Claiming Excalibur

Cover

Title Page

Claiming Excalibur

Book Two of the Legendary Saga

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LH Nicole

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Omnific Publishing

Los Angeles

Copyright Information

Claiming Excalibur, Copyright © 2014 by LH Nicole

All Rights Reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the publisher.

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Omnific Publishing

1901 Avenue of the Stars, 2nd Floor

Los Angeles, California 90067

www.omnificpublishing.com

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First Omnific eBook edition, December 2014

First Omnific trade paperback edition, December 2014

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The characters and events in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

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Library of Congress Cataloguing-in-Publication Data

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Nicole, LH.

Claiming Excalibur / LH Nicole – 1st ed

ISBN: 978-1-623421-54-0

1. Fantasy—Fiction. 2. Fantasy—Arthurian. 3. Young Adult—Fiction. 4. Romance—Fiction. I. Title

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Cover Design by Micha Stone and Amy Brokaw

Interior Book Design by Coreen Montagna

Dedication

For my parents, family, Lady Knights of my Round Table,

and everyone who has supported me.

And for every reader who loves a good tale

of bravery, loyalty, and love.

Prologue

DEEP IN AN UNDERGROUND CAVERN on the Isle of the Blessed, Queen Titania stood surrounded by glittering crystals of every size and shape. Her green eyes flicked from crystal to crystal, watching scenes from the recent past. She saw a young, brown-haired human girl cautiously making her way down a dark stairwell, drawn by a power she didn’t yet understand. The Fae queen’s attention was so focused on the images in the crystals that she didn’t bother to spare a sideways glance when she sensed the arrival of another presence in her private viewing chamber. Puck, the half-Imp, half-Fae trickster, moved silently through the air as he wove his way around the maze of crystal pillars.

What are you doing here, Puck? Should you not be off doing your master’s bidding? Titania said as she continued to watch the changing images before her.

You mean my mistress’s bidding, don’t you? His high-pitched voice echoed around the cavern, causing his long, pointed ears to twitch. "I am truly yours, after all." At the queen’s behest, he played the part of a loyal servant to Oberon, king of Avalon and lord husband of Titania.

She allowed the orange-skinned half-breed a glance and a perfectly arched brow. So you say. Her tone was haughty as she looked to another crystal. This one showed the human girl taking up a warrior’s sword to free the noble Sir Galahad from the stone prison he’d been trapped in for centuries.

Still hovering off the ground, Puck peeked around Titania’s long, copper ringlets to look over her shoulder at the image. Let’s see if I have everything straight. Your Destined One, this human teen Aliana, found a magical flower that awakened hidden powers within her. She passed your three tests of courage, wit, and faith, and then she woke King Arthur and reunited the Knights of the Round Table, reborn as most of them were. Puck flipped upside down, his hands clasped together, his white-blond hair dangling.

Most beings, even Oberon, would have rolled their eyes at this point, but Titania rarely let her poker face, as the humans called it, slip in front of anyone. Certainly not in front of one who may yet prove traitor. When the image of Aliana wavered, Titania turned to face another crystal as it grew out of the earth like a tree trying to reach the cavern’s crown.

Puck’s large, molten silver eyes focused on the new vision of Aliana. The girl was trapped in Sir Galahad’s powerful arms. In the knight’s confusion, he’d mistaken her for an enemy and tried to subdue her. Not the best first impression, that’s for sure, Puck scoffed.

Titania stared at him with an unamused look. His Imp features were more dominant than those influenced by his Fae heritage. He had a sharp, diamond-shaped face, and a long, beak-like nose. He wore the typical human clothing of jeans and a striped shirt. You have spent too much time among the humans, Puck.

He waved the queen off, zooming to her other side and sitting cross-legged in the air like a genie. They’re so entertaining, especially the Americans.

Titania turned sharply to the left and watched the Destined One breathe the essence of life into the sleeping king’s body. As Aliana’s lips settled against the handsome king’s, tiny, nearly invisible golden threads wove around the pair, originating from wherever they touched. Titania watched it all happen with a pleased smile.

At Puck’s faint growl of impatience, Titania’s cunning smile widened. He spun in the air, calling images forth in all the crystals. In his best Shakespearian narrator’s voice, he said, The brave Aliana then led her heroes back to the mortal realm. They fought and they danced and they kissed.

The Fae queen frowned when she watched Galahad hold Aliana close and kiss her passionately. With a quick, hard flick of her hand, she banished that image to watch another of Aliana’s magical and fighting skills growing quickly under Merlin’s tutelage.

