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Branden snorted. Molly glanced at Branden. He didn’t look at all happy. She always knew he’d be livid when he found out that Collin had been denied his birthright. He looked about ready to speak when Collin beat him to the punch.

“Yes, and my mortality freed a monster. Fat lot of good that did. “

“Vivienne is redeeming herself. As long as there is hope for tomorrow, there is a way. “

“I have to ask this again. Will you marry me, Princess Mary Pendragon?”

“Oh, aye,” she murmured, pressing a soft kiss against his lips.

Branden cleared his throat, as a circle of light surrounded them. The Elvin wedding rings floated toward them. For one brief moment, the rings fused, and then parted once again.

“Once you take your vow, and put the rings on each other’s fingers, they will forever link you. If one is in danger, the other ring shall glow to warn you. “

Molly had only heard whispered murmurings of these rings being real. Merlin had never confirmed or denied it.

If only Adria were here. At her thought, the eight Light Bearers appeared in the circle of light.

“You need not fear, Molly. Lachlan and his men and women are guarding Tintagel.

Although, I believe that Lachlan will be disappointed to learn that he missed a party. He always was one for merrymaking, especially when it comes to weddings!”

Molly stared incredulously over at her mother.

Mildred was resplendent in her warrior faerie uniform. She had never seen her mother looking so formidable.

“I shall find Arthur. “ Mildred’s voice carried over to Molly as if it was a physical caress. Suddenly, hundreds of Faerie folk and Elvin folk surrounded them. Molly had never seen anything quite so beautiful in all of her life.

The light that glowed around them was enough to drive anyone’s melancholy away.

“Will you love and support each other for time immemorial?” Branden asked, as Collin snorted.

“I won’t live that long, but I can make the vow work. “

Molly’s heart fell. Of course, Collin would live a mortal life, unless his magic was unleashed. She had been responsible for sentencing him to that mortal life. When the time came, she would simply have to whisk him away to the eternal lands of Avalon. Humans could live on Avalon forever, if they were invited to stay. All life was sacred on Avalon.

“I shall,” Collin murmured. Molly’s heart swelled. He slipped the glittering ring on her finger, and Molly stared down at it in silent wonder.

Then, taking the ring meant for Collin, she stared into his emerald eyes, and lost herself.

“I shall,” she whispered, realizing that if the people surrounding them did not have magically enhanced hearing, they would have never heard her softly spoken vow.

Fireworks exploded in the sky, and angelic singing rained around them. Collin and Molly rose high up in the air as they kissed.

Her mother walked over to them as they were lowered to the ground. Molly let go of Collin’s hand for a brief moment while she embraced her mother.

“What shall I do?” She didn’t know how to lead her people or carry on with the battle plans against Lord Cardan.

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“I cannot tell you, for the way is not clear yet. My dearest daughter, you must follow your heart. Merlin must have faith in you, or else he would not have diminished into the Mists so easily. “

“Oh, Mother, I’ve never faced a situation like this before. “

“Believe me, Molly, you are up to the task. You must own your destiny now. No matter what happens, do not lose faith in yourself. After all, you are your father’s daughter, and you have a bit of me in you, as well. And now that I think of it, you are more like Merlin than I had ever realized before. “

“I am not,” she scoffed.

“Oh, but you are, dear child. For who but Merlin would remain unbroken beneath such impossible odds? When the time comes, if I am able, I will be there with a combined army of Elves and Faeries. But at the moment, I must ensure that Ardara does not fall beneath the war that has been plaguing them for nearly three hundred years.

“You must return to Tintagel now,” Mildred smiled wistfully. She bent to press a loving kiss against Molly’s cheek, and then in one heartbeat, they were back at Tintagel.

“What shall we do now?” Collin teased. Molly looked at him and laughed despite the heaviness weighing upon her.

“What indeed,” she said, pushing him toward the canopied bed.

He fell back onto it with a muffled grunt, as she straddled him. She kissed him with all of her pent up hunger. As she sank into his embrace, his arms wound around her.

