Knight of Darkness (24 page)

“Like you, I’m just another hemorrhoid on Morgen’s ass. And if you’re going to irritate her, then I think I should join ranks with you.”

Varian wasn’t sure if he could trust this man or not, but he strangely liked his outlook on life. “Why would you help me?”

“Because you need it. Even a champion needs someone to lend him a hand from time to time. Trust me. That was the hardest lesson I had to learn in my life.”

Again he had the strangest sensation of familiarity. He tried to peer under the cowl, but the man stepped back and lowered his head. “We have to move quickly to head them off. Right now, Morgen doesn’t know Nimue and Merlin are alive, but if her envoy makes it past Sagremor, she will.”

“How can she not know?”

“Good question. Wish I had an answer for it. I don’t know why her informant withheld that bit. Maybe to play both sides, or maybe the informant felt like he owed Merlin something.”

A shiver went down his spine at what Faran was telling him. Did he know the informant was a she or was the man testing him to see if he knew the answer? “Do you know who the informant is?”

“The real question, Varian, is do you?”

“How do you know me?”

He gave a light laugh. “I make it a point to know all of Morgen’s hemorrhoids by name. Gives me something to do on a Sunday night rather than watch bad TV reruns.”

Varian scowled. “You’re not going to answer a straight question, are you?”

“Lesson two, there’s no such thing as a straight question—just as there’s no such thing as a simple answer. The more simple it seems on the surface, the more complicated it is on the bottom. Now are we going to turn back the tide of unholy goons or should we stand here philosophizing until they come knocking on the door?”

“Let’s go turn them back.” He gestured toward the door. “After you.”

Faran laughed. “Good man. Trust no one at your back.”

“Lesson three?”

“No, I came out of the womb with that one already in place.”

“And yet you’re trusting me?”

Faran’s answer came as a bright flash. One moment they were inside the cottage and in the next they were on the bridge where Sagremor had confronted Varian only days before.

Varian noted that he wasn’t at Faran’s back. He was at his side. Shaking his head, he pulled his sword. “How long…”

He didn’t even get to finish the question before the small band of Adoni broke through the woods.

Varian cursed. “Where’s Sagremor?”

“He can’t manifest until they touch the bridge. Besides, we don’t want him here if we can help it. His mist will only blind us from our targets.”

Good point.

The Adoni split apart, literally. In a bright flash of light, the four men became eight, then sixteen, then thirty-two. It was a good trick that came from a spell of Morgen’s, and it was one she’d used to her advantage against the knights of the Round Table at Camlann.

This was going to get ugly.

Faran pulled the longbow from his back and nocked two arrows into place. “They’ll think you’re still bound, so we have a slight advantage.”

“‘Slight’ being the key word, right?”

Faran laughed.

“Have we missed the action?”

Varian jerked around to find Merrick, Derrick, and Erik. “What are you doing here?”

“Merlin sent out a call to everyone to get ready in case we’re invaded. We figured you’d be here to hold the line.”

“Is anyone else coming?” Faran asked.

Derrick shook his head. “Merlin’s counting on Varian to win; otherwise, Merlin’s going to blast him.”

“Into pieces,” Merrick added.

“Oh goodie.” Varian left every ounce of his sarcasm in his voice.

“Varian duFey!” a dark-haired Adoni shouted. “Surrender to us, and no one will be harmed.”

Varian snorted. “I daresay
I
would be harmed in that action.”

“But your companions will go free.”

“Screw them. If they can’t beat your rotten asses, they deserve to die.”

“Hey!” Merrick snapped. “I resent that.”

Derrick pulled his sword. “Yeah, but it’s true.”

Varian frowned at Derrick’s actions. “I thought you were a lover and not a fighter.”

“Yeah well, sometimes you have to fight for love, or in this case, life. They come across this bridge, and there won’t be enough left of me to seduce anyone.”

He had a point.

Varian summoned his magick as he watched
the Adoni pull their swords and mount their assault.

