Knight of Darkness (25 page)

Merlin frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well far be it from me ever to play sides, but right now, old mommykins and Morgen have a tool in their hands that could give them exactly what they want.”

Merlin went pale. “They’ve found the grail.”

“Not yet. But they have in their possession one who could.”

Varian went cold. “They’ve found another grail knight.”

Damé nodded.

“Who?” Merlin asked. “They’re all accounted for.”

“Yes, but one knight has fallen, and so another will be chosen to replace him.”

Varian exchanged a puzzled stare with Merlin. “It has to be someone with a Merlin’s line…. Oh jeez, don’t tell me it’s Arador,” he said, using the name of the new king of Camelot, who was a Merlin in his own right.

Damé shook his head. “Think closer to home. More to the point, think of you, yourself putting that tool in your mother’s hands.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Merewyn’s pregnant,” Merlin whispered.

Varian’s breath left his body as if he’d been delivered a staggering blow. In fact, he felt like someone had landed a sledgehammer right in his stomach.

Merewyn pregnant?

“I have to go to her.”

Damé’s cold steel gaze bit into him. “You do, and it’s over for you. Your mother has finally found the one noose to hang you with.”

“I don’t care. I won’t leave her there to face my mother’s wrath.”

“So are you willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for her?”

“What do you think?”

One corner of Damé’s mouth quirked up. “I think words are cheap.”

Two seconds later, Varian was alone in Camelot.

He summoned his armor, including his helm. Unwilling to take a single chance, he unsheathed
his sword and used his powers to locate Merewyn.

He paused as he found her, and a wave of disgust filled him. She was with the MODs of course. Where else would his mother have put her?

Bracing himself for the fight to come, he flashed himself down to their hole. As he materialized, it took a second to get his bearings. He was in Bracken’s chambers, but the MOD leader was nowhere to be found.

However Merewyn was. She sat on the floor, chained by her neck to an iron chair.

She looked up at his approach with eyes filled with terror. The sight of it froze him to the center of his being as rage took hold of him. How dare they subjugate her like this.

The instant he pulled the helm from his head, her fear melted. At least for a few heartbeats. Then it returned even stronger than before. “
You have to leave.
” Her words were silent, but he understood.

“I will…as soon as I have you.”

She shook her head fiercely as she gestured for the door.

“You take her from here, and I’ll kill her.”

Varian paused at the sound of his mother’s voice. Turning, he saw her and Bracken standing in the center of the large room. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Don’t bet on it, boy.”

Had it been anyone other than his mother making that threat, he might have. As it was, he knew she wasn’t lying. Looks like they’d have to play
another round of
Let’s Make a Deal
. “What do you want, mum?”

“World domination. Bloodshed. War. Not much really. But I’ll start with you delivering to me the grail knights.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Then you’ll have to die.”

“What? No more trying to convert me?”

“Not really. I’m tried of wasting my time with you. But I wonder how strong you would be while I tortured your plaything in front of you?”

Varian shot out a blast at his mother. It caught her and Bracken and knocked them off their feet. He turned to free Merewyn only to learn that his magick was useless against her chain.

His mother laughed. “You didn’t think I’d make this easy on you? The bitch belongs here with us. She made a deal with me, and hell will freeze before I release her.”

“Hmm…it appears Lucifer’s munching icicles.”

Varian looked past his mother to find Damé standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

Narishka pushed herself to her feet. “What are you doing here?”

He snapped his fingers, and Merewyn let out an audible gasp as the chain fell from her throat. “Collecting
my
property.”

“What?” Narishka breathed. “You can’t do that. I have a contract with her.”

“Yes for one moon cycle and that ended while
she was in the valley. Technically, Merewyn is free. At least she was until she sold her life to me for Varian’s.”

Varian’s jaw went slack as he stared in disbelief.

“She wasn’t allowed to tell you,” Damé explained. “I wanted to see if you were worth the price of her life or not. Lucky for her, you stood by her side even when it appeared she’d betrayed you and Emrys. Good man. Now, her life belongs to me.”

Narishka shrieked in outrage. “You can’t take her. I won’t allow it.”

“You can’t stop me.”

As Damé started toward them, Narishka lashed her hands out.

Varian had no idea what his mother was throwing at Merewyn, but he didn’t care. Without hesitation, he threw himself over her to protect her.

