TheKingsLady (20 page)

She bit back a scream as the oily, cloying magic sought for purchase, tearing at her flesh with a million razor sharp teeth. Dark whispers filled her mind coaxing her to let go, allow the blackness to wrap around her and take her from the pain. Those voices, so compelling and soothing… She felt the grip on the magic slip, then waver.

No! Must fight this, it’s a lie.

A primal scream filled her mind, the basic urge to survive bringing her back on line, turning her away from the soft urgings to give in. The voices howled with fury, intensifying its assault, threatening to tear her to pieces for denying them an easy entry. She could feel the blood flow from her nose and ears at the onslaught from Morgan’s oppressive magic.

“Not. Going. To happen,” Gwen gritted out between clenched teeth as she pushed even more magic through her toward her weapon. Almost…there…just a little more…time.

At Morgan’s ear splitting screech of rage, Gwen would have indulged in a self-satisfied smirk. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the luxury as more twisted magic slammed into her, the force dropping her to her knees. A groan bubbled up and out of her throat along with a trickle of blood. The drops splattered on the ground around her. She blinked as her vision went dim. She screamed out in agony as she trapped the perverted power, pulling it through her to charge her own magic.

Morgan’s laughter sounded like a death knell in her ears. Gwen wondered dimly if she could find the strength to hang on a minute more when mercifully, she felt it. Morgan’s magic weakened, wobbled, then cut off. Feeding all the deranged and twisted magic into her webbing, she pushed off her knees. Her head pounded in time with her heart, ready to explode from the sharp pain stabbing her frontal lobe like white hot scalpels cutting into her brain.

With a harsh breath and a raspy groan from a throat raw from her screams, she converted the black mass through the linked mesh of glowing magic, sending it back toward Morgan on a blinding white pulse of pure power.

It engulfed Morgan in its shimmering folds. Her agonized screams filled the air as the white overpowered the black, turning everything a sparkling ivory. A luminescent ball pulsated where Morgan once stood. Her screams were nothing more than a bad dream barely remembered as it dissipated, leaving nothing but emptiness in its wake.

Morgan was gone, utterly destroyed.

Gwen would have whooped for joy if she had any energy left. Instead, she fell to her knees, her body a bloody and beaten lump of flesh. She fought and won. Morgan would never threaten the outside world or her beloved Arthur ever again. She could now crossover, knowing she safeguarded the one she loved.

A gentle breeze softly caressed her, reminding her of a warm summer’s day, peace settled like a mantle around her shoulders.

Hecate.

“You did well, my daughter. You have been found deserving.”

Gwen closed her eyes and let the dark swallow her up in its comforting embrace.

Chapter Sixteen

Arthur wiped at his eyes with a forearm and blinked into the luminous light surrounding the figure. The form moved out of the light flanked on each side by two massive wolves. One as white as snow, its piercing light blue eyes filled with uncanny intellect, the other black as coal with glowing red eyes.

But it was the woman who commanded attention from everyone. Clad in a simple gown of green silk, it clung to her curves, plunging low to showcase her full breasts. Ties were woven in a series of intricate knot work cinched at her small waist. The goddess stood tall and regal. Long chestnut hair hung in deep waves down her back. Her angular face and high cheekbones were almost masculine, softened by a full luscious mouth and wide hazel eyes, which swept over the warriors, before coming to rest on Rhea.

“Well, my child. Have you discovered what you worked so hard to find?”

Rhea moved toward her, leaving a puzzled Simon and Darius behind. She went to her knees before the goddess, head bowed in deference. “That I did, my goddess.”

“Just Hecate will do. No need to stand on formality.” The goddess chuckled. “You can rise. It’s so disconcerting talking to the tops of heads.”

“Thank you for letting me cross over to be with Simon one last time.”

“And let’s not forget Darius, hum?” Hecate tisked, her tone amused.