He unclasped the jeweled brooch that held the robe shut, and it slipped away to the floor, revealing the nearly sheer white gown she wore beneath it. He kissed her again, and then with a sparkle in his eye, he rolled over so that he was now the one on top. Passion smoldered in his emerald eyes. She didn’t want this moment to end. It was too perfect.

“You’re so beautiful,” he murmured. He gently removed the gold circlet holding her hair back, and let out a husky groan as her copper-gold waves fell forward, haloing her face. Then he gently tucked her hair behind her ears with his deft fingers. She caught his one hand and kissed it gently.

He drew his breath in sharply. “Your ears. “ His remark startled Molly, and she quickly placed her hand up to feel her ears with her fingers. She smiled as she realized the enchantment that normally shielded them from human eyes had dropped away, since Collin had become her husband, fully realizing who and what she was.

“Yes, I know. I have faerie ears. When I was little, my mother used to tell me that they were a special gift given to me by my father. I never truly understood what she meant. The man that I believed to be my father until I was twelve years old was always distant and aloof with me.

When I discovered that Arthur was my father, I believed that it was a gift from him. But now, since I’ve discovered that my mother is faerie herself I realize that in all probability the trait was passed on to me from her. If it makes you uncomfortable…I can—” He silenced her with a kiss.

Then, Collin bent and kissed each point of her ear. “I am quite enchanted by them,” he murmured.

“If I hadn’t bound your powers…you, too, would have had Elvin ears. “ She waited on baited breath, and opened her eyes to study his reaction. He blinked, but no anger lit his eyes.

“I don’t blame you for doing what you thought was right at the time. In hindsight…I wish you hadn’t…but my love for you is strong enough to weather anything. “ She began breathing again at his declaration.

LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 145

She had never lain with a man like this before. She’d always had her hunting and her other duties as head of the High Order to perform. Coupled with that was the fact that a man had never captured her heart before. But ever since she had heard Collin’s voice on the mobile, she had known that she wanted and needed this warm-blooded man in her bed.

Sunlight spilled into the room, as Molly made their clothes magically disappear. She was too impatient to wait any longer. She’d waited fifteen hundred years for this moment, and though she was now back in her eighteen-year-old self, it didn’t matter one bit. She’d love Collin until her dying day, or his dying day, as it seemed more probable that he would die before she would.

He skimmed his hands over her body, and had she not known better she could have sworn that he had a magic touch. Her arousal was making it hard for her to think straight. When he slipped one finger inside of her, and then added another, she nearly writhed right off of the bed. Her own magic pulsed out from her, and lit the dying fire in the hearth. She struggled to control her rioting magic before she made anything explode. He pressed his lips to hers once again, and then lowered his mouth to her breasts. The fire inside of her was burning as brightly as the one in the giant fireplace.

“Molly, my heart is yours,” he murmured, as he joined their bodies. His penetration caught her unaware, and for one brief second she nearly cried out, but as the pain ebbed, she could only think of the glory of their lovemaking. She wanted him more than anything else in the world. He brought her to the brink of ecstasy, and then hurtled her right over the edge.

“My heart is yours as well. You are the light in my life,” she murmured, as he found his own release. She snuggled into his arms as they brought the bedclothes up to cover their bodies.

Entwined in each other’s arms, they fell asleep. But Molly’s sleep was not to be as peaceful as she would have liked.

“Molly. “

She whirled around at the familiar voice and saw Merlin standing, or rather leaning heavily on his wizard’s staff.

“Lord Merlin,” she gasped. She tried to move forward, her feet would not budge one inch. They were rooted to the spot for some reason. Had she been transported once more into the dreamscape?

“Watch what is to come, my dearest girl,” he murmured, leveling his piercing blue gaze upon her.

They stood on the cliffs that were a far distance away from Tintagel. Wild waves crashed upon the shore below, as gulls whined above them. Starlight glittered down upon them, and the slivers of light from the moon danced shadows around them.

