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You must gather your newfound allies, and bring them here as quickly as you can. “ A familiar shout caught her attention. Her eyes fell on the ground surrounding Tintagel.

“Father…” She tried to move again. Swearing, she turned her attention back to Merlin.

“When did he…” She trailed off.

“Arthur found his way back to Tintagel shortly after you left. He was dying…it was only Avalbane’s magic that had kept him alive. Beatrice healed him, and hours later Tintagel was attacked. “ She glanced down to her side. Excalibur.

“He doesn’t have Excalibur…he’ll fall without Excalibur. “ Merlin eyed her knowingly.

“Excalibur is where it is meant to be…you must trust in that, Molly. But we are wasting time…you must return to the waking world. Remember…do not waste any time. Right now time is of the essence. “ Merlin raised his hand in farewell. With another bone shattering jolt she was back in her body. She looked up at the concerned faces that were clustered around her, peering down at her.

“Collin?”

“I’m right here. “ She stared up into his anxious gaze.

“Who caught me?”

“Fortunately, for you…the Pixie Dust broke your fall,” Lachlan muttered, wagging his finger at her. “You, lass, scared us half to death. “

“Sorry…next time I’ll make sure to tell Merlin that he can’t mess with my head any old time he pleases. “

“Merlin?” Branden’s voice boomed out.

“We need to get back to Tintagel. Redfaeme, we don’t have time for your feast. My people need me. “

“Of course…we will leave in the morning. “ Redfaeme cleared his throat and thumped his tail.

“No…you don’t understand! Tintagel needs us now! Lord Cardan has attacked in full force!”

“Seriously?” Collin asked. She nodded her head, and sat up.

“We have to leave, right now!” She accepted Collin’s arm and tried to focus her thoughts. “Please, Lord Redfaeme, if we do not leave right now, my world will burn. “

Puck stepped forward. “In another timeline the downfall of Camelot led to your clan’s total destruction. “ Redfaeme’s eyes glittered.

“Then we will leave, right now! Thaney, you and Lady Pendragon will ride me. “

“We came by ship,” Molly interjected.

“As soon as you entered my inner sanctum your ship returned to Avalon…it was called back for reasons unknown to me. The only way you will reach Tintagel in time is if you trust me. “ Molly bit her lip.

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“Molly, we have little choice in the matter…if we expect Clan Rowan to fight alongside us we must show them this little bit of good faith. “ Molly sighed. Again, Collin was right. He was on what seemed to be a winning streak.

“I thank you, Lord Redfaeme, but I would prefer to ride with my husband. “

Redfaeme inclined his head. “Not tonight, Lady Pendragon. You ride with me. Your lord husband may ride on Astrid, with your other Lady Knight there. “

She was readying herself for an all out dispute, when Collin squeezed her hand. “We can’t delay…we must be off right now. All will be fine, Molly. “

Molly stared up in his eyes. If everything would be fine, why did she have a mini fire burning in her chest? She clutched Collin’s hand for all that she was worth. Stepping so that their foreheads touched, she looked to the ground. “Just be careful…okay?”

“I seem to remember the night that I told you to be careful,” he murmured. When she looked up, she could see the wistful look in his eyes. “Best damn day of my life. “ She grinned, as her heart skipped a long beat. Placing her head against his chest she smiled. She had to wrap this moment up and put it away for safekeeping. Something kept gnawing at her…she almost felt as if she were living on borrowed time.

“We’ve come a long way since that first meeting, Remington,” she murmured. His eyes flashed.

“Oh, aye. Fifteen hundred years to be exact. But then, I’d walk to the ends of the Earth for you. But even though you’re telling me to be careful, I want you take care of yourself as well…you are the most important person in my life. “

Shaking her head, she met Collin’s fervent gaze. “I’ll be careful…if you promise to be as well. “ Collin smiled.

“We will make a pact then. Both of us will look back upon this moment with gladness in our hearts. “ Oh, boy, did she hope what he said would come true. They kissed quickly, and then parted reluctantly.

“All set, then?” Lachlan asked.

“I’m about as ready as I’m ever going to be,” Molly murmured. She looked around at her group of brave warriors. Somehow they had all mounted a dragon’s back. Molly sat beside Thaney. Thaney exchanged a worried gaze with her.