The shot went through him like a blast of painful lightning.

Merewyn cringed as she felt Varian shaking. She wasn’t sure what to expect, but when their eyes met, all she could do was stare in horror.

Gone was the beautiful dark-haired knight who’d stolen her heart. In his place, was an old, twisted man.

Damé cursed at Narishka, who showed no remorse.

Instead, she laughed. “Well, I’d planned to make the chit hideous again. But this will do. You take
her for your own, Damé, and Varian can live knowing no one else will ever touch him while you get to screw his plaything. Poetic really.”

Cursing, Damé sent his own blast at Narishka. It struck her hard, knocking her against the wall and singeing her hair. Bracken took a step forward, then cowed back as Damé gave him an arch stare.

Damé turned to face them, and in the next breath, they were back in Avalon.

Merewyn was still holding Varian against her.

“Come, Merewyn,” Damé said. “Time for us to leave.”

She shook her head. “I can’t leave him. Not like this.”

“You made a deal with me.”

“Please,” she begged, as tears suffused her eyes. “You don’t know what it’s like to be deformed and hated. I can’t abandon him to that cruelty.”

“Go,” Varian breathed, trying to push her away. “I’ll be fine. Besides I’m used to it.”

“No,” she breathed, as her tears started to fall. “You don’t deserve this.”

Damé cocked his head as he stared at her. “So what are you saying, Merewyn? Do you love this man?”

“Yes.”

“Truly? You would rather spend the rest of eternity locked to an old, twisted man when you could spend it with me?”

She looked at Damé, who was truly the epitome
of male beauty. His face and body were flawless. His power absolute.

Even so, Merewyn didn’t hesitate with her answer. “Only if that man is Varian.”

“Look at him when you say that.”

She did. His skin was gray and pockmarked. His fingers twisted. But his eyes were still that clear, beautiful green.

“Do you still want to stay with that? To marry him?”

“Yes.”

Damé stepped forward. “Think about what you’re saying, Merewyn. Think about what it means.”

Before she could respond, she saw a clear image of Varian’s twisted form making love to her. Of his gnarled, warted hands on her body.

It should disgust her, but for some reason she wasn’t repelled, and for the first time she understood what Varian had meant in the valley when she’d been ugly.

“I don’t care what he looks like.”

“Hmm…well then, prove it to me, and I’ll rescind our agreement.”

A wave of fear went through her. “Prove it how?”

“Kiss him.”

“Is that all?”

Damé laughed. “Isn’t it enough?”

Varian cringed as Merewyn faced him. If he looked half as bad as he suspected, he wouldn’t
have blamed her had she run for the door. “You don’t have to do this.”

She stepped into his arms. “Yes, Varian, I do.” She brushed the matted hair back from his face. “I don’t care what you look like. It’s you I love, not your looks. Your humor, your kindness, even that little snuffle snore you make when you sleep.”

“I don’t snore.”

She laughed. “Yes, you do.” And with that she pulled his lips to hers. Merewyn wrapped her arms around his shoulders as Varian nipped and teased her mouth with his crooked teeth.

“Ahhh, yuck, that’s disgusting,” Damé railed. “People get a room.” He shivered in revulsion. “Fine, you win. I release you from our bargain. Now stop kissing the toad. I’m going blind.”

Merewyn pulled back, but only so that she could place a kiss on Varian’s hand.

And as she did so, a strange orange glow appeared on his knuckle. It spread slowly over his body and as it did so, he returned to himself.

Merewyn blinked in confusion. Until she realized what Damé had done. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me. I had nothing to do with this.”

“What do you mean?”

“I didn’t break Narishka’s spell. You did, just like Varian broke it in the valley. Instead of glamour, this is the spell of aversion. The only way to break it is to find someone who can see through it.”

“But I thought one sorcerer couldn’t break the spell of another.”

“One can’t,” Varian explained. “At least not with magick. But a human heart can shatter anything.” He looked at Damé. “I should have thought of that.”

“Ah, you had other things on your mind. Now kids, I have more people to piss off. Have a nice life.” And with that, he left them alone.

Varian turned his hands over to see them as they’d always been. Then he met Merewyn’s happy gaze. “Thank you.”

“No, thank you for coming for me. But why did you do that?”

“Isn’t it obvious?”

“That you’re insane? Yes. Don’t ever do something like that again.”

