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  “So, how are things going?” she asked Wade, coming to stand next to him as he waited on the sidelines. Galahad currently circled Arthur and Lancelot.

  “It’s been interesting,” Wade said faintly. “Having these memories is like seeing flashes of a movie in my head. They don’t even seem real, but fighting with a sword feels like second nature now. I don’t need to think about it like I used to.”

  “You’ve always been amazing with weapons,” Aliana pointed out.

  “Yeah, but I was never in a life or death situation before.” Wade shook his head, dropping his gaze to the ground. “I have memories of killing people, men in battle and…” Wade gulped. “Maybe I need time to let these memories settle, but I kinda feel like two different people. There’s me—but then there’s also him.” He looked up at her, anguish and doubt in his hazel eyes. “At least Lacy isn’t part of this. I wondered if my memories would reveal her in my past at all, but they don’t.”

  Aliana took his hand as Arthur and Lancelot charged Galahad. He slammed Lancelot to the ground while Arthur managed to wrap an arm around his neck, trying to throw him off balance. He succeeded, bearing Galahad down to one knee, but the knight pried Arthur’s arm away, twisting it behind the king’s back. Lancelot kicked out a foot, knocking Galahad to the ground and freeing Arthur to pin him.

  Wade cleared his throat, shaking away his raw emotions. “So, how is your training going?” He glanced at the stone-faced Druid, who had also come outside and now watched the match with a calculating gaze. The three men on the field got to their feet, smiling.

  “Annoying and hard to focus on,” she mumbled. “I tried, but I kept getting distracted.”

  “I bet you did.” Wade laughed low. “I can’t imagine Grumpy over there taking it too well.”

  “Understatement,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  “Are you three done for today?”

  “He wants to test my powers next. It’s silly really, I don’t even understand how I used magic in Avalon!” She ran a hand through her hair.

  “You’ll figure it out, Lia,” Wade assured her, wrapping an arm around her. “You always do.”

  Fighting a smile, she elbowed him lightly. “Sweet talker.”

  “Darn straight. Now watch me beat the arrogance out of Lancelot.” Wade picked up his sword, squaring off against the raven-haired knight.

  “How are you?” Galahad asked, taking Wade’s spot as he wiped a towel over his sweaty face and body.

  “Good, I guess,” she mumbled as she tried not to ogle him. “How about you?”

  “Better now,” he answered, smiling down at her.

  Aliana dropped her gaze, trying to hide her smile. She looked up at the sound of a sword hitting the ground. Wade flipped Lancelot over his shoulder, fist raised to strike as he pinned Lancelot. Aliana cheered for her friend as he helped Lancelot to his feet.

  “Sabine has laid out lunch in the kitchen,” Merlin announced.

  “Who is Sabine?” Galahad asked, pulling on his shirt.

  “She is one of the Pixies who helps me with my home.”

  “Still not making sense, mate,” Owen said, following them through the door.

  “Several decades ago, I saved her and several of her sisters from the Sidhe while I was in Olympus. By their law, they owed me their lives, so they decided to serve me here in my home. They have a small dwelling nearby, on the edge of the forest.”

  “They’re servants? Pixies?” Aliana asked, incredulous.

  “By their own choice,” Merlin said sternly.

  The kitchen counter was covered with a spread of meats, vegetables, fruits, steaming bread, and various butters and dressings. Arthur filled his plate, and the others followed right behind their king.

  Aliana only took a little bit of food. She was too anxious to eat. “Where is Sabine now?” She leaned against the counter, taking a bite of her honey-buttered roll. The soft, savory delight practically melted in her mouth.

  “She and her sisters are probably at their houses,” Merlin answered, taking a large bite of his roast beef sandwich.

  “I’d like to thank her at some point,” Aliana said, hoping she’d get a chance to meet a Pixie.

  “Aliana, come sit,” Galahad said, nodding to the empty chair between him and Arthur.

  “Leave it, Galahad,” Wade told him. “She’s got a thing about eating at counters instead of sitting down like a civilized human being.”