“I have the strangest feeling in my heart,” Thaney murmured. Molly nodded her head.

“I feel the same way too. Thaney, promise me that you will watch out for danger. “

“I’ll be fine, Molly. “ Thaney broke their locked gaze.

“Lady Pendragon, we are ready. “ Redfaeme’s voice sunk into her head. She glanced around at the assembled dragon clan.

“If you are ready, then so are we. To Camelot!” She cried.

“To Camelot!” Everyone echoed.

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As they rode to Camelot, Molly reflected upon her life. She had no regrets, only that she hadn’t met Collin earlier. The sound of dragon wings flapping had begun to soothe her. The sky had become dappled with glowing stars. The dragons of Clan Rowan could move faster than she had ever imagined. Soon, they would be at Tintagel.

She rested her hand on the hilt of Excalibur. Electricity surged through her at the slight touch. Looking to the side, she met Collin’s gaze. He didn’t even seem affected in the slightest that they were riding dragons. How would this night turn out? Try as she might, she could not summon the seer magic that flowed through her veins. The path ahead of her looked darkened.

What did that mean?

“Lachlan, what are you doing?” Adria’s voice broke through her deep reverie. Molly searched the sky for the dragon carrying her leprechaun friend. “What is that you’re eating?”

Lachlan gave her a gleeful grin. “It’s a corned beef sandwich, slathered with mustard. “

“Corned beef sandwich?” Adria formed her words carefully. Molly groaned.

“Lachlan, why did you have to summon something from the future?” she asked, closing her eyes against the sudden urge to laugh.

“I can’t go into battle with an empty stomach…what if I was sneaking up on an enemy and my stomach let out a loud grumble? Why, think of it…that would give me away. We can’t have that, can we?”

“Lachlan, sometimes…” She broke off. Her heart surged with hope. As long as life could carry on even in the face of the danger, then good could flourish in the world. She looked heavenward and muttered a silent prayer of thanks.

“You were saying, Molly?” Lachlan called out.

“Never change, Lachlan. Never change. “

“Wasn’t about to, Molly…but thanks for the vote of confidence. “ He winked at her, and began creating mini rainbows in the air.

‘If you really care about Morganna, Lachlan, then you need to make a move for her. ’

At her telepathic words, Lachlan jumped in his spot. The dragon he was riding let out an indignant snort.

“How did you?” he asked, leveling his gaze on her. Everyone else looked over at them in confusion.

“Never mind, Lachlan. Just heed my words. “ Lachlan sighed.

Camelot loomed before them. Using her faerie eyesight she focused in on the battle.

Black Dragons swarmed the skies above Tintagel reigning fire down upon the ground. Her Lady Knights and her father’s Knights were fighting for their very existence. Lancelot had fully recovered, and he was fighting back to back with Galahad. Morganna and Millicent were a few feet away, shielding her father’s knights with their magic.

Then, her eyes honed in on one lone figure standing by Agravaine. The bastard. She was going to rip him a new one.

“Wait for it,” Branden called out, obviously guessing her intent. She tossed him an irritated glare.

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“I know what I’m doing,” she shot back.

“Of course you do…but humor me in this,” Branded retorted, sounding remarkably like Collin. She pursed her lips. She’d trust his advice for her feelings of foreboding were slowly strangling the hope out of her.

“Redfaeme, is there any way that you could get me close to that man, that’s standing near the woman in that lilac-colored dress?”

“I can try…hang tight, Lady Pendragon…Thaney, you should hold on as well. “ Molly looked to Thaney. Stars glittered in her eyes.

“Thaney, what are you doing?”

“She’s transforming…I can feel it,” Redfaeme murmured.

“Thaney…I thought I asked you to be careful?” Molly murmured.

“I will watch your back, Molly,” she answered. In one blinding flash she had morphed into the White Dragon. Molly stood up, and steadied herself against the rushing wind.

“That’s it, Redfaeme, just a little further. “ He swooped to avoid a Black Dragon’s ball of fire. She nearly lost her balance but with her steadfast determination she fought it. Then, she moved to the edge of Redfaeme’s back.