Puck flipped upside down again. I have to admit, I didn’t think Aliana’s friend, the blonde, would survive Morgana. Maybe the witch has gone soft over the last century.

Everything’s going as planned. Titania glanced at Puck out of the corner of her eye. Even the blonde has a part to play in this story.

Puck zoomed in front of the queen, a curious smile on his face. Do tell, your Majesty.

Shooing the half-breed away, Titania continued. I’m pleased that the Destined One has such strong connections to the elements. They enhance her powers. And I’m even happier Aliana thought to use Mordrid’s own dark magic to defeat him. A wicked smile lit the queen’s cold eyes at the image of Mordrid and Morgana fleeing the battlefield in a blaze of icy fire.

Can you see what Mordrid and his prissy cousin Morgana have planned for the future? Puck finally touched his feet to the ground.

No. They’re shielding their fortress as well as their plans from my view…for now. But neither of them is clever enough to outthink me. Titania arched her brow at Puck as if challenging him to disagree. I know their goal is to take ultimate power. I just need to discover the smaller details of their plan and figure out their hidden agenda regarding my Destined One.

Speaking of the Destined One, is she all you hoped she would be?

She is and much more. Titania frowned as another vision caught her attention: Aliana and Galahad stood alone in the moonlight, holding each other in a lovers’ embrace. The barest hint of a silver light sparked between them. "This infatuation with Sir Galahad, however, could prove problematic if allowed to fester for too long." With a wave of her hand, as if the very image offended her, Titania banished the scene.

Well then, Puck said with a sudden jolliness, "I have a certain Gargoyle to find. Our king seems to have developed an interest in the location of the Grail of Power."

The queen’s face hardened. Why would Oberon take an interest in a relic of man? See that its location is known to me first, Puck.

Puck swept his arm wide and bowed almost mockingly to the Fae queen as he disappeared from the cavern.

Prophecy of the Destined One

Before the darkest hour strikes, the Destined One shall come forth.

Avalon’s lost daughter must thrice and alone prove her worth,

Then can she fully possess the power to awaken the king.

It shall become her destiny to reunite the Round Table,

Unearth and reclaim their lost relics,

Become the key to undoing the evil Mordrid has wrought.

Only with her can the once and future king prevail.

1

If I hadn’t seen the pictures Aliana sent and spent an hour and a half on the phone grilling Lacy, I wouldn’t believe it. Magic, knights, Merlin, evil, Dragons—King Arthur, for goodness’ sake! And apparently my best friend is in the center of it all. This is just so freaking unreal. But the three of us—me, Lacy, and Lia—have always dreamed of being tied up in our own great adventure. Looks like we’re getting our wish.

~Dawn

KING ARTHUR’S GAZE WANDERED the confined space, settling on Galahad stretched out on long cushions with Aliana tucked to his side. The dark haired knight’s eyes were closed, but King Arthur knew that, like him, he wouldn’t sleep. Not while they were on this metal bird that carried them to an unknown land across the sea—to Aliana Fagan’s home, Charleston, in a land called the United States of America.

It had been late when the pale, emerald-eyed girl had come barreling into the study, her hair tousled from sleep, her nightclothes rumpled. She’d had a look of excitement on her face, but Arthur had also seen the hint of anguish in her eyes. He knew how to read her every move and look. Since she’d first awoken him from his enchanted sleep—only weeks ago—he’d spent many hours studying and befriending his…their Destined One.

I know how to find Excalibur! she’d said with barely contained excitement. Finding the famous sword was the next step in fulfilling the prophecy surrounding the Destined One: unearth and reclaim their lost relics.

How? Merlin had questioned.

I dreamed about my papa. He was a major Arthurian scholar, remember? He had a book with the Pendragon crest on the spine—exactly like Arthur’s crest! Something in my dream told me it’s in this book that we’ll find a clue to lead us to Excalibur.

Where is this book now? Lancelot had asked, rising from his seat between Merlin and Leo.

Arthur had noticed her eyes dim then—only a little, but it was enough to tell him she was nervous.

It’s got to be with my dad’s old books. She’d sighed. We need to go to my home, to Charleston. The book will either be in his office at my house or with his things at the university where he taught.

It had taken almost a week for everyone to fully recover from their last battle with Mordrid, and during that time Merlin had arranged all the details, including having his private plane made ready. Arthur and Galahad had both been apprehensive when Merlin had explained the concept of flying. Arthur had hid his unease better than Galahad, but that didn’t mean the king hadn’t been anxious. Not that he would ever admit that out loud. Thankfully, Aliana, Lacy, and Wade had talked both him and Galahad through their departure, but Arthur knew one thing for certain: he never wanted to fly on this contraption again.

