Claiming Excalibur Page 16

  “Oh,” was all Aliana could think to say. Her destiny and everything that went with it was getting to be too much again. Just like it had when she was in Avalon.

  The queen’s smirk deepened. “It’s getting late. You must prepare for the festivities. I’m sure your friends are anxious to see that you’re safe and unharmed.”

  Aliana watched the queen leave her room then looked down at her new bow. Where was she going to put it when she didn’t need it? She couldn’t hang it on her shoulder anymore. The bow quivered and shot out of her hand in a flash of pink that disappeared into her new ruby glove.

  “And I’m officially freaked!” Aliana said, sinking onto her bed.

  Dagg studied her and her glove carefully. “It seems we’re learning more and more about the true origin of your magic. I must say, even I never expected an explanation like this.”

  13

  They’ve entered the Isle. It’ll be far more difficult to track them now, as the queen’s magic blocks mine. My frustration is palpable. There are too many things that can go wrong in that realm, and Aliana will be at the mercy of that manipulative Fae. If I’m to be sure of my plan’s success, I’ll need to intercept them before the queen can get her claws too deeply into my Destined One. That woman must not get what she wants—at least not in the way she wants it.

  ~Mordrid

  IT WAS ABOUT AN HOUR LATER that a young Fae girl came to lead Aliana through the maze of hallways to the celebration. She took her to a lit courtyard where guests wore glamorous costumes. Fire eaters and ribbon performers danced around towering bonfires, entertaining the glittering assembly. Thanking the girl, Aliana nearly ran to Galahad and the others. Dagg flew right next to her. It felt strange to have left her belongings behind in her borrowed room, but the Fae girl had looked like she was going to faint, insisting that the bag would ruin the presentation of Aliana’s dress.

  “Hey.” She hugged her knight when he opened his arms for her.

  “I was worried when you didn’t come down with Lacy,” he breathed into her ear.

  Aliana smiled and stepped back. Galahad and the guys were dressed in long, ceremonial style tunics in their family colors with gold and silver belts, black pants, and tall, glossy black boots. She smiled when she caught sight of the dagger she’d bought poking out from under the hem of Galahad’s rich green garment. Of course he’d be armed. All of them probably were.

  Aliana looked at Lacy, who was plastered against Percy’s side looking a mix of excited and nervous. Her fingers clenched tightly to the sleeve of her boyfriend’s royal blue shirt. She wore a dress almost identical to Aliana’s except it was the color of a shimmering, silver moon with subtle accents of white and black along the edges of the low-cut corset top. Aliana’s dress was pale pink with emerald green accents that almost matched the color of her eyes.

  “You look lovely, Aliana,” Arthur said, looking regal in his red and gold ensemble. “But what’s on your hand?”

  Aliana lifted her gloved hand to show the ruby gauntlet. “Titania gave it to me. She said—”

  “It’s the gem she created when she made our prophecy,” Galahad finished for her. He took her hand and turned it over, studying the glove.

  Titania stood before a large, white throne displayed prominently on a stage at one end of the courtyard. She was dressed in a decadent, auburn silk dress, complete with intricate patterns of gems. As her emerald eyes swept across her subjects, they bowed low to their queen.

  Aliana looked to Arthur and the knights. They also bowed their heads, as did Dagg. Lacy gave her a small shrug before sinking into a small curtsy. Aliana swung her eyes back to the queen, who watched her with a strangely pleased glimmer in her eyes. Embarrassed, she followed Lacy’s lead and made a small curtsy to the queen.

  “My thanks for your attendance tonight, my Fae.” Titania’s voice carried over the large crowd and crackling fire. “We’re gathered to honor the noble King Arthur, his valiant knights, and the Destined One.” The Fae shifted their gazes toward the group as the queen gestured to them.

  Why do people always do this to me? Aliana thought, desperate for a reprieve from the scrutiny she and her friends were under.

  “Before they set back out on their quest, I want to show them the hospitality of this great kingdom. So eat, drink, enjoy the entertainment, and join me in welcoming our most honored guests.” The crowd clapped, and Aliana followed Arthur as he led them into the crowded party. Aliana chanced a glance at the queen and gave the Fae ruler a small smile.

