AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Something had been taken from me back at the tournament as Lancelet fought—energy or power. But it was something I was only too willing to have given.
Still, I had enough energy to grin. “That was amazing. Should we go back to help?”
Tyre glanced around surreptitiously. “Be careful, Morgan. The walls have ears.”
I nodded, wiping the grin from my face as Tyre tugged me towards the keep and then down a stone corridor. The hall was empty.
Standing near a window, he turned to me, keeping his voice low. “No, I don’t think we should go back to help. What could we do in any case?” To my surprise, he was frowning. “I had no idea they had such a foolish spectacle planned. What a ridiculous risk to take.”
“But this could be it, Tyre. An uprising in the city. Guinevere and Galahad, they’ve truly done it. They rescued Lancelet as well.” I found myself shaking with relief and excitement. “Arthur’s men hit her with an arrow, but I don’t think she’s dead.”
“She’s not, I can assure you of that much,” Tyre said curtly.
I raised my brows.
“The king and the Lord General were prepared to incapacitate any prisoner who was found able to wield the sword. The arrow was laced with something that would put her into a deep sleep, but not, presumably, kill her.”
“I see.” Evidently, Arthur had taken Tyre into his confidence more than I’d realized.
“It’s incredible that she survived,” Tyre murmured. “Absolutely incredible.” He looked at me with a measured expression. “I’m to send a missive to Guinevere and the others shortly. Is there anything you’d like me to add?”
He had never bothered to ask me that before.
“Perhaps something to explain how Lancelet succeeded so spectacularly with the sword when all others failed?” He smiled so knowingly that I blushed. “Aha, my dear, I suspected you had something to do with it.”
“Only a little,” I admitted. Now it was my turn to furtively glance about before continuing. “My uncle believes the sword is attuned to me somehow.”
“Because you were the first to touch it? How fascinating. But of course, that makes sense.”
“Does it? I’m not sure any of it really does. All I know is that I tried to, well, speak to the sword. I begged it to help Lancelet.”
Tyre’s eyes were sharp and astute. “And the blade responded. You have power over it.”
“Maybe a little. I have never tried to use it myself. But if what I did worked, then yes, please tell Guinevere.” I thought of Orcades. “And tell her something else. Tell her...” I looked at Tyre and hesitated.
“Yes?”
If Orcades needed refuge, I wasn’t sure she’d accept it from the rebels.
“Never mind,” I said hastily.
He nodded. “Very well. In any case there is one thing I’ve been meaning to mention to you.”
I tilted my head questioningly.
“The Siabra man who you wished me to try to find.”
“Javer? What of him? Did you locate him?”
“Traces of him. He’s disappeared quite thoroughly, but...” Tyre hesitated. “Well, there seems to be no doubt he was the traitor in our midst.”
My heart sank. “Oh, no.” I had a thought. “And yet, Arthur was expecting to find Guinevere, but he clearly was not expecting to find me that night.”
I remembered what my uncle had told me. If anyone tried to divulge anything about me to Arthur, he had said, they would find themselves unable to utter or even inscribe the words. Perhaps Javer had been unable to betray me, even if he had wanted to.
“That is strange indeed,” Tyre murmured. He shook his head. “Well, now that Lancelet is relatively safe and you’re back from that bloody competition, I think it’s time to tell you the good news. If you’ll follow me.”
I did as he asked, trailing behind him as he led the way down the corridor and into a small sitting room that bordered the Great Hall.
