Page 18 of Secrets of Avalon
“We’ve already discussed terms with her parents. They are expecting an announcement at the Changing of the Guard ceremony.” My father’s exasperated tone makes me grind my teeth together.
He’s going to do this whether I like it or not. And it's going to get even uglier, because I’ll end the engagement after the coronation and it will embarrass them both. And they will be so angry and disappointed, but they just don’t understand what’s really at stake. I won’t risk losing my soul and going mad to make our family’s political position better.
My mother squeezes my hand. “Son, this is part of being heir. Sacrifice comes with responsibility.”
I wish I could explain everything to her… to both of them. But I can’t risk them thinking I’m not capable of being king. It’s everything I’ve been raised for my whole life. I want it. I will be an amazing king. Our people need me.
“I just need a little more time.” I turn to look at my father. “Just don’t announce it. Not yet. Please.”
The air in the room thickens, charged with unspoken words and the weight of my impending responsibility. My father’s gaze is steady, but behind his eyes I sense a turmoil that mirror my own. He wants to give me what I’m asking for, but struggles against the duty of his position.
My mother’s touch is gentle, yet insistent, her concern for our family’s legacy is palpable.
I’m about to speak again when a sudden, inexplicable feeling washes over me–a familiar sensation. The same driving need. An urge that’s both compelling and unnerving. Something or someone is calling to me, resonating with the very core of my being.
“I… I have to go,” I murmur, more to myself than to my parents. The sensation is growing stronger, pulling me towards something I don’t yet understand. It’s similar to the feeling that drew me to the Earth Realm door, but this time, it’s different, stronger, more urgent.
My father’s voice breaks through my thoughts. “Hawke, what is it?”
I shake my head, struggling to articulate the feeling. “It’s the door… perhaps, or something like it. I need to see it again. There’s something I have to find out.” The words tumble out in a rush, my heart pounding hard in my chest.
I squeeze my mother’s hand and then release it.
My mother’s blue eyes are filled with worry, but there’s a flicker of understanding there too. “Be careful, Hawke,” she says softly. “The monster hasn’t been seen in a week. Riding at night is dangerous.”
“I’ll be careful.” I assure her automatically, barely registering both their concerned glances as I turn and hurry from the room. The halls of the palace and the people in them blur past me. All I know is that I have to get back to Camelot. The troublesome beast we’ve yet to hunt down in the woods is the last thing on my mind.
The feeling inside me is overwhelming now, a magnetic pull I can’t resist. A whisper in my mind that I can’t quite understand. But whatever is happening, it’s important–not just for me, but for the fate of Avalon itself and all the Fae.
CHAPTER 8
Screaming Goats and Hidden Truths
Melinda Mayweather
In a room fit for a queen on Drakoné, I spent the night tossing and turning, my eyes barely closed for minutes at a time as nightmares plagued my fitful sleep.
I experienced every single hour before I was finally being whisked out of my room and dressed to leave.
Avalon. Finally.
More water-travel without getting wet.
It’s weird. I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to it.
We step out of the fountain into a beautiful garden, the colors of dawn just staining the sky. It was still dark enough for torches to be lit, their flickering light creating a mesmerizing dance of shadows along paths surrounded by vibrant flowers and lush greenery. The air here is different than on Drakoné. Thicker. Magick tingles on my skin.
But it’s the castle in front of us that really holds my attention. It looks like something out of an epic fantasy movie. Its walls are massive, covered in old carvings that make it like I just stepped back in time or into a Tolkien novel. I half expect to see wizards or a hobbit come strolling through the gates at any moment.
Laughter and music drift from the open gates, inviting me closer.
I look at Kellan, who's acting like this whole Narnia-on-steroids situation is just another Tuesday. "Is this really Avalon?" I whisper, still in disbelief.
“Of course it is,” Nimue says, stepping out of the fountain beside us.
Feeling bolder in my Spartan costume and standing next to my giant Drakonii bodyguard, I challenge her, “Well, you haven’t exactly been super honest with me so far.”
Nimue ignores my jab. “I need you to be careful with her. Try to keep a low profile. Find the other Drakonii guests and take her to the guest rooms. I would prefer no one knows she’s here until the Changing of the Guard ceremony tomorrow night.” She pulls a big ring off her finger and hands it over to Kellan with a super serious look on her face. “Drop this into water to send me a signal.”