My breath caught. “Of course.” I willed myself to be calm. I was suddenly very hot, though whether with the intimacy of Merlin’s request or my nagging need for sleep, I could not tell.
“Do you remember the strange prophecy Viviane spoke during your last full moon in Avalon?”
My brow furrowed as I tried to recall the words, but all that rose to my muddled mind was something about animals and flowers.
Seeing my difficulty, Merlin recited the three verses from memory.
“‘The red dragon is poised to return to the realm of spirit, but another shall succeed him. The hallowed one has received the blessing of the land, and so shall it prosper under his guidance. Although malevolent forces threaten from without, the bear shall be victorious and all shall bow at the sound of his name.
“Soon th