  It took several long minutes to find a more private place to talk, but as soon as they were away from the crowd, Leo turned to Aliana. “Why would Queen Titania gift this to you?” His gray eyes were highlighted by his brown tunic and sparked with intellectual curiosity.

  As quickly as she could, Aliana told them what Titania had said about the glove and her new weapon.

  Owen whistled trough his teeth, his muscular shoulders bulging as he crossed his pale blue arms. “That’s one powerful gift.”

  Aliana nodded. Her mind was still having trouble wrapping itself around all this new information. More and more mysteries piled on top of the ones she was already struggling with. “It feels wrong to be at a party when we still have so much to do.”

  “We can use this time try to find out if any here knows where we might find Silzik,” Dagg said. “And we should eat before we set out again.”

  “How do we go about seeking information without exposing our plans?” Owen asked. “We want to keep our quest as quiet as possible, don’t we?”

  “We should ask Puck,” Galahad said.

  “We need to find him first,” Leo muttered.

  Aliana walked alongside Lacy and Percy, her arm tucked in the crook of Galahad’s elbow. They followed King Arthur back into the crowd. Beautiful Fae twirled and mingled as the lively music played. Their long, flowing hair came in so many different colors it would make a rainbow jealous. Some had pale skin like Titania’s while others had faint undertones of blue. They all wore silky shirts, pants, and dresses with arching designs stitched in black around the hems.

  Following the others, Aliana nibbled on the strange food and took in all that floated around her, including some of the hushed conversations.

  “Are they looking for the Ruined Kingdom?” one whispered to another.

  “I heard they’re of the queen’s line.”

  “There’s no mistaking those eyes. They’re her eyes.”

  “What could she want with it?”

  “Have they found the location of the lost sword?”

  Aliana’s eyes widened, trying to identify the Fae who’d mentioned Excalibur, but she couldn’t tell who’d spoken the precious question. As the group continued through the crowd, the Fae around them bowed in respect to Arthur. She caught sight of Puck weaving his way through the party uncaring of the unkind looks that were shot his way. She realized Puck didn’t really look like any of them. His ears were slightly pointed rather than rounded like theirs, and his unusual skin color and eyes didn’t fit with the look of the Fae.

  “What exactly are you?” Aliana asked him when he finally joined their group next to a towering table of food—most of which Aliana didn’t recognize. “You don’t look like the rest of the Fae here.”

  Puck chuckled. “I’m nothing like these ones, thank the queen! That would be so boring! I’m what you would call a half-breed. Half-Fae, half-Imp.”

  Aliana raised her eyebrows. “What exactly is an Imp? I thought they were little creepy-looking goblin creatures that loved to cause trouble and serve a higher power.”

  Puck scoffed, his chin rising in offense. “Imps are magical beings from Atlantis, thank you, and while we do like having fun, we’re clearly not ugly or related to filthy Goblins. I serve a master as you serve the Golden King and the queen’s prophecy.”

  Aliana held up her hands in surrender. She didn’t mean to upset the most promising source of information they had here. Then she caught the laughin
g glint in his strange eyes and relaxed.

  Lacy joined the conversation. “Why are all the Fae bowing when we pass them?”

  Puck’s head tilted to the side as he considered his answer. “You don’t know?”

  Lacy shook her head and Aliana held her breath. What did Puck mean?

  “I’m not the only half-breed here tonight.” He curled his legs under him like a genie, continuing to hover off the ground. “You and Aliana are making sure I’m in good company.”

  “What?” the girls gasped, their wide eyes went to the guys then back to Puck.

  Puck sighed and rested his head on his hands. “You two,” he said slowly and clearly, as if to a child, “are both half-breeds. Half-Fae, half-human.”

  “How can we be part Fae?” Lacy shook her head. “There’s no way.”

  Puck scoffed. “Are you so naïve that you’ve never suspected? Surely your all powerful Druid would’ve realized what you two are.”

  Aliana’s astonishment melted away, replaced by increased suspicion of what other information Merlin might be hiding.

  “Does that mean one of my parents are Fae?” Lacy asked.

  The half-breed cackled loudly, gripping his sides. “You don’t need to have a direct connection to have a Fae’s blood. If any in your family’s line had the blood of the queen’s race it would’ve passed to you.”