  “Shut it, smart ass,” she said, throwing a grape at him. Just to prove him wrong, she walked over and plunked down in the seat, her plate next to Dagg’s overflowing one.

  Percy and Owen got into a heated conversation about which weapon would be better for certain situations. Lancelot, Merlin, and Arthur talked over different strategies, and Wade and Galahad had a hushed conversation. She was the only one left out, but it gave her a chance to study them all closer. The men’s friendships were returning. Wade and Owen were the greatest proof of that. They had both been struggling just this morning, now they actively engaged the others. Aliana shoved a piece of fruit into her mouth, trying not to feel left out when she heard Merlin whisper a comment about a key.

  Great. He still only sees me as their key. It wasn’t like they had bonded over their training that morning, but she’d hoped he would have thawed to her just a little.

  After everyone had eaten, the guys retreated back outside under the gray clouds that threatened to pour down rain. Aliana scraped the food into the trash, stacking all the plates and stalling her return to her training.

  “We need to get back to your lessons, Aliana. Sabine will finish cleaning,” Merlin told her, leaning against the doorway with his arms crossed over his chest.

  Her stomach flipped as she followed him and Dagg back to the white room.

  18

  Aliana’s magic is frustrating, just like trying to teach her when she won’t focus on anything other than the knights. I worry Lancelot maybe right—there’s something strange between her, Arthur, and Galahad. I need to find out more about this before she becomes a distraction to them, like Morgana was for me. No, I can’t think about that woman. Loving her has already cost me too much.

  ~Merlin

  “TAKE MY HANDS,” Merlin said, holding them out to Aliana. He had small hands, not at all like Galahad’s or Arthur’s. “I need to maintain a physical connection to properly assess your abilities.”

  Biting the inside of her cheek, she placed her clammy hands lightly in his. Merlin gripped them hard.

  “Relax,” Dagg said from his perch on the nearest chair. “Breathe and focus on the magic you used to awaken the king. Remember how it felt.”

  Closing her eyes, she recalled the explosive energy. She thought about how it had grown as she freed Galahad and passed each of the challenges. She remembered the searing pain as it tried to escape when she crossed the bridge, all of it so clear in her mind.

  The words she’d said and her overwhelming feelings for Arthur returned. She saw herself in the cave, the glowing light spilling from her mouth to Arthur’s before her lips touched his. She watched a barely-there golden web wrap around them, sealing them together everywhere they touched.

  “Stop!” Her heart raced as she struggled to pull away from the memory, not wanting Merlin to witness such a private moment. But then she could feel Arthur’s lips against hers again, the gentle touch of his hand. She could see the happiness in his golden brown eyes as he whispered to her. “It is you.”

  “Get out!” she cried, pushing as hard as she could against Merlin’s presence. Another spark leaped to life in her chest. It rose like an angry spirit, forcing Merlin’s connection to snap.

  Gasping for air, she yanked her hands from his. Her shaky legs buckled, sending her to the carpeted floor. Looking down at her shaking hand, she saw faint stars of pink fading away, taking more of her energy with them.

  “Unusual,” Merlin said to himself, stroking his chin.

  Aliana smacked away his hands when he tri
ed to help her stand. “Don’t touch me! What were you doing?”

  “What’s going on?” Galahad’s voice boomed. The door swung open with a surprising strength. The knight rushed to Aliana’s side at his super speed. Arthur and Wade followed while the others peered in from the hall.

  “Sire,” Merlin said as Arthur lowered himself next to Aliana.

  “Are you hurt, Aliana?” the king asked, tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear.

  “I was trying to gauge her abilities.” Merlin studied Arthur, Galahad, and Aliana. “I did not realize that she doesn’t have even the most basic of shields. I saw more than just her magic.”

  “Why was she shouting?” Galahad asked, calmer now.

  “I wanted him out of my head.” She clenched her jaw. Her memories and feelings were hers. Beyond embarrassed, she pulled herself to her feet, wanting nothing more than to escape all the eyes watching her.

  “She used a small bit of her magic to push me out, but it seems to have had a draining effect. I have never seen such a weak spell affect anyone like this before.” Merlin frowned.