Faran let fly his arrows. Like the Adoni, they split apart as soon as they left the bow and formed a dozen arrows that took out seven of the Adoni. Five of them dissolved, proving that they weren’t real, while two hit the ground and rolled in agony. Erik howled in victory.

Varian sent out a blast while Faran reached for more arrows. Unfortunately, that blast was ineffectual against Morgen’s magick.

Faran let fly more arrows. They embedded into the Adoni, but those who weren’t hit merely split apart into even more attackers.

Varian cursed.

“We’ll have to burn the bridge,” Faran said as he launched more arrows.

Varian was completely aghast. “What?”

Faran lowered the bow, and even though Varian couldn’t see Faran’s face, he could tell the man was giving him a penetrating glare. “Morgen won the last battle fought here. Let’s keep history from repeating itself. Burn her to the ground.”

“What about Sagremor?”

“It’ll free his soul. It’s the best thing for him.”

Merrick frowned. “What about the forest? No one will be able to cross into the valley. When Morgen banishes her lovers, they’ll be trapped with the Sylphs.”

Faran showed no mercy there. “When you bed
with the devil, you should expect to suffer in hell.”

“As one of those people in hell, I resent that.”

“Resent later,” Faran snapped. “Right now we’re about to be overrun.” He fired more arrows, then took off running toward the Adoni.

Merrick’s gaze bored into Varian. “You’re not really going to burn it, are you?”

“We have to protect Merlin and the others. You guys cross to the back, and I’ll take care of it from the front.” Varian turned to leave and the instant he did, a bad feeling went through him.

Two seconds later, he knew what had caused it.

Merrick raised his sword and lunged. He angled the blade so that it slid up beneath Varian’s hauberk.

Varian hissed as the sword stroke laid open his back. His ears buzzing, he could hear Erik cheering his brother on.

“What are you doing?” Derrick demanded.

Merrick twisted the blade and shoved it even deeper into Varian’s body. “We’re getting back into Morgen’s good graces. All we have to do is deliver him to her and she’ll give Erik back his body and we can go free.”

Varian wanted to call out and warn Faran, who was already engaging the Adoni, but the wound had collapsed his lung. All he could manage was a short, sharp breath as he tasted his own blood. So much for trusting anyone at his back…

“Morgen!” Merrick called out. “We’re—” His words broke off as Derrick struck him hard.

Varian was thrown forward as Merrick’s fall jerked the sword out of his body.

Derrick head-butted his brother before he came to Varian’s side and put Varian’s arm around his shoulders. “Come on, let’s get you off the bridge so we can burn it.”

Erik ran at Derrick and bit him. Derrick kicked his brother back. “I’m not betraying you, you idiot. I’m saving your life.”

Still, Erik screamed, while Derrick helped Varian off the ground. Faran was doing a remarkable job, but not even he could hold back the multiplying Adoni.

As they reached the edge of the bridge, Merrick shoved Derrick forward. Derrick let go, and Varian slid to the ground. He was too injured even to stand. All he could feel was the excruciating pain and a strange numbness.

“Give us him.”

“No.”

Merrick attacked.

Derrick grabbed him in a headlock. “Fire the bridge.”

Varian could barely focus on the bridge as his sight dimmed. He cursed as he coughed up blood. Even so, he forced himself to summon his magick. His body charging, he sent a blast straight at the wood. It immediately ignited.

The fire spread over the bridge like waves over a shore. And as it burned, he saw the image of Sagremor. The knight stood in the center with his sword drawn. He stared at the flames as if he couldn’t believe it, then, with a peaceful look on his face, he saluted Varian with the sword before he vanished into the smoke.

Still the brothers fought.

Varian heard someone approaching him. He rolled over, trying to get to his feet to fight them off.

He struggled for his sword. Looking up, he glimpsed…

No, it couldn’t be.

And the next thing he knew, everything went black.

Varian came awake slowly. He waited for the pain to
return, but it didn’t. Instead, he felt a gentle hand in his hair and smelled the scent of rosemary and lavender.

