Microsoft Word - LadyPendragon (29 page)

Feeling her heartbeat quicken, she stared questioningly into Collin’s eyes.

“Please, tell me that was either thunder or your hungry stomach?” He shook his head and her heart plummeted. She’d known she’d been grasping at straws.

The last sight she registered before being knocked to the ground was a multi-colored sphere of magic. She could see the dark magic and white magic mingling together, as each tried to triumph over the other. There was an echo of the blast from before, but this time it seemed much stronger.

“Form a shield,” she screamed, but they were too late.

The sphere of mixed magic hit them like a giant cannonball. Screams were heard everywhere, and Molly thudded against the ground. She tried to push herself up with her hand, but the effort was too much. Her head hit the grass, and her eyes met blackness.

* * * *

She fought her way out of a nightmare. She struck blindly at her invisible opponent and felt Anwyn humming in her hands. A spasm jolted through her body, and with a start, she awoke. She lifted her head, and groggily looked around her. Her eyes were bleary. The sky was still dark, meaning that not much time had passed.

She groaned and shakily pushed herself to her feet. The others were groaning as well, though she couldn’t find Collin. A shiver rushed through her and then she noticed that she no LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 121

longer wore her silk faerie cloak. It had somehow come off of her, and was lying over someone on the ground. She pulled it off of the motionless lump and gasped.

“Collin,” she cried, falling to her knees, and grasping his shoulders. Her touch awakened him and he fluttered his eyes open.

“Oh, my aching head,” he murmured, rubbing his temple. “Next time, remember to tell me to wear a helmet. “ She laughed, despite herself.

“You’re alive!” She threw her arms around him and smacked her lips against his cheek.

“Thank heavens!”

“Well, if I knew you’d be this happy to see me after almost meeting my maker, I’d try to get myself killed more often. It might just be worth it,” he joked, stroking her back.

“Okay, who put the lights out?” Lachlan groused, staggering toward them. “That was one hell of a blast. Does anyone else see stars?” he coughed. “Bless me lucky rainbow, I don’t think I’ll be walking right for a month. “

“Indeed,” Branden said, coming up behind Lachlan, fully supporting Adria’s weight. He had scooped her up into his arms. Molly narrowed her eyes at her old friend. Under any other circumstances, Adria would have grinned and bore it, but for some niggling reason, she was trying to play the damsel in distress. If it made Adria happy, then Molly would let her have her boon. But she didn’t like it one bit…if Branden couldn’t love Adria for what she truly was then he wasn’t ready to have her yet.

“How do you feel?” she asked Collin.

Lachlan let out a loud indignant snort. “Aye, I’m fine. Thank ye very much for yer concern. “ Lachlan rolled his eyes, and pulled out his pipe. “I feel like a pint of—”

“Don’t even think about it, Lachlan,” she chastised. She glanced at Collin and watched as he continued to rub his head.

“Come to think of it, I could go for a pint as well,” he grinned at Molly, and she resisted the urge to playfully swat him.

“If you are strong enough, I was thinking that you could use the sword that Merlin gave you to break the ice and free Lady Vivienne. Right now, it seems like it’s the only way. “

“If faerie magic didn’t work, what makes you think that my mortal strength will? Molly, I’ve seen how your magic works, it will triumph over my kind of magic any day. Hands down. “

“Lad, do ye have a brain in yer head?” Lachlan asked. Branden glared at Lachlan and had started to raise his hand, when Molly broke into his thoughts.

‘Don’t you dare, Branden. You just leave Lachlan alone. ’

“Yes, thank you, I do, Lachlan,” Collin answered, rising to his feet and swaying slightly.

“But I think it may have been a bit jostled just now. “ He grimaced, and reached for his sword.

“Tell me what to do, and I’m your man, Molly. “

“That’s right, you are,” Molly said, nodding her head and guiding him toward the lake.

“Do exactly what Adria did earlier. With all good fortune, your sword should shatter the ice. “ She released Collin, and folded her arms.