  Dagg’s warm body circled around Aliana’s shoulders, relaxing her in moments. She smiled, feeling her strength returning.

  “You are better now?” Galahad asked, his eyes finding hers.

  “Why did such a small spell drain her so much?” Lancelot asked. He sounded almost concerned for her.

  “I do not know yet. I’ll need to have her try another spell.”

  “Aliana?” Arthur asked, his body curving closer to hers, protecting her from having to do something she might not want to do.

  “I’m okay. We need to figure this out.” She met Arthur’s gaze, then Galahad’s, trying to reassure them that she was okay to continue. Her eyes zeroed in on Merlin’s icy gaze. “But my memories and my thoughts are off limits!”

  “Fair enough,” he agreed. Reluctantly, all the others filed out of the room, leaving Aliana alone with her Dragon and Merlin.

  “Aliana, I’d like you to try summoning a small bit of magic to your hands.” Merlin opened his palm and a gold ball of rays blazed to life upon it. “Find your magic inside you and bring it to your hand.”

  Still a bit leery, she repeated his actions, but nothing happened. She tried again, but no magic came to life.

  “Concentrate, Aliana,” Dagg told her, jumping from his perch to hover next to Merlin. “Find the magic inside again. Imagine just a small flicker in your hands.”

  She cupped her hands, imagining the pink lights from days ago. Warmth trickled into her palms. Opening one eye, she gasped, amazed at the small ball of pink sparks jumping in her hands.

  “Dagg!” she cried. “I did it!” She laughed, her smile bright as the sun.

  “A nice first step, Aliana, but don’t lose focus,” the Dragon warned.

  “Try to guide it around the room,” Merlin instructed.

  She imagined the sparks moving in loops around Dagg, and they leaped to do as she wished. “So cool! I can’t wait to photograph this.” Next, she imagined them zooming off the walls before bringing them back.

  “Well done!” Merlin praised her. “How do you feel?”

  “Fine. I don’t get why I was so weak a few minutes ago.”

  Merlin nodded, his fingers rubbing across his chin again.

  Aliana’s insecurities nagged at her. What if Merlin couldn’t figure out the problem with her magic? She could put everyone in danger if she wasn’t able to use it to defend them.

  “We will figure it out,” he assured her, like he could still read her feelings.

  “Pardon me.” A small, high-pitched voice interrupted them. A girl no more than two feet tall was half hidden by the door.

  “Estrelle, come in. How are you?” Merlin smiled kindly at the small girl, surprising Aliana with his tenderness.

  The redhead was dressed in a soft, brown, dress-like top and a pair of green bell pants. On her back was a pair of wings like a dragonfly’s, shimmering with color as the light hit them. “I’m sorry to interrupt. Sabine says dinner will be ready soon. She wanted to know whether your guests would prefer wine or ale tonight.”

  “Ale.” Merlin motioned her closer. He towered over her tiny frame. “Estrelle, allow me to introduce Aliana Fagan.”

  “The Destined One.” The Pixie smiled and curtsied.

  “Nice to meet you.” Aliana held out her hand to the Pixie. After a slight nod from Merlin, the Pixie took her hand.

  “I will let Sabine know your choice.” The Pixie peeked shyly at Aliana and added, “It will be an honor to serve the Destined One. If you need anything, my sisters and I would be more than happy to help.” She curtsied again. Her wings fluttered, lifting her in the air as she zoomed out of the room.

  “Well, that was unexpected,” Aliana said, her eyes still on the door. “But so totally cool! Do you think she would mind being a model for me?”

  Merlin chuckled. “Estrelle is very shy, but her sisters, I’m sure, would love to.” The Druid cleared his throat. “Before we go to dinner, I want you to try the summoning spell for Sir Leyon.”

  “What do I do?”

  “You said you dreamed of us. You saw all of us as we were, correct?”

  Aliana nodded.

  “Can you remember what Leyon looked like?”

  She shook her head. “I didn’t really see everyone in clear detail. It’s more like I saw certain features, bits of what you all looked like, but not the full picture. But I think he had really short, blond hair and was kind of tall.”

  “Yes, that’s him. For the spell to work, you need to see him and draw him to you.”