“Whatever do you mean? Merlin, why haven’t you come back to us?” She balled her hands into fists.

“It is not time. “ His words gave her little comfort. Suddenly, she heard the sounds of battle as the peaceful scene before her eyes transformed dramatically.

Tintagel was being besieged. Hundreds upon hundreds of Lord Cardan’s minions were storming the castle. They looked like an evil horde sprung from the very depths of hell. Heavy rain fell around them, making the fighting conditions even more unbearable.

“What is this? Merlin, what have you done?” Her eyes roamed over the battle scene.

“No,” she muttered. She could see Collin in the fray of battle, and winced as he plunged his blade into a vampire.

LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 146

The vampire literally exploded and spewed dust all over Collin. For the first time, she noticed that Collin was still carrying Anwyn. And then she saw herself.

A band of vampires had surrounded her, and they were converging upon her. Collin was trying to fight his way to her, but he would not arrive in time. Excalibur sang in her hands, as pure magic pulsed out of her. Without a magical gesture of any kind, she had somehow managed to take down about fifty vampires without breaking a sweat.

She searched wildly for her Light Bearers and found them. Bile rose in her throat as she caught sight of something that caused her to fall to her knees, and cry out in anguish. Adria had been hit with three poisoned arrows. Blood gushed out of her wounds onto the wet and muddy ground. In one heart stopping second, Molly’s world completely crumbled around her. For as death came to claim Adria; fate came to steal Collin away from her. Nausea gripped her in its debilitating hold. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn’t even move to wipe them away. Fear paralyzed her.

Branden was caught between the two, and the fighting form of herself had gone into a berserker rage. She tore down Lord Cardan’s men as she made a path to where Collin was standing in absolute shock.

He reached out for her, and she raced to him, but didn’t quite reach him in time. Her fingers enclosed around thin air, as he disappeared altogether.

Her anguished cry mingled with Branden’s creating an Earthquake effect. Almost all of Lord Cardan’s minions were destroyed. And then raining down on them from the sky were about two-dozen black dragons. Fire engulfed Tintagel. Shrieks filled the air, and the stench of burning flesh added to the misery. Lord Cardan and Lady Gwynne rode the two dragons that were in the lead. Tintagel Castle and the peaceful kingdom of Camelot would soon be no more.

Molly turned away. She could not bear to watch anymore. They would most certainly be defeated. Camelot would fall beneath the darkness. And the entire timeline would be changed, for the worse.

“You must travel to the Snowdon Mountains in Wales. Once there, you must seek out Clan Rowan. They are the only ones that will be able to help our cause. Make sure that you tell them that their friend Merlin has sent you. Molly, I am trusting in you to convince them to join our cause. If they do not, our cause will be a lost one. “

Merlin walked backward as he stared tenderly at her. “You cannot leave me, not now!

Damn you, Merlin!” She shook her fist at him.

“If the course of the wind changes, I shall be there, by your side. “ He continued to walk further and further away from her.

“I do not know of this clan. Who are they, and how can they shift the tide of the battle? I don’t understand! I’m sick of this cloak and dagger stuff, Merlin. I want answers!” She fought against the ancient magic that was holding her to her spot, and reached her arms out toward Merlin.

“Then it is time to introduce yourself. Embrace the legacy of your ancient forefathers,”

he murmured, winking at her. With that, he vanished in a plume of white smoke. Desperation stole into her being. Pain pulsed against her temples.

She awoke with a start, and sat straight up in bed. By the position of the sun, she had only slept for a few hours. Fortunately for her she was half faerie, or she would not be able to survive the ordeal that lay before her. She shivered, and heard Collin mutter something in his sleep. She leaned down, and kissed his forehead. She would protect him.

LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 147

She had to go down to the council room, and study the scrolls that Merlin had given her.

She knew where the Snowdon Mountains were, but she needed to examine the scrolls before she marched blindly off.