“With all good fortune, it will. Gee, that makes me feel so much better. “ He looked at her and rolled his eyes. “As it is, I’m beginning to think I’m not always blessed with an over-abundance of good fortune. “ He began muttering and turned his sword so the blade faced downward. “That’s just like wishing on a star. “ His scoff attracted Branden’s attention.

“Wishing on a star is a wise course of action when all hope is lost. “ Branden said wisely. Molly sighed. Obviously, Branden didn’t realize how far from the Elvin ways Collin had been raised.

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Collin grunted, and struck the ice with all of his might. The black ice shattered beneath his blade. Dark shards flew up into the air and popped out of existence. Molly breathed a sigh of relief and meandered over to place her hand in Collin’s.

In a flurry of motion, Lady Vivienne rose from the now blue depths of the lake. She sprayed water down upon them all, and Molly closed her eyes so that she could wipe the wetness from them. When her vision cleared, she looked back at Lady Vivienne.

The Faerie Queen was flying majestically in front of them. Molly’s voice lodged in her throat, as her brain finally comprehended what her eyes saw.

Lady Vivienne was wearing black robes, and her eyes had darkened to black onyx.

“Oh, no. This is so not good!” Molly muttered, feeling all sense of hope drain away from her. Collin had just unleashed a monster; for Lord Cardan had poisoned the Lady of the Lake.

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“Insipid Fools!” Lady Vivienne bellowed, her voice echoing across the land. “You have incited the rage of Queen Vivienne!”

“Ugh, Molly, I don’t think this was such a great idea,” Collin said, as they backed away from Lady Vivienne. Everyone stood paralyzed by fear. Never had Molly seen something so grotesquely heartbreaking. Lady Vivienne had turned as evil as she had once been good. Molly licked her lips and tried to keep her hands from shaking. She had been scared before, but never had she been filled with such a sense of hopelessness. They couldn’t stand against the might of Queen Vivienne no matter how hard they tried.

The landscape around them began changing. Leaves fell off of the blossoming trees, and charcoal-colored snow fell from the darkened sky.

Molly blew a large snowflake off her nose, as her mind raced to come up with a way of either defeating Lady Vivienne or choosing a course of action that she had never considered before. She didn’t want to run, but if it came to that, she would tell everyone to hightail it back toward Tintagel, where maybe they could mount a plan of defense. She would stay and try to hold Vivienne off for as long as she was able.

“Collin, get behind me,” she whispered, trying to drag him behind her. Her heart was beating so rapidly that she knew it would jump out of her chest sooner or later.

“I will not hide behind you. Honestly, for once in your life, Molly, please acknowledge the fact that I don’t always require your protection. “ Huh. So, who was turning the tables now?

She’d never intimated that he required her protection before. Had she?

Molly snorted. Right at that precise moment, a dark blazing globe of fire began extending from Lady Vivienne’s fingertips.

“Not good,” she muttered, throwing herself against Collin as she hurtled them both to the ground.

The fireball arced straight over their heads and headed toward one of the leprechauns.

Molly looked up and watched, as the leprechaun tried to frantically dart out of its way, but it followed him as if it had been programmed just for him. Feeling her heart grow heavy with dread, she pushed herself off of the ground that was now dusted with sooty snow. Calling upon a hidden power that she had never tapped into, she formed an ice ball in her hand, and threw it high into the air, mentally guiding it toward the fireball. She could only pray it would connect with the fireball and effectively take it out.

Lachlan was trying to help the panicked leprechaun, but no matter how much magic they threw at the fireball, it wouldn’t stop its pursuit. Molly’s giant ice ball finally overtook the fireball and swallowed it up in one big gulp. As soon as she knew the leprechaun was safe, she began breathing again.

“Thank you, lass,” Lachlan called, beaming down at Molly.

“You dare to stand against the might of Queen Vivienne, the Great?” Lady Vivienne shouted, centering her rage on Molly.

Molly whirled around, and faced Lady Vivienne. No matter what happened she had to stand her ground. The strangest sensations filled her body, though she couldn’t explain them, LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 124

nor could she define them. Waves of powerful, mystical magic filtered through her system. She levitated herself off of the ground and stood against Lady Vivienne.