  Owen stepped between Lacy and Puck, staring him down. “Then what about Wade? Is he part Fae also? Am I? Aliana and I are descended from the same bloodline, after all.” His British accent got thicker with his anger.

  “Ah, you poor fools,” Puck breathed, shaking his head.

  Owen bristled and advanced a step toward Puck.

  “Relax, relax.” He held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll tell you what I can but you must understand I only know so much.”

  “Tell us what you do know,” Arthur ordered.

  Unfolding his legs, Puck’s feet touched the ground for the first time since Aliana had spotted him that night. He looked around at the endless numbers of colorful Fae surrounding them. “Come this way.” He led them to a more secluded corner of the courtyard. “All of your men swore a blood oath of loyalty to you when they were made knights, did they not, your Majesty?” Puck asked Arthur.

  Aliana’s king nodded.

  “That oath is another thing the queen was able to use to bind all your men to her prophecy and ensure they all were reborn. With that kind of magic influencing your knights’ existences, they were never meant to be anything other than what they were in Camelot—the strongest knights in all the realms. They didn’t have magical blood then; thus, they don’t have magical blood now.”

  Puck’s explanation fell heavily over Aliana, and Lacy’s silence told her that her friend was taking it just as hard. The girls were alone in this. They only had each other and Dawn.

  “I beg your pardon,” a quiet, bell-like voice interrupted from several paces away.

  Aliana turned to see another Fae girl dressed in an apricot dress with hair that started out purple at the roots and faded into pink at the ends. The girl lifted her head briefly, her brown eyes finding Aliana’s before dropping back to the floor almost immediately. The poor girl seemed terrified of them.

  “The queen asks that her most honored guests join her.” After gesturing toward the throne where Titania sat, the girl made a small bow and skittered away.

  “Why is she so frightened of us?” Leo asked Puck. But all they found was empty air in the place where the half-Imp had been. The made their way to the ornate stage, passing by several ribbon dancers, who playfully flirted their silky ribbons around and between the guys, giving them inviting smiles. Continuing past them, they had to skirt a fire-eater as he blew streams of flame that curled into the sky before bursting into blue and white fireworks.

  Titania descended the stage as they approached. “I’m pleased to see all of you here tonight.” Her eyes settled on Aliana rather than the former king of Camelot.

  “Like we had much of a choice,” Lacy muttered. “We were all but kidnapped by Puck.” Galahad cleared his throat and shot Lacy a warning look.

  Titania raked her gaze over Lacy. Her face showed no sign of annoyance, but somehow Aliana knew the queen wasn’t pleased with her smart-mouthed friend. “I believe you were on your way here before Puck brought you to my palace, yes?”

  “We weren’t looking for your city, per say,” Galahad told her. “But we were hoping to find information to help us find the Dragon Silzik. Or possibly a clue regarding Excalibur’s location.”

  “We know my sword is here on the Isle of the Blessed,” Arthur said as soon as Galahad finished. “What we don’t know is where it hides.”

  Titania nodded slightly, her calculating gaze slipping between the king and Galahad. “Such information does not come cheaply, dear king.” Her gaze flicked to Aliana’s new gauntlet. “And I’ve already given you one mighty gift without receiving anything in exchange.”

  Aliana clenched her fist, feeling the glove pull and slide over her flesh as she did. If Titania had wanted something for it, why didn’t she say anything earlier?

  “What price would you ask for the information?” Arthur asked.

  “I would ask two things,” Titania said, taking a gold and jewel-encrusted goblet that a servant handed her. “I would ask a sword for a sword. Should you claim Excalibur, you would give me the sword that the Lady of the Lake gave you.”

  Arthur nodded his acceptance, but Aliana wondered why Titania had chosen such a simple thing. She reflected on the strange jewels that decorated the Elf blade, but her thoughts were interrupted when Arthur spoke. “And the second?” he asked.

  The queen took a long drink from her goblet before answering. “The second is a task I would ask of the Destined One.”

  Aliana gulped as her friends all shifted a fraction closer to her. Galahad tried to tug her closer to his body but Aliana stood firmly on her own. She hadn’t shown Titania weakness in the cave when she’d freed Arthur. She couldn’t do so now. “What do you want me to do?”