Opening his eyes, he didn’t see the grayness of the forest or hear the sounds of battle. He saw sunlight spilling in through an open window. And he was lying on the floor in Aquila Penmerlin’s chambers.

“Feeling better?” Merlin asked as she stared at him with her head cocked.

Varian frowned until he saw Merewyn and Blaise behind her. Merewyn offered him a smile, which he returned before he spoke to Blaise. “You healed me?”

Blaise nodded. “Couldn’t leave you to bleed all over the floor. You were making an awful mess. Glad I don’t have to clean it up.”

Merewyn rolled her eyes at the mandrake before she withdrew her hand.

Varian frowned as he noted who was missing from their group. “Where’s Faran?”

“Faran?” Blaise asked.

“He had to leave,” Merlin explained.

Blaise duplicated Varian’s scowl. “Who’s Faran?”

“A friend.” Merlin stepped back as Varian rolled to his feet. “How are you feeling?”

“I have to say I’m getting really tired of being stabbed and bespelled.”

Merlin looked past him to where Merewyn was rising. “I have to say I think Merewyn is getting as sick of it as you are.”

He could just imagine since the poor woman seemed to be the only one to tend him whenever he was down. But that didn’t explain what’d happened.

If Merewyn hadn’t sold out their location to break his spell…

The brothers?

“Where are the triplets?” he asked Blaise.

“Derrick is in the TV room fixated on
Lost
reruns. Merrick and Erik are cooling their heels downstairs in lockup.”

They got off rather easy, and something in that went against his grain. “You should have turned them over to Emrys.”

“I thought about it. But my father would have killed them, and Derrick would have felt guilty
that he’d saved your life by sacrificing theirs. This way he gets to be a good guy with no regrets.”

The mandrake was a lot wiser than he appeared. “Where’s Beau?”

“Off with Garafyn, and that’s a mighty scary thought, huh? God help us if he picks up any of Garafyn’s personality. We’ll have to make gravel out of him.”

Varian had to agree with that. Garafyn was an acquired taste—like drinking formaldehyde.

Varian turned back toward Merlin. “Has Merewyn told you the good news?”

“What news?”

“She knows the identity of our traitor.”

Merlin’s eyes widened. “Is she sure?”

Merewyn nodded.

“She knows him by sight,” Varian explained. “But not by name.”

“Then we will have to take care and keep her hidden until she can find him. If he sees her first, he’ll probably try to kill her.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let her out of my sight.”

Blaise cleared his throat. “Well, while it’s amazingly fun to watch you two make goo-goo eyes at each other—and please note the sarcasm in my voice, I think I’m going to go bug Seren and Kerrigan for a bit. Check in on the baby and all that. See you later.” He vanished out of the room.

Merlin laughed at his departure. “He’s so glad to have his powers back. What about you?”

“You have to ask?”

Merlin started away from them, then paused as if something painful went through her.

Varian steadied her with his hand. “Are you all right?”

Her face was terribly pale. “Morgen is summoning me.”

“Summoning you how?”

She held her hand out, and a small crystal globe flew from the table beside Varian, toward her. It hung in the air, spinning until an iridescent red light emanated from the center of it. The light cast a spooky glow all over them as it formed the face of Morgen.

She stared at the three of them as if they were the lowest of life-forms. That was something amusing coming from the Queen Bitch.

Morgen glared at Merlin. “You have something that belongs to me.”

“I really don’t think so.”

“Oh yes. You do.”

“And what, pray tell do you lay claim to?”

“Merewyn of Mercia.”

Varian took Merewyn’s hand in his as he put himself between her and the globe. “Like hell.”

“Watch your mouth, Varian,” Narishka snapped from the background. “I taught you better than that.”

“Of course you did, mum, but I have two ladies here with me, and I don’t want to offend them with the language I learned from you.”

An evil laugh rippled out of Morgen’s throat.
“That’s no way to soften her up, Varian.” Her gaze went to Merlin. “The chit is our property. We demand her back.”