He pulled her into his arms. “I’m not crazy, Merewyn. And I will always do something stupid and insane if you’re in danger.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s what a man does when he loves a woman. And I would give my life for you. Always.”

Those words tore through her. They were words she’d never hoped to hear, especially not from a man like Varian. “I love you, too.”

And this time when they kissed, Varian felt the one thing he’d never felt before. Not just her love, but for the first time in his life, he had faith. Faith in her and, most of all, faith in their future.

One month later…

Merewyn still couldn’t believe that Varian’s mother
hadn’t found some way to punish them. Every morning, she woke up with a lump of fear in her stomach. But so far, Narishka had done nothing.

And as every day passed, Merewyn loved Varian more. She treasured every moment spent with him. Every conversation, every stolen and freely given kiss.

There was nothing she wouldn’t do for him.

After their quick marriage in the small chapel at Avalon, the others there had begun to treat him with more regard and more kindly. It was as if having her by his side made them see him more as a man than a demon.

Best of all, she’d found something in Avalon she’d never really had before. A friend in Kerrigan’s
wife, Seren. The petite blonde had been a poor weaver’s apprentice until fate had found her to be one of the missing Merlins in charge of the loom of Caswallen.

Seren had been the one to save Kerrigan from Morgen’s clutches, and now the two of them, along with their infant daughter, made Avalon home.

Seren was with her now even though Merewyn was suffering greatly with a bout of illness from her pregnancy. She wasn’t sure who’d named it morning sickness when it seemed to strike without warning at any time of day.

They’d just returned to sit in the hall and continue their conversation. Holding her baby, Seren was smiling kindly as Merewyn picked up her small sewing frame.

“Does this ever end?”

Seren laughed. “The illness, yes. Fear for your child, no. But don’t worry. You’re birthing a Merlin. If you think this is bad, wait until the baby’s powers start surging through you. The little darlings can be quite demanding. There are times when you feel completely out of control.”

Oh joy. Merewyn couldn’t wait for that experience. “Does that pass?”

Seren adjusted her daughter Alethea on her lap so that the baby could sleep more comfortably. “After their birth. I think, though, it’s why women who carry Merlins have so few children. It’s actually frightening when those powers are brewing. But don’t worry. You have me and
Merlin and countless others who will help you through it.”

Merewyn smiled at her. “Thank you.” And as she watched the infant sucking on her tiny fist, she couldn’t wait to hold her own baby.

Laughter broke out as a group of men entered the hall across the room from them. Merewyn glanced up from her embroidery, thinking it was Varian returning from Merlin’s latest assignment.

It wasn’t.

It was the man Varian had gone to find. The traitor. Merewyn’s blood went cold at the sight of him making merry with his group.

Terrified, she leaned forward to speak in a low tone. “Seren? Who is that man speaking to Bors? The short one?”

Seren glanced over and frowned. “Ademar, why?”

Merewyn didn’t answer. She was too afraid even to speak for fear it would draw his notice. Because she could identify the traitor, they had all been careful to tell no one she was from Camelot. Instead, they’d said she’d met Varian, Blaise, and the brothers in the valley.

Ademar turned toward her.

Merewyn instantly dropped her gaze to her lap, hoping he hadn’t seen her watching him.

The man strode across the room until he stood before them. “Greetings, Lady Seren. I trust you are well?”

Poor Seren had no idea who the man was. “I am,
thank you, Lord Ademar. I trust the same of you.”

“I couldn’t be better.” His gaze went to Merewyn. “You are new to our company, my lady. I’ve never seen you here before.”

“She’s Varian’s new wife,” Bors said from behind him.

Hatred flared in his eyes at the mention of her husband’s name.

“I’d heard he’d taken a wife. Who knew she would be so lovely.”

Strange, he hadn’t been this kind the last time they’d met. Rather he’d insulted and degraded her before he shoved her out of his way and spat on her.

He gave her what she was sure he thought a charming smile. “So tell me, my lady, where are you from?”

Before she could answer, Seren gasped. “Oh my goodness, Merewyn. Note the time. We have to leave and meet with Kerrigan.”

Merewyn started to frown since she had no idea what Seren was talking about, but then she caught the look in her friend’s eye. “Oh yes. I completely forgot. He’ll be waiting for us.”

“Yes, he will.” Seren stood up. “Forgive us, gentlemen.”

