Sword of Darkness - By Kinley MacGregor Page 0,102
at his men. "Whatever you do, legion, don't let anyone blast Morgen. You must protect our queen from the evil Lords of Avalon. Help her."
Morgen cursed. "Get away from me. Damn you! Off," she screamed out. "Adoni, get the gargoyles off me."
Her court ran to help their queen.
Garafyn gathered their group together. "Okay, Blaise, now would be a damned good time to get us out of here before the Adoni attack us, too."
"What about the other gargoyles?" Elaine asked.
"Those are the real gargoyles. My legion isn't here. I'm not that vicious. Let her destroy the boxes of rocks. But we gotta go. C'mon, there's only two more weeks left on my Greyhound pass. I gots to get out of here."
The Adoni and Morgen were blasting through the gargoyles.
"Maddor!" Morgen screamed. "Grab the Merlin."
Seren looked up as the mandrake moved toward them with determined strides.
She felt his hand on her arm, pulling at her…
Blaise held his hand out and again they laid theirs over his before they vanished.
For a second, Seren was relieved, until she realized that Maddor had traveled through the portal with them. He grabbed her about the waist and pulled her away from the others.
Kerrigan launched himself at the mandrake, knocking him away from her.
Maddor crouched low as if he were about to attack.
Before he had the chance, Kerrigan blasted him. Maddor turned with a hiss as if to attack, but before he could, Kerrigan blasted him again.
Seren gaped as the mandrake vanished. "Did you kill him?"
"Nay. I gave him something much worse than that. I sent him back to Camelot."
Elaine rubbed her neck as if she had an ache in it. "That is truly the worst punishment I can think of."
"You are so unimaginative," Garafyn said snidely.
Elaine curled her lip at him. "Shut up before I sendyou back there."
Garafyn snatched his medallion from Blaise's hand. "G'head. I gots a key, babe."
While the two of them fought, Seren walked into Kerrigan's arms and threw her arms around his neck.
Kerrigan couldn't breathe as the scent of her hair filled his head and he finally held her again. Closing his eyes, he reveled in the sensation of her body nestled against his.
But before he could get too comfortable, a battalion of knights on horseback came riding up in front of them. The standard of Avalon rippled in the breeze as the horses snorted and pranced in expectation of battle.
Kerrigan let go of Seren. He put himself between her and the others as he prepared himself for the coming fight.
"What is the meaning of this?" Seren asked from behind him.
Agravain rode his horse forward. "Kerrigan is a threat to all of us."
Seren opened her mouth to refute him, but before she could speak, Elaine moved to stand beside Agravain. "And so's your incompetent brother. Yet we let him live…and in the castle, no less."
Agravain grimaced at her. "You would side with our enemy?"
Elaine looked at Kerrigan before she turned back toward Agravain. "He saved my life from Morgen and I saw how much he suffered to protect Seren. You throw him out and I go with him."
"As do I," Seren said.
Blaise moved to stand by their side. "And I."
Garafyn snorted. "Like I have any choice, huh?"
Agravain looked disgusted, but before he could argue, Merlin appeared between their two groups. Without paying any attention to the Lords of Avalon, she turned toward Seren and Kerrigan.
Kerrigan was prepared to battle as the Penmerlin approached him. But her face remained open and friendly.
She extended her hand out to him. "Welcome home, Kerrigan."
He looked about suspiciously, unable to believe that they would let bygones be bygones. There was too much history between them. "Is this a trick?"
"Nay. I would never play with anyone so cruelly. I'm not Morgen."
Agravain made a sound of detestation. "You're not just going to forgive him for all he's done to us over the centuries, are you, Merlin?"
Merlin gave Agravain a pointed stare over her shoulder. "We've all made mistakes, haven't we?"
Agravain looked away shamefaced, making Seren wonder what he'd done in the past.
Merlin offered Kerrigan a kind smile. "I somehow think that Kerrigan has had enough of Morgen's rule."
Kerrigan finally took her hand. "You've no idea."
She clasped his hand in both of hers. "Then welcome to Avalon. I'm sure Seren will be most delighted to show you to your rooms."
Seren grinned wickedly at the prospect. "Absolutely."
Merlin inclined her head to them, before she turned toward the castle. She paused beside the army and shook her head. "Go home, guys."