Savior of Avalon

Chapter Nine

It didn't take long before we arrived at the destination Merlin had directed us to. It was a huge mansion nestled in palm trees. It was exactly the kind of house, most people only dreamed of living in. It was the kind of place you looked at and said to yourself, "I hate being broke."

Thom pulled into the driveway and parked a little haphazardly. He was obviously eager to get into the house, talk to this woman, get to Camelot and get Mom back. I couldn't blame him. I was eager, too. We were so close to saving her.

We got out of the car and Merlin walked ahead of us, walking quickly. He seemed a little more eager to get to Camelot now than he had before.

Shaking my head, I followed him along with Aengus—who was studying the house with awe—and Thom.

Before Merlin could even raise his hand to knock the door swung open to reveal a beautiful woman. She had long pink hair and perfect eyebrows. Her skin was like a polished pearl and her full lips were twisted with disdain as she gave Merlin a look that clearly said she was both shocked and displeased to see him.

"I thought I sensed another sorcerer," she said, sighing. "What the hell do you want, Merlin?"

"Is that any way to talk to your son, mother?"

My eyes nearly popped out of my head at that. Did he just call this woman mother? Now, I studied her more carefully. Still, I was unable to find any evidence that this woman was the mother of a five hundred year old sorcerer. She looked only a few years older than myself.

Sighing she asked, "Why are you even here? I trust you didn't travel all the way to this world just to see me."

Merlin scoffed, seeming truly disgusted with that idea. "Please. The past three hundred years without you have been peaceful. You are the only person who can travel to a from Camelot as you please. I'd like you to open a doorway for us."

"Ah," she murmured, looking us over. Her golden eyes flickered over us with a mild interest before turning her attention back to her son. "And why would I do that?"

Merlin stepped closer to her, his back rigid and his voice brimming with a frightening intensity as he said, "Then I will do what I should have done centuries ago and end you pathetic existence...mother."

Despite her bravado, Merlin's mother swallowed hard before taking a step back. Rolling her eyes, she muttered a quick "fine" before spinning on her heels and leaving us to follow her.

Merlin didn't turn to see if we were following, he knew we were. I studied his back the entire time. He had such a tense relationship with his mother and I couldn't keep myself from wondering why. A lot of people weren't on good terms with their parents, but apparently his own mother was so bad, he would kill her without batting an eye.

Turning to face us, she said, "Before I open the portal to send you to Camelot, don't you think you should change. I mean, you can poof yourself a new outfit," she said to Merlin. "And you..." She looked at Aengus and sighed. "You look like you came straight from Camelot. But, you two," she pointed at Thom and I. "You won't fit in at all."

"I can manifest clothes for them," replied Merlin, looking more and more antsy about being around his mother. "It's not a big deal."

She sighed and turned her gaze Heavenward. When she was annoyed like this, I could actually see the family resemblance.

"It would take too much out of you. This world isn't Camelot. You can't just use however much magic you want without feeling the effects. You two, come with me."

She began walking away before either Thom or I could respond. Thom looked at Merlin, the two of them sharing a mental conversation.

"You'd better follow her," Merlin instructed with a sigh. "It'll make things go quicker if you do."

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Merlin's mother gave Thom some simple clothes which he had changed into quickly. His clothes consisted of a long sleeved shirt, simple pants and boots. All in all, he looked exactly like someone who came straight from a page in a history book.

"You still aren't dressed?" He asked, looking at me in surprise.

I shook my head, noting how comfortable Thom seemed to be in this style of clothing.

"She said if it's my first time in Camelot, I should at least have something beautiful to wear."

Thom muttered something under his breath, looking on edge. Kicking his shoe softly, I said, "I know, Thom. I want to get to Camelot as quickly as possible and save her, too."

His jaw unclenched and his gaze softened.

"I know you do, Lucy."

"Little girl," Merlin's mother called out. "I think I've found the perfect dress for you."

My temper flared when she called me 'little girl.' It reminded me too much of how Merlin constantly called me a child or a little girl himself.

It wasn't long before I was in the room with Merlin's mother. After I had undressed, she was placing the long white dress on me, turning me toward the mirror and stepping behind me to tie the laces.

I looked at myself in a kind of awe. I wasn't really much of a dress wearing kind of girl. Typically, I wore jeans and a band tee or a sweatshirt and called it a day. But this dress was like something straight out of a dream. It was made of the most beautiful white fabric with long, full bell sleeves and a striking gold trim. There was a golden sash around the waist and all in all, it was beautiful.

"Did you know," Merlin's mother began conversationally, pulling at the laces and tying them, "that my son fancies you?"

I looked up in shock, my eyes meeting her smug catlike ones.

"Merlin?" I shrieked.

She laughed, no doubt finding my expression comical.

"You know the prophecy by now, don't you, Sibyl?"

"You know who I am?"

"Of course," she sighed, tying the last of the laces and stepping back. "I'm an old sorceress. You were very easy to sense." She took my hair down and began styling it into a beautiful braided updo. "You know your prophecy, yes?"

"Umm...save Camelot, defeat Morgana and become queen of Avalon?" I muttered, sighing. "Yeah, it's kind of hard to forget."

"And the last part?"

"Oh, you mean marrying my true love under after we return summer to the land?"

"That's the part," she murmured, smiling. "Your true love is so much closer than you could imagine, Sibyl."

I may have been sheltered my entire life, but that didn't mean I was an i***t. I knew exactly what she was saying.

"You think Merlin is my true love?" The disbelief in my voice was strong, even to my own ears.

"That's not for me to decide," she said, softly as she finished up with my hair. "That is a question you will have to take to the Fates."

She stepped away and reached over, tying a long white cloak around my shoulders. The velvet cloak settled around me as if it were made for me.

"It will be cold where you're going," she said, smiling.

I followed her back out into the foyer where the rest of my group was waiting. As soon as I came into view it got very quiet, like deathly silent. Thom was grinning at me like a mother watching her daughter about to go to prom and Aengus murmured something in Irish under his breath.

But, it was Merlin's face that surprised me the most. Mainly because—for the first time—I was fully seeing shock on his face. Typically when he was surprised, I could only see that surprise in his eyes. However, in this moment, the surprise was all over his face. His jaw was dropped and his amber eyes were wide and darker than normal. Even his cheeks were flushed.

Aengus laughed loudly, slapping Merlin on the back hard.

"I told ye my mistress was a beauty," he cried out with a chortle. "Now ye see why the Muses sing songs of such high praise."

Merlin frowned at Aengus and looked away from me sharply, his face falling back into the cool mask he normally wore as he turned to his mother.

"Can you open the portal, please, mother? I'm sure Arthur is awaiting our return."

Merlin's mother rolled her eyes and turned to face the far wall. Moving her hands gracefully, she made a motion as if she were pulling something toward her and suddenly where nothing had been, there was a glistening blue portal.

It was through her magic that I could really see how she was Merlin's mother. Their magic was similar in color and in the way it felt. Cold, but oddly comforting.

"Well, go on, then," she instructed, clenching her teeth together.

Merlin walked through first, then Thom. Aengus shadowed me as I made my way to the portal.

Stopping, I turned to her and said, "Thank you."

She smiled thinly and said, "I wouldn't thank me just yet Sibyl. Camelot is a dangerous place. Your prophecy may be to kill Morgana, but the future isn't always set in stone. Be careful."

I nodded once and took a deep breath, steeling myself as I stepped into the world I once thought only existed in myths.