Varian ground his teeth in anger. “Over my dead body.”

“Those terms are acceptable to us.”

Varian wanted to reach through the orb and kill them both. If only he could.

“Either Varian or Merewyn must return to us within the half hour or else…”

“Or else what?” Merlin asked.

“Merewyn dies on the spot.” Morgen turned over an hourglass that was filled with black sand. “If the last grain falls and no one is here in my hall, she will draw her last breath.”

Varian shattered the ball with his powers as his fury exploded.

Merlin took his rage in stride.

“I won’t let my mother have her.”

“We don’t have a choice. You know why
you
can’t go there again.”

Varian shook his head as Merewyn moved to the table where Merlin had left pen and paper. Frowning, he watched as she scribbled something, then brought it over to him.

And as he read the words, his heart shattered.

You told me that your mother would force you to this and that when the time came you would sacrifice me to her. It is the way of it.

“No!” he snarled, balling the paper up in his fist. “I will not allow you back there.” He looked
to Merlin for help. “Merewyn knows the traitor. I don’t. She can give him to you.”

“Your mother will kill you if you go back there.”

Probably so. But he was going back with his powers intact. If they wanted to take him on, let them. “Let her try.”

Merewyn was terrified as she listened to Varian rail. She couldn’t let him go back to Camelot. She’d made her deal already, and there was nothing to be done for it.

But first she had to find some way to make Varian see the light. She placed one finger over his mouth as he started to argue more with Merlin. How strange that he who’d told her he would die for nothing would now be willing to give his life for hers.

No one had ever given her so much.

She only wished that she could tell him what she felt. Tell him why she had to do this. Tell him that she loved him.

But instead all she could do was show him how much he meant to her.

As if Merlin understood, she pulled back. “I have to go check on…something.” An instant later, she vanished.

Varian let out a sound of disgust. “Merlin! You can’t get out of this that easily.”

As he started for the door, Merewyn took his arm and pulled his lips to hers. The taste of him
made her silently gasp. Honestly, this was all she wanted. To stay with him and hold him forever.

But they’d never been destined to be together. All she could do was distract him. And with that thought in mind, she dipped her hand down and slid it under his armor.

Varian couldn’t think straight as Merewyn’s hand brushed the skin of his stomach. Wanting more of it, he melted his armor to his leather jerkin and breeches.

She immediately slid her hand down until she cupped him. His body swelled instantly. He deepened their kiss as her hand stroked him from tip to hilt.

And when she pushed his breeches down below his hips to expose him, all rational thoughts evaporated. All he could focus on was her.

She pulled back from his lips, then sank down in front of him. His lids heavy, he held his breath as he watched her. She stroked his sac with the back of her soft hands an instant before she took the tip of him into her mouth. He hissed as she took him in deeper and deeper still while her tongue gently stroked him.

Merewyn moaned at the taste of his body. If she’d learned anything in Morgen’s court, it was that men were slaves to their hormones. This was their weakness.

But, unlike Morgen and Narishka, she wasn’t about to use it to hurt him. She wanted only to
protect him, which meant she had precious little time.

Varian’s heart pounded as she tongued him so sweetly. But this wasn’t what he wanted.

He pulled away before he lifted her from the floor.

Merewyn held her breath, afraid she might have angered him. But there was no anger in his eyes, only desire. His breathing ragged, he lifted her to the table before he lifted her skirt to pool at her waist, baring her to his gaze.

She bit her lip as he dipped his hand to stroke her. Spreading her legs wider, she leaned her head back. He bent over to kiss her throat an instant before he thrust inside her.

He made love to her furiously, driving himself into her deeper with every stroke. Merewyn held him close.

But their time was getting perilously short.

Her body on fire, she wanted more of him.

Varian quickened his strokes as he pressed himself deep inside her. He couldn’t remember wanting any woman as badly as he wanted her.

She buried her hands in his hair and held tight an instant before he felt her climax. Her soundless cries of pleasure delighted him, urging him on until he joined her.