His attention moved to Merlin and Lancelot, both talking in hushed tones as they examined several maps and scattered papers. Those two never stopped, and that worried the king. They seemed determined to handle every aspect of this quest themselves. Both Merlin and Lancelot had vowed to watch over their king while he’d lain trapped in his enchanted sleep in Avalon, yet each of them had broken his promise and returned to the mortal realm. Arthur had told both men that he understood why they’d left and that he forgave them, but neither man seemed to take any solace in it.

The vows had been made in a pact with Queen Titania, and she wasn’t as forgiving as Arthur. Merlin had been banished forever from her realms—Avalon and the Isle of the Blessed—and Lancelot had been doomed to be reborn over and over again. His memories of each life returned to him in unforgettable and sometimes torturous detail. Arthur feared that the long centuries they’d lived with Titania’s punishments had left thick clouds of guilt and self-loathing to fester in their hearts. He hoped completing this quest would help them really live again.

He moved his gaze to Percy and Aliana’s blond friend, Lacy. Those two had struck up a romance almost immediately after Aliana had introduced them. Now they curled next to each other in their seats, a blanket covering both of them as they slept. Meanwhile, Owen and Leo slumped in their seats, heads on pillows, arms folded as they too slept. The two of them had reformed their close bond of friendship after Leo’s return, and Arthur was glad for it. They were a formidable pair in intelligence and in battle—just as they had been in Camelot. Wade sat next to Arthur on the short couch, his legs kicked out, his arm and pillow tucked behind his head.

Percy, Owen, Leo, and Wade were perfectly comfortable in the modern world with all its inventions. They had died in the final battle with Mordrid before the others had brought a mortally wounded Arthur to Avalon to be saved. The king thought he’d lost his brother knights forever, but like Lancelot, they’d been reborn in this century. Unlike Lancelot, they had no memories of their previous lives and were able to live each one anew—until a few weeks ago when Merlin had restored their memories of Camelot.

The final member of their group was curled across the top of Aliana’s headrest. Daggerhorne was a small, marbled-silver Dragon. He’d been created to protect the Destined One. Arthur was happy to see how devoted the small creature was to his purpose and knew that he was not only Aliana’s protector but had also become her confidante and friend.

During the past week, Owen, Leo, Wade, and Lancelot had returned briefly to London. Over his many lives, Lancelot had gathered several maps on which he’d detected a magical pattern. Tracking magic was a gift he seemed to have acquired during his punishment. This ability had helped him to track Morgana’s magic at least four times, and he hoped the maps would be helpful now. Owen and Leo had volunteered to go with him to search for other items in his collection that might aid them in their new quest to find Excalibur.

Aliana had wanted to go with the knights so she could check her flat in the city for the book with the Pendragon crest. Everyone had immediately rejected the idea. She was still weak from using her magic to save them all, and she was a clear target for the evil duo of Mordrid and Morgana. Merlin had provided the most effective reason for her to stay—he’d promised to train her to use her magic for healing so she could speed Lacy’s recovery from the broken shoulder and arm she’d suffered at Mordrid’s hands. If there was one thing they could count on, it was Aliana’s penchant for putting her friends first.

Wade had gone to London in her stead. Unfortunately, the search of her home had yielded nothing, but the maps and files brought back from Lancelot’s were a treasure trove. And, though it was no surprise to Arthur, Aliana turned out to have quite a gift for healing. After only two days, Lacy had been completely healed, and the group was able to set out on the next leg of their quest.

After fifteen hundred years, Arthur finally had his inner circle—The Knights of the Round Table—back by his side, with three new, surprisingly amazing additions, and at least one more still to come. Aliana had pulled Arthur and Galahad aide and told them that as soon as they arrived in her homeland, she’d bring her other best friend, Dawn Anson, into their secret world.

I can’t lie to her, Aliana had insisted when Galahad and Arthur pointed out how dangerous it could be for her friend. She’ll never buy that I just up and found half a dozen new friends—not to mention a Dragon—and decided to bring them all home. I’m not saying she should be involved in the battles… Galahad’s face had pinched tight, and Arthur had frowned. "But she needs to know so she can be prepared. She’ll be a sitting duck for Mordrid and Morgana if we keep her in the dark!"

Clearly Aliana wasn’t going to be denied, and she was right about the danger of keeping her friend ignorant of their plight. Arthur had agreed to let the newcomer be brought into the fold and even agreed to not tell the others until after they’d arrived in the States, as Lancelot referred to the foreign country.

