Sword in the Stars (Once & Future #2) - Cori McCarthy Page 0,54

people we left behind for our absence. All of those representatives who jumped to come to our summit have probably fallen back, taking whatever bargain might keep their planets alive. Gwen’s people, along with whatever’s left of our friends and family, will most likely end up working in a Mercer distribution factory. And if Mercer is really on-brand, they will set fire to Ketch for the show alone. The last time they blew up a planet they streamed the destruction with inspired ad placement.”

“Fireproof boxes and smoke detectors,” Lam muttered. “I’ll never forget it. Our parents bought them.”

Ari’s brain filled with images of the capital city, Omaira, up in flames. “Does Gwen think this will happen, too?”

Val bit his bottom lip. “She’s mapped it out by now. That news bulletin was meant to reach us wherever we were hiding. To scare us. And it did, didn’t it?”

“Gwen wanted to have the baby here.” Ari sighed. “We thought we could go back to the same night when Mercer still thought she was only a few months pregnant. But if we go back with the baby now, Mercer will be looking for them, and I still don’t understand why they demanded a baby as a down payment on peace. If we—”

“You can’t take the baby back there.” Ari was startled by the intensity of Lam’s voice. “You’ll have to think of something else.”

Ari didn’t know what to say while Val pulled on her knotted hair. She agreed with Lam, but that didn’t make any of it easier. It would mean going home without Gwen. Or asking Gwen to give up the baby for their safety. Both of which were impossible.

“How do we even get back?” Val asked softly. “It would take too much magic to make another portal. We’d end up gathering Merlin in a bunch of blankets afterward…”

Ari stopped his nervous finger-combing. “Don’t worry about that part. I won’t let Merlin sacrifice himself.” If it came down to it, she had a way to get them home and free Arthur. It just meant giving up her spirit for all of eternity after she died.

Yeah, she was definitely going to keep sitting on that one.

She pulled a shawl over her still-knotted hair. “I have to go.”

Lam stood and took her arm.

Val straightened her dress. “Remember, you two are about to engage in a night of utterly sinful debauchery. Sell it, or those guards will recognize Ari and drag her out of Camelot. Or worse. Also, Ari, bend your knees. You’re way too tall in this time period.”

Like Gwen, Lamarack didn’t have a problem acting. They kept their demeanor set on Drunk Flirt as Ari awkwardly hunched over, hanging on to Lam’s waist for support. The palace guards took no note of her as they both stumbled in. Ari and Lam needed only to cross the front hall to the stairs that led up to the various levels of the main keep, to the room they shared.

Halfway across the floor, Ari heard the unmistakable clanking of a knight approaching.

If it’s Sir Kay, I’m going to tackle him. I don’t fucking care.

Lam seemed to suspect her motivation. They spun Ari around as if they were about to start a dance and threw her over their shoulder at the waist. Ari’s face was now a few inches from Lam’s glorious, leather-clad ass. Lovely.

“Lamarack, were you not with a fetching enchantress last evening?” Galahad’s voice. Well, that was a bit of luck. “The one called Morgause?”

Lam spoke but Ari missed it as they shuffled her into a better spot on their shoulder.

“You should seek friendship and connection with your lovers. It will lead to a better life,” Galahad said, as if he were Lam’s dad. Ari couldn’t help smiling. “That one-lady-each-night business looks an awful lot of work from where I’m standing. My goodness, you are motivated.”

Galahad walked on, and Lam hustled across the hall and up the tight stairwell, not letting Ari down even though she tried pinching them in the side. Once they were back in the small, dank room and the door was shut, Lam set her down and Ari had a full-on head rush. She grabbed her temples and wrestled her breath.

She sat hard on the bed, and gingerly touched the bruise on her jaw from where Sir Kay had knocked her out. Then she took MercersNotes out of her dress pocket and flipped it open to a random page… which happened to be about Queen Gweneviere getting kidnapped. Ari snapped it