“Wish me luck,” she called out. Closing her eyes, she drew Excalibur and felt it hum in her hands. Holding her breath, she jumped. The rushing air flowed around her. She had to dart around several Black Dragons. Water Faeries flew around the battlefield, dousing the flames with their magic. But her eyes were fixed on only two targets. Agravaine and Elyzabel. They were both traitors. That had to be how Lord Cardan gained access to Tintagel so easily.

A flicker of black hair gained her attention. If she hadn’t known better she would have thought the man was Arthur…but she knew that sneer all too well. Mordred. So, they’d all come for the party. How nice.

She landed right where she’d aimed. Swinging Excalibur in a wide arc, she met Agravaine’s blade.

“I don’t want to kill you,” Agravaine shouted over the din of battle. “If you come quietly I can hand you over to Mordred. That was my agreement with Lord Cardan. “ She laughed.

“Me, come quietly? Oh, you have got to be kidding me!” she yelled. “And just so you know, Agravaine, I can match you blow for blow…actually, I think I’m probably better than you. I was trained by Merlin and Arthur after all. “ Agravaine let out a grunt as Excalibur connected again with his sword. “Did you feel that? It’s called the after effects of hard lightening. You aren’t just facing off with any warrior, you are facing off with me, and I’m armed with Excalibur!”

With her next strike, she had brought him to his knees. She watched Elyzabel closely out of the corner of her eye. Elyzabel was trying to get away. She raised one eyebrow. A thin sheet of ice curled up around Elyzabel. She shrieked in horror and raised her hands to cover her face.

Rarely, did Molly show her full potential as a witch…until she was thrust into the heat of battle, then everyone saw what she was capable of.

“Kill me, now!” Agravaine stared resolutely up at her, even though his eyes flickered with fear.

She heard her father’s bellow of outrage. He had been cornered. Without Excalibur he’d be fighting a losing battle…even though he still had Excalibur’s scabbard, she had to do something. Mordred’s black crown bobbed in amongst the men that were ganging up on Arthur.

The battle was not going well. Lachlan’s leprechauns were falling left, right and center. Her LADY PENDRAGON MARLEY MATHEWS 178

heart stung. Her eyes roved to Collin. He was fighting with Adria and Branden. Relief filled her heart. At least Collin remained safe. Branden would safeguard him at all costs.

Excalibur sang in midair above Agravaine’s head. The image of Morgause’s face entered her mind’s eye. Molly looked up, and met Morgause’s terrified visage. Could she kill Agravaine while his mother looked on? Even she didn’t have the stomach for that.

Turning away, she held Excalibur aloft and ran for Arthur. Her ears perked. She could hear something whizzing toward her. She whirled around just in time to see Agravaine’s dagger flying straight for her heart. Her eyes widened. By the strained look on Agravaine’s face he was controlling it using some form of magic.

Dark magic. Her stomach rolled. In the blink of an eye, Morgause landed in front of Molly. Morgause tossed her an anxious gaze.

“Help your father…I will deal with my son. It’s high time anyway…I let him get away with bloody murder when he was a child, and now he’s turned into a backstabbing monster!”

Molly hesitated. Morgause deflected the dagger with a lazy flick of her wrist. “Go,” she urged, planting her feet and readying herself for the battle of her lifetime.

That was all the encouragement that Molly needed. She flew toward her father, and took down most of the men that surrounded him. The sound of beautiful music filled the air. She looked toward the Lake, and hope surged in her heart when she saw a small legion of warrior Elves and Faeries being led by her mother. The cavalry had arrived. Merlin rode alongside Mildred. Obviously, he was here to do battle with Lord Cardan…and this time Merlin had to emerge victorious.

She arrived slightly short of breath, at her Father’s side. Her mouth grew dry when she noticed Avalbane. Her familiar had retrieved the Avalon Diaries. Fear stole her breath away when she noticed one missing. Despair clawed at her being. She locked gazes with her father.

He looked confused, and she couldn’t blame him. In the next instant, an unbearable calm passed over her. She knew what she had to do. This was the day that her destiny had always waited for…this was her own day of reckoning.

She could see what Mordred was about to do, even though her father seemed blind to it.

Rushing toward Arthur, she pushed him to the ground, and felt Mordred’s Dark Rider’s blade plunge into her side. She smiled.