Legendary (20 page)

“I’ll be happy to explain once we reach my home, but first there is still much that King Arthur and Galahad need to know before we get to London.”

“Why don’t we go to my place first?” she suggested, not liking the idea of being in a stranger’s house.

“My home will be the safest place. It is well protected and hard to find, even with magic.”

“I’m not saying we all shack up at my place. I’m saying, at the very least, I need to get some of my things before I go to your house for a sleepover.” His arrogance pushed her buttons. “Besides, I need to talk to my cousin and my friend Wade; I have to tell them what’s going on. They may be able to help.”

“Absolutely not!” Lancelot shouted.

“I can’t keep this from them! They’ll never just let me disappear with strangers.”

Galahad frowned at Lancelot, and Arthur studied the raven-haired knight with questioning eyes.

“Why do you think your friend and cousin could help?” Galahad asked.

“I’m not really sure why,” she admitted. “I just do.”

Lancelot studied her in the rearview mirror, and then Arthur said, “I think we can take the time to give Aliana what she wants, Lancelot. She has done much for us already. We cannot deny her these comforts.”

Lancelot nodded at Arthur’s decree.

I guess it’s good to be the king,
Aliana thought as Lancelot quickly changed the subject.

Two hours later, the group pulled up to the gate in front of Aliana’s flat. The building was old-world beautiful and situated on the bank of the Thames River in an exclusive neighborhood. An impressive address didn’t matter to her or her parents, but they all loved the home Aliana’s grandparents had bought after World War II. Aliana gave Lancelot the gate code, and Percy followed them in.

Aliana slid out of the car, grateful for the chance to stretch her tight muscles, while Lancelot went around back and pulled out the sword belts.

“Are those really necessary? I promise there aren’t any evil creatures waiting for us in my flat.”

“A warrior never goes anywhere without his weapon,” Arthur said.

Deciding to let that comment go, she watched Percy twist his large body out of her car, muttering curses as he finally got free. He tossed the keys to Aliana like they were evil and fixed a dark glare on Lancelot.

“Next time you get to drive the clown car across the country, and I’ll drive the grown-ups’ car.”

“Hey now.” Aliana tried to sound offended, but her giggles gave her away.

“I told you I’d get even, Percy,” Lancelot said, shrugging.

Still giggling, Aliana led them to the elevator, curious to see how Arthur and Galahad would handle their first elevator ride. The five of them piled into the tiny lift, taking up most of the space as Aliana turned her house key in the lock and hit the button for the top floor.

“Why the key, Aliana?” Arthur asked, fascinated by the machine pulling them smoothly up into the building.

“My mom’s parents bought the top floor of the building decades ago and converted the entire space into a four-bedroom apartment. No one can get up to the top level unless they have a key.”

“Then your parents were nobility?” Galahad questioned.

“Were?” Arthur asked before she could answer.

Aliana’s eyes dropped. “My parents died two years ago.” She refused to look up, not wanting to see the pity she was sure would be in their expressions, or worse, encourage any more questions. “To answer you, Galahad, no, my parents weren’t nobility. My mother’s family came from old money here in London. My father was one of the leading historians and archaeologists in the world, and my mom was a popular actress and dancer. She insisted we keep this place after my grandparents died, even though we lived mostly in Charleston.”

The elevator dinged, and the door slid open before anyone could ask more questions. She escaped the suddenly suffocating confines only to nearly run into a tall man with buzzed brown hair and tense green eyes. He stood with his hands tucked into his jean pockets.

“Owen!” Aliana’s heart leaped happily as her cousin pulled her into a rough hug. “What are you doing here?” For the first time since waking up from her dream that morning, she relaxed, sinking into his familiar and comforting embrace.

“I was going mental worrying about you.” His soft voice sounded almost hurt. “Who are they?” He scrutinized the four men filing out of the elevator, and his eyes hardened when he saw the swords in their hands. He stepped around Aliana. “Why do they have swords?”

She laid her hand on his shoulder, trying to figure out what to say.

“Owaine?” Arthur stepped forward, but Lancelot’s hand stopped the king.

Owen scowled. “Sorry, mate, you have the wrong guy.” He stopped Aliana as she tried to get around him.

“Perhaps we should all go inside and discuss this.” Lancelot stepped forward, but Owen met him half way.

“I don’t think so, mate.” Owen’s eyes landed on the silver Dragon perched on Lancelot’s shoulder. Startled, he grabbed Aliana’s arm, ordering her to get into the flat.

“Owen, it’s okay.” She took her cousin’s hand in hers. “Dagg isn’t going to hurt anyone, and I invited all of them here.” Aliana watched the way Galahad and Arthur looked Owen over, not with untrusting glares but with veiled curiosity. The two exchanged a quick glance.

Aliana looked at Owen again. Hadn’t Arthur said one of his knights was named Owaine? Aliana gripped her cousin’s hand tighter. “I’ll explain everything inside.” And she was going to make sure Arthur explained why he’d called Owen
Owaine
.

Eyes still fixed on Dagg, Owen nodded, circling an arm around his cousin’s shoulders. Once inside, Aliana disappeared into the kitchen while the guys took in her home. She hoped they would be too distracted to notice her disappearance because she was desperate to get some space and gather her thoughts. She’d hoped to have a day or two to get her story together before she brought her cousin into this.
Oh no! What’s Wade going to do? There’s no way Owen won’t tell him!
Suddenly, it all became too much. Panic had her heart racing. She was about to start hyperventilating.

“Aliana.” Dagg landed on the black marble counter. She peered into his glowing purple eyes, and a wave of warm energy flowed through her body, calming her.

“How did you do that?”

