Guinevere from that wretched fate, I would have had to attempt to strike Arthur down myself. There was no time for poison or stealth.” He looked at me beseechingly. “I am an old man, Morgan. Older than you may even realize. I did not have the strength for it. If I had failed... Well, we might have been worse off than we are now.”
He averted his gaze. “But yes, I failed the Lyonesse girl. I will never forgive myself for it. She was an innocent little dove, and I could not save her.” He pressed his lips together. “But you. Should it come to it, I would stop at nothing. The time for waiting has passed.”
I appreciated the words, even though I still wasn’t sure I could count on him in a situation like that. As he’d said, he was a very old man.
No, I was on my own. I had to hone my strength and bide my time. Draven was coming. But for now, he felt very far away.
“Merlin displayed extraordinary power before she died,” I said, changing the subject. My uncle seemed relieved. “I had no idea she possessed it.”
“Yes, I’ve heard about what she did.” My uncle stroked his beard thoughtfully. “I believe there must have been fae blood in her not-so-distant ancestry, yes. Though she never bore the physical signs. She showed power, you say, before she died? I admit, I suspected she had more than she ever liked to let on. If she held it back, I expect there was a good reason for it.” He waved a hand. “Well, the temple has been reticent with its power for quite some time now.”
“I think she knew she would die last night, Uncle,” I said quietly. “She seemed to... well, almost welcome it.”
“She was a clever woman of great foresight. It doesn’t surprise me that she would have chosen the circumstances of her own death.”
“She died for my sake. To smooth my way back into Arthur’s inner circle. It seems...” I searched for the right words but in the end there were none. “It seems like such a stupid thing to die for. Such a waste. I mean, what did she think I would accomplish here, really?”
And how much more might I have been able to accomplish with her wisdom and discernment to aid me had she lived?