  Aliana frowned. “Isn’t that manipulating a person’s free will? What if he doesn’t want to be a part of all this?”

  Merlin studied her carefully. “You have heard the others say they believed a part of their lives had been missing. Leyon could be feeling that loss too. Wouldn’t it be cruel to leave him missing a part of himself?”

  “Okay,” she whispered. Pushing her doubts aside, she tried to remember more details of the dream. She saw the missing knight again trying to avenge Owen, the first of Arthur’s men to have fallen. Leyon was less than six feet tall with dove gray eyes. He was amazing to watch in a fight. All of them were.

  “I see him,” she said, hating that she was going to have to watch him die again.

  “Focus on him until everything else falls away,” Dagg instructed, resting his small claw on her hand.

  She could feel the magic sparks rushing to life as she paused the vision, blurring out everyone but Leyon. The blurriness cleared, revealing a historic-looking street filled with shops and cafes. She spotted Leyon sitting in the window of a used bookstore, working on his laptop.

  “Leyon,” she murmured, approaching the shop.

  His head snapped up, his eyes searching.

  “Leyon?” she asked, louder this time.

  “Who’s there?” His voice was lightly tinted with a Scottish brogue.

  “I’m Aliana Fagan.” His eyes met hers through the shop window. “We need you. The Knights of the Round Table won’t be whole again till you join them. If you want to,” she added.

  She conjured a picture of all the guys in the clear shop window, hoping he would see them and understand. The magic inside her grew hotter and her energy quickly started draining away.

  “Hurry!” She lost the vision. Aliana rubbed her temples, hoping to soothe the headache building there.

  “What did you see?” Merlin kneeled next to her, offering a glass of water.

  “I saw him, but I have no idea where he was,” she said after gulping down half the glass.

  “Did he hear you?”

  “Yeah, I tried to show him who y’all are, but I started to feel weak and I lost the connection.”

  “But he heard you. That’s the important part. You’ve established the connection. The magic will do the rest.” Merlin watched her carefully, as if searching for any side effects of the magic. “Do you have eno
ugh strength to stand?”

  Nodding, she got to her feet.

  “The others are waiting on us for dinner,” Merlin said.

  “Do you mind if I skip it? I’m super tired and I really just want to take a bath.”

  “Are you sure, Aliana?” Dagg asked, crawling across her shoulders.

  “Positive. I’m just really tired. I’ll come down later and get some food,” she promised. But right now her insides felt like they were twirling, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to eat anything.

  “I will have one of the Pixies bring you a plate.” Merlin nodded to her, leaving for the kitchen. Hesitantly, Dagg followed him.

  Trudging up the stairs, Aliana pushed open her door, shocked when a white blond Pixie flew out of her bathroom.

  “Hi!” the little Pixie said vibrantly. She had on a bright pink dress and black, lacy slippers. Her wings buzzed behind her with a purple hue. “I’m Flora.”

  “I’m Aliana.” She couldn’t help smiling at the Pixie’s lively face.

  “Oh, I know. Stella told us all about you! I heard you were coming up, and I thought you might want a bath, so I prepared it for you.” The Pixie flew up to Aliana, leaning in as if to tell her a secret. “Don’t tell the others, but I added a bit of flower root and Pixie dust to help rejuvenate you.”

  “No one will hear it from me,” Aliana promised. “But why is it a secret?”

  “Pixie flowers are rare and hard to harvest into Pixie dust. We try to only use it when we have to.”

  “Oh, I see. Thank you for your kindness, then.”

  “Think nothing of it.” The Pixie looked down at Aliana’s shirt and busted out laughing. “I bet you drove Merlin crazy with that all day! He hates Harry Potter.”

  “I didn’t expect you to know pop culture,” Aliana said, kicking off her shoes.

  “Are you kidding? This is the twenty-first century! Who isn’t connected?” Aliana laughed at Flora’s duh-you-idiot expression. “Besides, I like to dress in the latest fashions. Sometimes I can even convince the others to wear the clothes I make.”

  “Well, I think you have great taste. Would you like to model for me sometime?”