“I beseech you, Lady Vivienne, pray remember who you are. Remember what you are. “

She summoned a cloud of purple magic and directed it at Lady Vivienne. It swirled around her, and then engulfed her.

Lady Vivienne screamed, yet no matter how hard she tried to bat Molly’s magic away, it would not be deterred. Lady Vivienne’s black eyes rolled up inside of her head, and then after a few moments, she began to transform back into her old self.

Heartened by what she was seeing, Molly moved forward and Collin followed her. She had done it! She had brought Lady Vivienne back from the precipice of falling into the clutches of Lord Cardan. She had saved Lady Vivienne. Blessed be.

Branden and Adria came to stand next to them. She glanced over at Branden and noticed his furrowed brow. What in the world was he concerned about? There was nothing at all to fear.

The Dark Queen had been vanquished. Now the White Queen would return. Snow continued to fly around them though it had now turned the color of heavenly dark chocolate, and it had become so thick that she could barely see in front of her. Snowflakes landed on her eyelashes blurring her vision. She shivered, and Collin quickly slipped the Faerie cloak off and tucked it around her shoulders.

“My dearest friends,” Lady Vivienne said in her soft slightly accented voice. “You have saved me, and now I shall see that you are generously repaid. “

Branden had slipped behind Adria, and was slowly inching his way toward Collin.

“You are known to me, Prince Collin,” Lady Vivienne murmured, her eyes filling with recognition. “And you should be used as an example. “ She paused, and Molly began to scrutinize Lady Vivienne. Something felt off, something was not as it should be.

A sour smell filled her nostrils, and then, she recognized it. Lady Vivienne’s eternal glamour was still gone. She did not give off her usual light. Elves and faeries always illuminated the darkness and yet, Lady Vivienne seemed dull and diminished. Her heart stopped.

Collin.

Branden was now so close to Collin that his body had brushed up against his grandson’s body. Collin threw him a confused glance, and then Molly let out a terrified scream that seemed to make time standstill. For some reason, she could not move, as if someone had glued her feet to the ground. She had become helpless. Molly watched in unspeakable horror, as Lady Vivienne hurled a bolt of lightning at Collin. Branden stepped in front of Collin, collapsing beneath the lightning bolt as all color and life drained from his face. His eyes were open in stunned horror, and slowly his ragged breathing ceased.

Prince Branden Fairborn was dead. Killed by his distant cousin.

Lady Vivienne stared down at the fallen Elf with a smug smile tugging at the corners of her lips. A tear slipped down Molly’s cheek. Blood rushed in her ears, followed by a loud buzzing noise.

Molly and Adria sank to their knees next to Branden. Collin was on the ground, and had tenderly lifted Branden’s head into his lap. He was feeling for a pulse. Molly shook her head at him, knowing that he would not find one.

“Wake up,” Adria pleaded, tears streaming down her face. She gripped Branden’s shirt and tugged at it with all her might. “Please, wake up!”

“Shouldn’t I be gone? I mean if what the old nutter said was true, I shouldn’t even be here now, should I?” Collin demanded. Emotion flooded his eyes, and made Molly’s heart ache LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 125

for him. What could she say? She honestly didn’t know…though what he said did make sense.

In all likelihood, Collin should have disappeared into the fabric of time.

“What are you talking about?” Adria demanded, between sobs. Tears streamed down her face. Her eyes had become bloodshot. Molly wanted to die along with Branden. She was the one responsible for all of this misery. Lachlan had by now made his way over to them.

“Move out of me way, if you please…leprechaun coming through,” he muttered, pulling leprechaun dust out of the pouch that he wore at his side. Lachlan had become serious in his intent. His jovial eyes lacked their normal luster.

“I could not have killed Prince Branden. Killing a creature of the sacred lands is a sin that even I cannot atone for. “ Lady Vivienne’s voice lost all of its cruelty and malice. Instead, it was softly pleading and filled with heartbreak. “What have I done?” Lady Vivienne stared down at her hands in revulsion. “I shall not let Lord Cardan’s dark powers overtake me, I shall fight it!” Her voice became louder and more determined. Molly listened to it all, but could not seem to take her eyes away from Branden’s face.