Oh, great that is a big fat TMI as far as Arthur was concerned. He knew the two shared women, but to talk about it? Yeah, not something he was keen on hearing about. And from the uncomfortable looks from the others, they were all feeling like some peeping toms. But for the life of him he couldn’t stop watching the drama unfolding in front of him, reminding him of the lookie-lous who always flocked any accident.

Rhea flushed, but met the goddess’s frank gaze head on. “I’ve come to love both of them equally.”

Simon’s long legs ate up the distance between him and Rhea. “Wait, you can’t just take her from us.”

Hecate’s eyebrow arched, her eyes snapping with irritation. “I
can’t
?”

“I humbly ask if we can have a say in this decision.” Darius’s more respectful tone seemed to appease the goddess.

“What do you wish to say to sway my decision to bring my child home with me?”

“We love her,” they spoke in unison.

Simon took a step closer. “I lost her once and damn near died from the loss, don’t take her from me again.”

Darius closed in from the other side. “I have not known her long, but her absence would be felt as if a part of my very soul was taken.”

“Eloquently put, Darius, but then you are a romantic at heart I think.” She chuckled. “What about you, my daughter? Have you satisfied your oath?”

Rhea looked at the two men towering over her and took a deep breath, time to come clean. “I have been waiting for the final confrontation between Arthur and Mordred for countless centuries. I swore an oath to Hecate to help with the final battle, knowing everything in this world hinged on Arthur’s success.”

“Alright, why do I feel a but in this somewhere?” Darius frowned.

“Because I kind of cheated to get here.”

“Cheated in what way?” Simon asked cautiously, his ice blue eyes wary.

“I skipped several reincarnations.”

“Skipped? Is that even possible?” Darius shook his dark head in disbelief.

“Um, yeah, it is with the help of a goddess. In my last reincarnation, I was her high priestess. I knew I needed all my powers to help with the end game, but with every reincarnation my powers weakened further. I needed my magic intact in order to be of any use.”

“Tell them, daughter,” Hecate cut in gently yet still firm.

Rhea sighed, then straighten to look each man in the eye. “Look, I’m two hundred and thirty-six years old. I made a pact with Hecate to keep me immortal only until the end battle was finished. Now that it is my immortality is at an end and I need to return to the other side with her.”

Darius shook his head a growl tore from his throat. “I don’t care if you’re
two thousand
. We…
I
need you and not just for calming the visions I have. Your complete me in a way no one ever did.” His gaze locked onto Simon’s. “We are only complete with you, in our world. Simon lost you once, are you really going to put him through that again?”

Rhea’s eyes filled with tear’s spilling unchecked down her pale cheeks. “Don’t do this, Darius, please. It’s hard enough, but to leave the two of you like this is killing me, too.”

Arthur couldn’t take another minute of what was turning into another goodbye. He lost Gwen, he’d be damned if these two men, brothers and the closest thing to family he had, would suffer the same fate if he could help it. He gave Viviane a pointed look and with a slight nod, she rose and joined Arthur. Nimue remained huddled on the floor, still in shock, no doubt from whatever abuse Vance inflicted on her.

“Uh, hum, pardon me.” Arthur cleared his throat as he approached Hecate. “Seems to me with you being a powerful goddess and all, couldn’t you see your way around to leaving Rhea here with us. She is family now, our family and would be cared for as such.”

Hecate
grinned
, her hazel eyes twinkling with amusement. “Why should I let one of my subjects go to another pantheon?”

“Well, I’m not
exactly
another pantheon,” Viviane chimed in, “more like on the fringe and I would have no problem if she wants to continue being your high priestess.”

“Huh, I’ve always wondered what you would be like,” Hecate mussed absently, rubbing the head of her black wolf. “Definitely not what I expected.”

“Oh? And how did you think I would be like?”

“Well, not like this.” Hecate waved a hand toward her. “Anime Goth girl goes to college.” She chuckled at the shocked expressions on everyone’s face. “I don’t spend
all
my time on the other side you know. I
do
get around seeing what is going on in your world.”