“I have many talents.” The little Dragon smirked. “The others are waiting on you. If we don’t get in there soon, I fear your cousin is going to do something drastic.”

“Owen is so protective.”

“He’s also considering throwing Lancelot out of the window.”

Aliana shored up her courage and walked back into her favorite room in the entire flat. The family room had overstuffed black chairs and couches, a killer entertainment center, and creamy white walls. She and her parents had made a tradition of curling up together on the couch and watching movies or TV each night. Off to one side was her father’s desk and bookshelf, still filled with his research books and prized artifacts. But what made this room so special to her were the dozen pictures decorating the walls. Her parents had insisted that all of the art be hers—pictures she had taken of her mother dancing, places she had traveled to with her father, and many others.

Owen stood facing her new friends, staring them all down, his arms crossed over his thick chest.

“I guess introductions are in order.” She stepped next to Owen, looping her arm through his. “Owen, this may seem hard to believe, but this guy—” Aliana pointed to Arthur “—is King Arthur. Next to him are Sir Galahad, Percy—who happens to be Sir Percival reincarnated—and, finally, Lancelot. Guys, this is my cousin, Owen Nyhart.”

The four men nodded, murmuring a polite greeting.

“And what about that?” Owen pointed to the Dragon on the coffee table.

“
He
is Daggerhorne…my Dragon guardian.”

Owen’s eyes narrowed as he looked between her and the silver creature. Blowing out a breath, he plopped down onto the loveseat, pulling Aliana with him. “Okay, pleasantries have been exchanged. Now will you please tell me what the bloody hell is going on? Are these guys the reason you were so late getting back?”

“You do not speak to Aliana like that,” Galahad threatened, glaring at Owen.

“Who are you to tell me how to talk to my cousin?” Owen demanded, jumping up, ready to go at it with Galahad. All the guys were tense and watchful.

“Whoa. Down, boys. There’s no need to fight.” Aliana stepped between Owen and Galahad, placing a hand on each of their chests. Neither man stepped back. “Both of you sit down…
now!”

With a final sneer, they finally backed up a step. Aliana sighed, relieved, but wondering why they had to be such asses.

Arthur placed a hand on Galahad’s shoulder, pulling the blue-eyed knight back. “Please forgive us, Aliana. Why don’t we all sit down and talk like civilized people.”

Lancelot, Percy, and Galahad all sat on the large couch while Arthur got comfortable in the lounge chair. Aliana took a seat next to her hothead cousin on the love seat, tucking her legs underneath her.

“Owen, I should start this by telling you that this is going to be hard to believe, but everything we’re going to tell you is the truth,” Dagg said from the coffee table.

“Brilliant! It talks too!” Owen snapped.

Aliana glowered at her cousin, feeling very protective of her Dragon. “Yes,
he
talks. Now shut it and listen.”

Owen appeared understandably skeptical, but he didn’t say anything.

“My name is Daggerhorne, and I am guardian to the Destined One, Aliana. It has been prophesied that she will help King Arthur and his reunited knights stop Mordrid and Morgana from destroying all of the realms.”

Owen’s eyes grew large and unbelieving as he raked his gaze over everyone in the room. “Aliana, are you sure this is real?”

“I know it’s hard to believe,” she said slowly. “I’m still struggling to believe it too, but Owen,
I was in Avalon today!”

12

When Aliana stepped out of the lift she seemed different—more alive. But then I saw the guys with her and my world went barmy. I know them somehow. My gut tells me they’re important to me. But their swords and their crazy stories make me question my gut for the first time in a while. Seriously, a talking Dragon? What trouble has my cousin gotten into now?
~Owen

O
WEN
G
ULPED
A
ND
N
ODDED
for Dagg to continue, but Lancelot took over for the Dragon. “You, Owen, are a reincarnation of Sir Owaine, a Knight of Camelot and a member of the Round Table.”

Aliana bit back her gasp of surprise as she felt her eyes grow to the size of saucers.
OMG, Owen’s a knight!

Lancelot continued, “Percy and I are like you, reincarnations of our former selves. Only I have my memories intact, while the two of you do not.”

“And why is that, Lancelot?” Aliana piped up, hoping to finally get one of her questions answered.

“We will get to that,” he said, dismissing her again.

Owen looked across the table to Galahad. “So, are you a supposed reincarnation too?”

“No, I am as I was during the time of Camelot, as is King Arthur.”

Owen glanced to Aliana, confusion drawing his mouth tight as he arched a questioning eyebrow.

Lancelot picked up the story. “Arthur and Galahad have been in Avalon since their last battle with Mordrid over fifteen hundred years ago. Merlin, Galahad, and myself brought Arthur to Avalon as he was dying. We made a pact with Titania, queen of the Fae, to save his life, but the price was that we had to remain in Avalon with the king until the Destined One came to free Arthur and bring us back to the mortal realm.”

“Except you and Merlin weren’t there, Lancelot,” Aliana cut in.

Lancelot nodded his head. “We will get to that, but first, please explain to us how you got to Avalon and what happened before you returned.”

Sighing, Aliana told them about her adventures in Avalon. She left out the part about the kiss stolen by Galahad. What had happened between her and the knight wasn’t something she wanted the others to know. Not until she figured out how to get her feelings for him under control. She did tell them about Titania’s offer to turn back time and give her back her old life and her parents.

Every pair of eyes had widened in surprise at that information.

“Thank you.” Arthur’s words caught her off guard. “You had the chance to live your life and you chose to help us instead. It was an incredibly courageous thing to do.”

When Aliana didn’t say anything, Galahad took over for her. “When we got back, Lady Deidre had a message for us from J’alel. He’d searched but found no trace of the cursed TreTale, so we do not know who sent it or who it was meant to track.” Galahad ran a hand through his brown locks.