Finally the wolves slunk away, discouraged, and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief.
It was just in time, for the rain began again and the torches went out.
With the wolves gone, Merlin and Natalenya walked along in silence until they arrived at the old oak door of Merlin’s home. He found the iron lever his father had crafted and paused to feel its comfortable curve. After he left with Uther in the morning, how long until he returned home? When would he feel this handle again? Suddenly every mundane detail about his life became special. The straw mattress where he slept in the smithy. The sound of his sister as she pranced about the soup pot. Their old horse, Kapall. Even Merlin’s broken mug.
And Natalenya. How he wished he could marry her. But all these things were slipping away. He would spend his days away from his family, unmarried and blind.
The door opened with a jerk. Someone jumped out and tackled Merlin, pressing the air from his lungs as he hit the ground. From somewhere above, Natalenya gave a short scream.
CHAPTER 28
THE WORDS OF THE STONE
Merlin fought back against his attacker, trying to free his arms.
“Got him!” the man yelled.
Extracting an arm, Merlin struggled to push the attacker off, until he recognized the voice. He sucked in a little air and said, “Tas … it’s me.”
“Merlin!” His father let go and stood, then pulled Merlin up. “Why in the name of Rome were you fiddling with the latch?”
“I wasn’t … I was just coming home.” Maybe for the last time.
His father scraped some mud from Merlin’s shoulder. “Didn’t mean to scare you. We thought someone was listening at the door again. He got away last time. Hello, Natalenya, come in out of the cold.”
Natalenya brushed against Merlin’s arm as they entered, and he felt her shiver. Dybris greeted them from the table beyond the hearth, and Natalenya sat down opposite him. Before Merlin joined her, he retrieved a wool blanket from Ganieda’s bed and awkwardly laid it over her shoulders. She reached up to clasp it together, and their hands brushed. Her touch lingered for the briefest moment, and though Merlin felt that he was forgiven, it did little to ease the hurt muffling his heart.
“Merlin, your father and I have been discussing what to do about the Stone, but we don’t agree,” Dybris said without seeming to notice the exchange before him.
Owain coughed as he sat down, throwing Merlin a warm, wet towel. “I see you’ve been in trouble again. Use that to wipe the blood off your arm.”
Merlin had already forgotten about the wolf attack, and he pulled up what was left of his sleeve to wash his wounds. Thankfully none of them were deep, for he had killed the wolf that quick. But all of this was unimportant, and he forced his attention back to the problem threatening them all: the Druid Stone.
“What are your thoughts?” he asked the men.
“I say we do something. Like drop it in the marsh,” Dybris said, “but Owain thinks I’m hopeless.”
Merlin’s father slapped the table. “I never said that.”
“Both of you, wait,” Merlin said. “On our own this cause is hopeless. But if we had help, we might destroy the Stone.”
“But who would help?” his father said. “All I want to do is save Mônda and Ganieda.”
Merlin put his hand on his father’s shoulder. “We can do both, Tas. What if the High King’s men planned to attack the druidow tonight?”
“Shah, then,” his father whispered. “You’re telling us something you shouldn’t.”
Dybris clapped his hands. “That means we’re free. If Uther attacks, we need only wait.”
Merlin sighed. “I wish it were so. Vortigern arranged it so he leads, while Uther guards his family.”
“Do you lack confidence in him?” Dybris asked. “Surely the High King’s battle chief —”
“Vortigern can’t be trusted,” Natalenya interrupted, and her words were woven with fear. “I overheard him speaking with my father, and I doubt his loyalty to Uther.”
Merlin took stock of this new information, confirming his own suspicions. “The truth is this: we can’t rely on Vortigern to destroy the Stone. So we need a second plan.”
Merlin’s father slid his bench closer to the table. “What do you suggest?”
“You and Dybris should go to the circle of stones, and as soon as Vortigern scatters the druidow, steal the Stone in the confusion. Then we four will destroy it. We must act now, or we’ll forfeit the chance. It wants to enslave us all … or kill us