Arthur’s eyes wandered back to Aliana and Galahad. The knight’s arm was circled around Aliana’s tall frame, her head resting on his chest. His thumb stroked back and forth on her bare arm, his other hand clasping hers.

Longing filled Arthur’s chest. He wanted to hold Aliana like that—or if not her, then the ghost woman who still haunted his dreams. Arthur looked away from the pair, annoyed by his envy. Galahad had always been his most loyal knight, a trusted friend and brother. Galahad had denied himself the chance to find a woman to love, unlike the others. He had always put his duty to Camelot and his king first.

But Arthur also knew Galahad better than most. He had long suspected Galahad’s reluctance to take a bride was caused by more than just his sense of duty. Galahad had lost his family when he was very young. Thieves had murdered them before his eyes. Because of that, Galahad was fearful of losing any more people he cared about.

Sire.

Arthur’s head snapped over to Wade as the American knight stretched.

I thought you were asleep. Arthur kept his voice low.

Wade shrugged his wide shoulders. I don’t normally sleep very long on planes. Wade’s faint Southern accent was slightly more pronounced in his waking state.

Arthur nodded, his eyes involuntarily returning to Aliana. Her face scrunched up as if she was in pain. Whatever she was seeing wasn’t good. Seconds later her face relaxed and she burrowed closer to Galahad. Arthur looked away, trying to fight down his jealousy.

How are you handling all this? Wade asked softly.

My mortal enemy is trying to destroy everything I hold dear and conquer the seven realms with an unfathomable power we know almost nothing about. Arthur sighed in frustration. "I don’t have Excalibur and we’re still missing the Grail of Power with no idea of its location. And we are following a prophecy that none of us fully understand. I’m doing as well as can be expected under these circumstances."

Wade paused before replying. That’s good. But that’s not what I meant. He flicked his hazel eyes back to the couple.

Arthur’s gaze followed, his golden eyes softening for an instant before he closed them, trying to push away the image of himself holding Aliana the way Galahad was. Being denied what he wanted most was something Arthur was accustomed to. Just like he’d done for Lancelot and Guinevere, he would step aside so his friend could find happiness.

Aliana’s blind when it comes to the way people feel about her, Wade explained, his voice a whisper. I doubt she even knew Galahad had feelings for her until he made his move.

As long as she chooses to be his… Arthur looked Wade in the eyes, making a vow. I will keep my feelings for Aliana to myself. So long as she stands by his side I will be nothing more than a friend to her.

Wade nodded with a sadness Arthur wasn’t accustomed to seeing in the typically carefree knight.

Arthur, Merlin whispered, catching the king’s attention. Lancelot motioned for Arthur and Wade to join them up front. Rising, the two men walked forward and took the empty seats across from the dark-haired knight and the blue-eyed Druid.

What have you two found regarding the possible location of the Grail? Arthur asked.

According to Galahad, a small Gargoyle stole it from him before the Sidhe caught him, Lancelot said.

The description of the Gargoyle sounded like it could be a guardian from either Atlantis or Olympus. Merlin rubbed a hand across the light stubble on his cheeks. Both realms have similar creatures. I’ve gotten in contact with several allies in Olympus to see what they can find out for us, but I have no contacts within the Atlantian tribes.

Explain this whole realms thing to me again, Wade said. Although Merlin had restored Wade’s, Owen’s, Percy’s, and Leo’s memories of their lives in Camelot, it seemed certain details were still hazy.

Atlantis and Olympus are two of the seven realms that make up our planet, Merlin said. All the realms exist on this planet but in separate spaces, or dimensions, as many have called them. Centuries ago all the realms had bridges allowing people to travel between them.

That’s why our world has so many stories about these realms, Lancelot cut in.

Yes, Merlin said, taking over again. But one by one the realms started to separate themselves from each other. Greed and lust for power overtook several of the rulers, and wars broke out with rulers trying to take over other realms. The tribes of Atlantis were the first to seal their entries after a DragonLord of Tir Na Nog caused the violent eruption of a volcano in Pompeii, the city outside Atlantis’s main gates. Within a hundred years, all the realms had sealed their gates. Now only those with magic or a tie to other realms can enter them.

Will you be able to get us into these different realms? Wade asked.

Not all of them. Merlin sighed, shaking his head. My connection to Avalon has not reawakened. I fear Titania’s banishment still stands for me. That also means the Isle of the Blessed will be closed to me as that is her ruling domain.

Wait, I thought she ruled Avalon. Wade’s brow furrowed.

No, she married King Oberon centuries ago to form an alliance between the two realms. Her people can move through his lands and his through hers. But Oberon alone rules Avalon, just as Titania holds all power on the Isle. Merlin’s frown deepened as he shared a heavy look with Lancelot.

