book appeared before her and hovered there, suspended by nothing. The pages of the book turned to a passage. "Let me see if I have this right."
She read from the book."Gawain, the noble and chivalrous knight of Arthur, a king's champion. His prowess with women was unsurpassed." She looked up from the book to pin Gawain with a most unhappy glare. "This is you, is it not?"
Gawain chafed under her angry scrutiny. The pages of the book then turned to another passage so that he could read from it. "And according to that book, Merlin, you're an old, bald man."
Merlin's eyes widened as the book burst into flames. "Have you a wish to die?"
"I can't. I'm immortal."
Agravain sucked his breath in sharply between his teeth. "Caution, brother. The last man to anger Merlin now sits locked in a cage underneath our precious home."
That was true. Merlin had vowed to never forgive Sir Thomas Malory for what he'd told of them.
"I'm sorry, Merlin," Gawain said, trying to calm them all down. "Believe me, you are no angrier over this than I am. How did the Kerrigan know to be there?"
Merlin sighed. "His powers have grown much over the centuries. If we do not stop him soon, they will be stronger than even mine."
Gawain exchanged a nervous look with his brother. No one needed to tell them what would happen should that occur. The Kerrigan held no heart, no compassion. He was the male counterpart to Morgen, and he was her champion. If he grew stronger than Merlin, there would be no stopping them from taking over the world and enslaving them all.
Gawain narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "I shall have Percival research him. Maybe there is something written that can expose a weakness—"
"Nay," Merlin said. "Morgen is more intelligent than that. Unlike us, she seems to be able to keep her minions out of written legends."
Agravain snorted. "Not our fault Thom got drunk and started talking. I still think we should have killed him."
"It wasn't the talking that was bad," Gawain said snidely. "It was the writing."
Merlin stiffened. "Thank you for that reminder."
"Sorry, Merlin," they said in unison.
"So what do we do now?" Agravain asked Merlin.
Merlin sighed. "We wait to see what Kerrigan does. We can't give over the table to him…at least not without a wheelbarrow and a bucket. And even if we do, I am sure he will kill Seren and end her bloodline for us." Merlin took up pacing the hall. "Somehow we must find a way to get Seren out of Camelot."
Gawain looked up to the seal of the Pendragon that hung on the wall above them. A brightly colored fresco, it held the image of a dragon with a lion sleeping at its feet. Fire curled around the beast that stood with its wings spread wide. The dragon was alert and ready to defend its power and territory.
Behind that seal, lying asleep in a tomb, wasn't the king of legend.
It was one of his true sons that he'd sired with Queen Guinevere.
"Should we wake Draig for this?"
"Nay," Merlin said. "His time to rise isn't now. Summon the others. Whatever we do, we cannot allow evil to win. If they do…"
Everything good would die and the world would seriously reek.
Chapter 2
Kerrigan entered Morgen's room with his arms folded over his chest. Her receiving room was open and light, decorated in pale yellows and gold. Her blond hair was striking against her darker skin. She looked like an angel, but Kerrigan knew from experience that those looks were definitely deceiving.
Her gown was a vivid, unnatural red that moved like blood on her body. She was dancing in the room with her Adoni. Unlike the graylings, they were tall, fair of form, and agile. Humans oft called them elves, but they should never be confused with their Germanic cousins. The Adoni were a separate, vicious race that preyed on mankind whenever they could. It was what endeared them so to Morgen.
She paused in her dancing as she saw him. "So you've come to me finally."
He shrugged nonchalantly. "Why did you send for me?"
"I want you to keep a very close eye on our guest. If I know that bitchtress Merlin, and I do, she will set loose her dogs to come here and liberate her."
He scoffed at the witch. "I don't make such mistakes. Neither Merlin nor her bastard minions will ever be able to breach these walls."
Morgen smiled at that as she crossed the room to stand beside him.