“You know looks can be deceiving.” Viviane laughed, letting her fingers twirl around a white, blond and pink curl.

“By all the gods I do hope so.” Hecate struggled not to laugh, but the telltale evidence of her humor danced in her eyes.

“Come on, give the girl a break. Let her live out the rest of her life in the human realm. You can check on her anytime you wish.”

“How…magnanimous of you.” Hecate sighed and turned her focus back on Rhea, who didn’t flinch under her penetrating stare. “It seems that an accord has been reached. Let no one ever call me a cold-hearted bitch goddess without good cause. I strip you of your immortality, from this time on you will live only on the mortal realm, aging as mortals do.”

Rhea’s shoulders sagged with relief.

“Only one condition, you will keep to the traditions and responsibilities I bestowed upon you as my high priestess. If for any reason, you should stop them, I’ll take you back to the other side faster than you can blink. Understand?”

“Oh, yes, yes,
yes
!” Rhea agreed, eyes bright with more tears as she turned to the two men who sandwiched her between them in a heartfelt embrace.

Arthur watched Viviane struggle not to laugh at Hecate, impressed by the level and serious tone in her voice as she addressed the other goddess. “Very selfless of you, I like your style. If you every want to get away from it all I would love to have you visit me at Avalon.”

Hecate raised one arched brow, a small smile playing on her lips. “What would the other pantheons think? How deliciously scandalous of you to offer.”

“Never been all that interested in following protocol, guess it comes with being on the fringe.” Viviane gave her a large bright smile and shot her a look of innocence. “After all, there isn’t a rule written anywhere that states goddesses of different beliefs couldn’t hang together.”

Lancelot moved behind Vivian and, wrapping her up in his arms, brushed his lips on top of her head in a small kiss. “I see I will need to learn more about poker nights with the boys so you two could have your girl time out.”

Darius shook his head with a groan. “Man, that’s girl’s night out.”

Lancelot looked puzzled. “Isn’t that what I said?”

“No!” everyone chimed in.

Viviane’s turned in Lancelot’s arms, love shinning in her gaze. The look punched Arthur in the gut. How could he be so blind not to see the love between them? A twinge of envy settled in his heart as he moved back to Gwen’s body. He memorized her beautiful face, more than ready to join her.

“My daughter sacrificed all for you, Arthur, have a care on how you treat the gift she freely gave you,” the goddess spoke softly, but caution carried weight to her words.

“To live without her is a hollow victory. I failed her, didn’t keep her safe. I must live with that knowledge.”

Laughter made Arthur’s head snap up, eyes narrowed on the goddess.

“Oh, Arthur, I see why Gwen loves you so, you’re filled with much honor and love. I approve Gwen’s choice, not that it would stop either of you. And there was little you could have done to change what needed to happen.”

Anger rose up inside him at Hecate’s cryptic words. “She didn’t need to die. I gave my vow to protect her and failed.”

“Die? Look upon your woman and tell me what you see.”

Afraid to hope, but compelled to do as Hecate ordered, he returned his gaze to Gwen and saw…her chest rose and fell. Her skin pinked, lids fluttered open and blue eyes, sharp and aware, locked onto his.

A hoarse cry tore from his lips and in the next second, he was by her side, lifting her into his arms and locking her close to his chest where his heartbeat took off like a runaway locomotive, making him dizzy.

“How, what…I thought you lost to me.”

“I would have been if not for your killing Vance. His spell only called for one sacrifice not two.”

“So what happened, love, how did you get back to me?” Arthur’s voice still held the edge of his grief, his arms locked tightly to her as if he feared she would disappear from him.

She reached out, framing his face with soft warm hands, and he fell into her bright loving gaze. He knew she could see his torment. His soul was laid bare before her where she could witness all his grief, anger, regret and self-recrimination, which churned inside him, bone deep.