His body convulsing, he held her close and wished he could take her somewhere and spend the rest of the day naked in her arms.

But his mother wouldn’t allow them that peace. She would allow him nothing.

Resigned to the truth, he withdrew from her.

Merewyn panicked as he pulled his breeches up and fastened them. She didn’t know what to do. Her plan had been to seduce him, and instead he’d rattled her own senses.

She had to think of some way to keep him here, away from Morgen. Unfortunately, there was only one other way she knew.

When he started away from her, she seized a wooden mallet from the table and struck him hard on his head. He turned toward her with an accusing look an instant before he sank to the floor.

“
Narishka!
” she shouted at the woman in her head. “
I am yours. Come get me.
”

She’d no more thought the words than she was snatched from Avalon, back to the colorless drab world of Camelot.

Merewyn cringed at the horror of it, especially as she saw Morgen and Narishka waiting for her.

“How disappointing,” Morgen pouted. “I was so hoping Varian would come in your stead.”

Narishka laughed. “He has.”

Morgen frowned in deep consternation. “What are you talking about?”

Narishka pulled Merewyn to her, then turned her to face Morgen. “Are your powers slipping, my queen? Can you not feel his powers inside her?”

What were they talking about?

Morgen’s interest sparked. “Why you little slut. You’re pregnant.”

Merewyn shook her head in denial. She couldn’t be pregnant…could she?

Well, of course she
could
be. At least in theory. But how would they know that?

Narishka grabbed her by the hair and jerked her head back. “And she’s been with him recently. Her body is still marked by his touch.” Narishka ran her hand over the spot where Varian had suckled her neck. “There’s no way he won’t come for his whore and child. We have him right where we want him.”

No!
The word radiated inside her. This wasn’t what was supposed to happen. Varian was supposed to be safe. And all she’d done by trying to protect him was drag him deeper into this.

Dear Lord, what had she done?

Varian came awake slowly to someone patting his back. Expecting it to Merewyn, he was stunned to find Beau standing over him.

And no sooner did he focus on the gargoyle than he remembered what’d happened. Merewyn had struck him on the head with a hammer.

“Where is my lady?” Beau asked quietly.

“In trouble, I’m sure.”

“In trouble how?”

Varian didn’t answer. Instead, he rose to his feet fully intent on reclaiming her. The only prob
lem was that when he tried to flash himself to Camelot, he stayed in Merlin’s chambers.

“Merlin,” he snapped.

She appeared instantly before him.

“Free my powers.”

“I can’t. I’m not the one who’s restricting them.”

“Excuse me?”

She held her hands up in surrender. “I swear I’m not the one doing it.”

“Send me to Camelot.”

“I can’t do that. You might not be able to return, and there’s no way I’ll be responsible for your death.”

“Like you care. Now send me over.”

“I do care, Varian.”

He cursed at her words. “I have to protect Merewyn.”

“And she is trying to protect you.”

“I don’t need protection. What I need is…”

She arched a brow at his words. “Is?”

He’d wanted to say that he needed a way to Camelot, but those words stuck in his throat as he thought of Merewyn being hurt. Grief, raw and unimaginable, seized him. Crippled him. The thought of her in his mother’s hands made him sick on a level he’d never known existed.

“I need Merewyn,” he said simply. “And I won’t live knowing that my life was bought at the expense of hers. Ever.”

Disembodied applause filled the room.

Varian frowned. What the hell was that?

The thought had barely finished in his mind before Damé appeared beside Merlin. Tall and well muscled, the ancient god looked more like a god of war than one of fate. The only thing missing was armor, but Damé never wore armor. He’d once told Varian the reason for that was because it chafed.

The god was dressed in a simple tunic and breeches. He had his dark blond hair tied back at the nape of his neck with a small leather cord. “Well put, Varian. But I have to say it shocks me. Never thought I’d hear something like that from the likes of you.”

“I don’t have time for your bullshit, Damé. I have a serious problem.”

“Yes, you do, and neither of you realize just how dire it is.”