She stood up first, then helped Seren rise. By the time they’d left the hall, Merewyn thought her heart would burst from her panic.

“How did you know to leave?” Merewyn asked as soon as they were away from the men.

Seren winked at her. “The look on your face. I could tell you would rather be anywhere than there with him. Care to tell me why Ademar made you so uncomfortable?”

She didn’t answer. “We need to get to Merlin.”

“You’re starting to scare me.”

“I’m sorry, but we have to hurry.”

They’d barely neared the end of the hallway when all of a sudden Ademar appeared before them. His face stern, he made no move to let them pass.

“Is there a problem, Ademar?” Seren asked.

He narrowed his eyes on Merewyn. “I know you, don’t I?”

That was a question she could answer honestly. “No. You don’t.” He’d never bothered to learn anything about her.

He allowed Seren to walk past him, but when Merewyn tried, he grabbed her arm. “You and I aren’t through talking.”

“Oh yes we are.” She head-butted him hard and wrested her arm free. “Run, Seren!”

Merewyn tried to run with her, but Ademar recovered himself and grabbed her again.

This time, Seren blasted him. It knocked him back, but not before he returned her hit.

Scared it would hit Seren and make her drop the baby, Merewyn threw herself in front of it. It
went through her with a jolt and knocked her to the ground. She lay there, her limbs shaking as she struggled to breathe.

She wanted to tell Seren to run again, but she couldn’t speak from the pain.

But luckily, Seren vanished and left her alone with Ademar. He sauntered over to her and pulled her up by the front of her gown. “Now who are you?”

“She’s my wife.” Varian’s voice rang out angrily an instant before Ademar went flying. He landed in a heap a few feet from her.

Varian appeared, then seized him. He backhanded Ademar so hard, he rebounded off the wall. Still he wasn’t appeased. He struck him again and again, never allowing him even a chance to recover or defend himself.

Suddenly, Merlin appeared. And her face rivaled Varian’s for rage. “Varian, stop!”

Varian did, but not before he locked his arm around Ademar’s neck. The man’s eyes bulged as he tried to breathe.

“Varian?” Merlin chided.

His answer was simple. “He hit Merewyn. I’m going to kill him.”

“Varian…”

He locked gazes with her, and the look in his eyes made Merewyn’s blood run cold. She’d never seen such from him before, and for the first time, she fully understood the depth of her husband’s ruthlessness.

“No one hurts
my
wife.”

Before Merlin could act, Merewyn stood up. “He’s your traitor, Merlin. Ademar is the one I saw with Morgen.”

Ademar sputtered as Varian’s eyes flamed even more.

“Are you sure about this?” Merlin asked.

“Yes. We’ve met several times.”

The compassion and kindness melted from Merlin’s face. She turned to Varian. Her tone and demeanor were every bit as cold as Varian’s. “Before you kill him, we need to ask him a few questions.”

Varian inclined his head before he vanished with Ademar.

“What are you going to do with him?” Merewyn asked.

“I will merely find out what all he’s told to Morgen.”

“And then?”

She shrugged. “He threatened you, Seren, and Alethea. Therefore, his fate will be up to Kerrigan and Varian. And given the brutal death of Tarynce, whatever they decide to do with him is fine by me, and I’m sure it will be far kinder than what Tarynce suffered.” She hesitated. “Then again, it is Kerrigan and Varian…so maybe not.”

Varian had warned her that Merlin wasn’t quite as benevolent as she appeared. Now Merewyn understood. When it came to the Lords of Avalon, their Merlin could be as severe as any man.

Varian returned to address Merlin. “He’s waiting for you.”

Inclining her head to him, Merlin dissolved.

“Are you all right?” Varian asked, searching Merewyn’s body with his gaze.

“A little shaken, but fine.”

He wrapped his arms around her and held her close. “I thought I’d die with worry when I heard Seren calling to me that you needed me. She didn’t say what was wrong. Only that you were in trouble.”

“I thought she went for Merlin.”

“No.”

Merewyn smiled and shook her head. “I’m just glad we found him finally. Now you can stay home.”

“I wish, but there are more of them out there. More traitors yet to find. More battles to come. You know Morgen and my mother. They won’t give up.”

She leaned back to look up at him. “No, but then neither shall we.”

A slow smile spread across his face. “No, we won’t.”