  The queen looked at Galahad, and Aliana swore she saw frosty contempt for her knight in the queen’s emerald eyes. “At a time of my choosing,” she finally said, “I will tell you of the task I have in mind and you must complete it.”

  “Your Majesty…” Arthur said.

  “Deal,” Aliana said over Arthur’s words. The queen grinned wickedly, and Aliana ignored the sharp, reproachful looks from the guys and the hard pinch to her side from Lacy.

  “Aliana—” Owen started, but Titania silenced him with a glare.

  “The bargain is struck,” the queen declared, looking to Arthur. “If you’ll accompany me on a private stroll, dear king, I’ll tell you what you wish to know.”

  Arthur nodded, his kingly mask in place, but when the queen turned, he leveled a heated look at Aliana. She shrugged in a slight apology. The Fae had never said Aliana would have to do the mystery task alone, which gave her the confidence she could do it. Besides, if they didn’t find Excalibur soon, Mordrid and Morgana’s next attack would surely be far worse than whatever task the queen would have her do. She rubbed her fingers over the warm smoothness of the ruby on her hand, and she knew that the queen wasn’t a threat to her. Titania needed her to complete this quest, and there was no way she wanted Mordrid and Morgana to succeed.

  “Shall we go?” Titania asked Arthur, handing her drink to a servant. With a smile that didn’t look even remotely sincere, Arthur offered her his hand, but shot another glance at Aliana. This one was more worried than angry. “You should join us as well, Lord Daggerhorne,” the Fae added. “I’m sure the Destined One will be safe on her own for a few moments.”

  Aliana stiffened but Dagg’s soft wing brushed against her neck as he spoke to her through their mental link, “Please stay with Galahad. I’m not sure why the queen wants me with her and Arthur but it may mean danger for you.”

  Aliana sighed. She was smart enough to know that being a
nywhere in this realm without Galahad or one of the other guys wasn’t smart. “I’ll be careful. I saw a small lake earlier I want to take Galahad to. We’ll be safer away from all these strangers.” And she could maybe, finally, find some relief from all the looks she constantly felt from the Fae.

  Jumping from her shoulder, Dagg joined the royals as they left the party. As soon as they disappeared from sight, Galahad and Lacy wheeled around on Aliana.

  “Have you lost your senses completely?” Galahad asked.

  “Lia, what in the name of all that’s holy were you thinking?” Lacy demanded.

  “She wasn’t going to change her mind,” Aliana said. “And you’ll notice she never said I’d be on my own for her task.”

  “It was still reckless,” Galahad admonished.

  Aliana shook her head. “This is going to sound weird, but I don’t think she means any harm to me. This whole prophecy was created by her. She needs me safe and strong to defeat Mordrid and Morgana.” She looked to Owen and Leo for support.

  “It may have been rash, but I think she made the right call,” Percy admitted.

  “I agree,” Owen added. Leo nodded his agreement.

  Realizing they were outnumbered, Galahad and Lacy let the subject drop. “Why don’t you guys go around and enjoy the party until they get back,” Aliana suggested, wrapping her hand around Galahad’s arm. “And if you see Puck, try to get more information from him.”

  “And what will you and Galahad be doing?” Owen asked with an arched brow.

  Aliana flushed. “We’ll be around, too.”

  Percy and Lacy split off first then Owen and Leo went in the opposite direction with the agreement that they’d all meet back in the same spot in an hour.

  “Where are you taking me?” Galahad asked as Aliana pulled him out of the crowded courtyard and through a small door.

  “When I was getting ready for the party, I saw an amazing lake from the window in my room. I thought it might be nice for the two of us to go there together.”

  Galahad smiled. They followed a worn path down a shallow hill lit with more of the tiny floating lights from the tree palace, each light flaring a little brighter as the couple passed. Aliana had a second of regret for not bringing her camera with her to capture the astounding beauty, but the regret vanished when she looked up at Galahad and saw a relaxed, happy smile on his lips. The laughter and music from the party had faded into the background by now. They passed through a thin canopy of twinkling trees. The magical lights cast alluring shadows across Galahad’s handsome face and his tempting mouth.