looked over his shoulder at a large tree. "I'll make sure they're all down there by the oak at ten tomorrow. None of them will be near you so that you'll have time to feed. You stay in the castle, bring down the shield, and feed on the girl. The mandrakes will have to take human form to enter the castle, and since they prefer to not fight that way, Morgen will send us in first. I'll come running in with my guard."
How strange that Garafyn would do that. He was taking one hell of a chance. "You trust me to not leave you behind?"
Garafyn sobered as he narrowed those eerie red eyes on him. "Three days ago, I wouldn't have trusted you with shit. But I've seen you with that woman. She trusts you, so I'm thinking maybe she knows something I don't."
Kerrigan snorted. "You're either brave or a complete idiot."
"I try to avoid being either of those since both will get you killed…and usually painfully. Now look pissed for the bitch."
Kerrigan made a face.
"Oh forget it. You need some acting lessons." He stepped back from the shield. "I'll go tell Morgen that you refused her offer."
"What was her offer anyway?"
"You know the spiel. Hand over the woman and your sword and she'd let you live. Blah, blah, blah."
Aye, that was the spiel all right. All these centuries later, and Morgen wasn't a bit more original. No wonder he was bored with her. "Tell her I refuse."
"Don't worry. Even if you hadn't, I'd say it just so that I could get the whole Linda Blair head-spinning routine going. It's the only time I find Morgen funny." Garafyn inclined his head to him. "See you tomorrow."
Kerrigan watched as the gargoyle made his way down the hill toward the others. It was incredible that such a beast would ally himself to him. But then the old saying went through his mind:My enemy's enemy is my friend .
He didn't know if he could really trust Garafyn and his guard or not. This could all be an elaborate plan to get him to lower his defenses.
Then again, if they were deceiving him, there was one flaw to their plan. One he doubted Morgen had thought about. There was only one person in the castle he could feed from.
Seren.
And she carried his child. If he bungled this, he would kill Seren and the baby, and Morgen would lose her best shot at raising Mordred from the dead. Neither proposition boded well for him.
But at least the latter wouldn't kill him. No matter what he might argue verbally, he was beginning to suspect the truth. Seren was starting to mean a lot more to him than just a nameless pawn to be used.
Now he just needed to teach his little mouse to roar.
Chapter 11
Kerrigan let out his breath slowly as he entered the great hall to find Seren and Blaise sitting off to the side of the hearth in carved chairs, talking.
Talking.
That thought drew him up short as he watched them. They sat like two old friends who were laughing together while making small talk over nothing.
It seemed somehow incongruous that a small peasant maid and a powerful mandrake would chat in such a manner. Graylings, sharocs, Adoni, all that he could accept. But this…
This screwed with his head.
"Well?" Blaise asked as soon as he sensed Kerrigan's presence.
Kerrigan moved to stand beside Seren's chair, where he draped his arm over the back of it. She watched him expectantly as if she thought he had some great plan to get them out of this. How he wished it were so. The truth was, he'd be lucky not to get them all killed on the morrow.
"I'm going to drop the shield tomorrow before I'm completely out of power."
Suspicion darkened Blaise's eyes. "And do what?"
"Regain my strength and get us out of here."
Even though he knew Blaise couldn't really see Seren, the mandrake looked at her before he returned to Kerrigan's gaze. "And how are you going to recharge your powers?"
Kerrigan glanced down to Seren, whose face went instantly pale.
She placed her hand over her stomach. "You'll kill me."
"Nay," Kerrigan said slowly. "Like Morgen, you're a Merlin. You should be strong enough for me to—"
"What new madness is this?" Seren asked as she shot to her feet. "Me? A Merlin? Are you insane?"
"It's true," Blaise said quietly as he continued to sit. "You are the same as Kerrigan and Morgen…well, I take that back. Unlike them, you're not