If the two of you cannot join us, we will have to ensure Aliana is properly trained to locate and open the portals into those realms, Arthur said. His eyes skimmed the hand drawn maps of Avalon and Atlantis and other random papers, several of which had come from Lancelot’s stash. Much of the writing was in foreign languages Arthur couldn’t read, but he recognized a few, including the Fae script that covered a small piece of paper sticking out from beneath a scroll.

There’s something else that worries me, sire, Merlin said, a slight hesitation in his voice. He glanced behind Arthur and Wade toward Aliana. When I approached Allen, Aliana’s father, all those years ago, it wasn’t because he was a renowned Arthurian scholar. I had reason to believe Morgana may have somehow been influencing him.

What? Wade hissed through clenched lips.

Whether she was leading him to or away from the truth, I’m not certain, but I’m convinced she suspected, even back then, that Aliana was the Destined One.

Arthur’s brows shot up in surprised worry. Wade looked back at Aliana as if to assure himself that she was still there.

If that’s so— Arthur pushed down the bile in his throat "—why didn’t she try to…stop Aliana when she was a child?"

The dark thought spoken aloud was met by a silent pause.

I don’t know, Merlin finally said, his steepled fingers tapping his chin. She may have only suspected who she was, as I did when I first met Aliana. Merlin sat back in his chair. But I cannot say for certain that she didn’t make any attempts on her life.

Anger boiled in Arthur’s blood as he remembered the story Aliana had told about getting trapped in Mordrid’s prison chamber when she was only a child. Could Morgana have arranged that? A darker thought stole into his mind. Aliana hadn’t yet told him how her parents had died, but from what little he’d gathered, it hadn’t been a natural death. Was it possible Morgana had been involved?

Wade’s next question to Merlin pulled Arthur away from his troubling thoughts. Did you ever find out if Morgana was interfering with Allen’s work?

Not definitively, no. Merlin again tapped his fingers on his chin—it was the same tell he’d had back in Camelot when he was anxious about something.

We’ll need to be cautious when we arrive in Charleston, Lancelot said. If she was influencing him, whatever she was using to do it may still be in play. He fixed a hard look on Wade. I know Aliana and Lacy want to bring their friend into our circle, but I must protest again.

Lancelot, Wade growled in warning. Dawn is trustworthy. Lacy, Lia, Dawn, and I have been friends since before we could run. She’s family.

Merlin and Lancelot exchanged guarded looks of frustration.

Aliana has already told her friend some of what’s happening, Arthur said. He continued before they could voice their protest, his flint-hard gaze moving over the pair. She did so with my blessing. Keeping Lacy ignorant didn’t keep her out of Morgana’s path in England. If she has been spying on Aliana and her family, then she knows how important Dawn is to her. By bringing Dawn into our fold we have a better chance of protecting her from any scheme Mordrid and Morgana may have in mind to use her against us.

Lancelot looked down at the papers on the small table between them. Merlin met Arthur’s gaze then nodded his acquiescence.

"What’s with all the hushed conversations and cheerful faces?" Owen’s words slurred as he leaned around his seat, still looking half asleep.

Just planning what our next moves should be, Merlin answered, straightening the scattered maps and papers.

The intercom from the pilot’s cabin clicked on. Excuse me, Mr. Wylit. We’ll approach the airstrip in about twenty minutes. Everyone will need to take their seats and buckle in.

With a yawn, Owen rose from his seat. I’ll wake the happy couples, he mumbled. Stepping across the aisle, he lightly smacked Percy’s blond head, jolting the tall knight awake.

What the… Percy glared at Owen who was grinning like a fool as he repeated the process with Leo.

Arthur smiled ruefully at the promise of payback in both Percy’s and Leo’s eyes.

Don’t even think about it, Arthur heard Galahad grumble. Arthur knew Owen was smarter than to try the same wakeup technique with Galahad.

2

I could never have imagined this would be my life. It’s been over two weeks since I found Aliana in that hedge maze at Morgana’s mercy. In the last week, things have changed again. The visit to Lancelot’s storage locker was confounding. The weapons and artifacts I had expected. It was the sheer number of maps and files that threw me. I can’t fathom why he has so many, but Owen and I agree there may be valuable information within them that Lancelot either doesn’t know of or is purposely not telling us about. All of us are under an incredible amount of stress, but Lancelot worries me most. I fear our mate may be the closest of us all to breaking.

~Leo

ALIANA WAS STILL TRYING to calm her fluttering pulse fifteen minutes after Galahad had woken her with a gentle shake and a tantalizing kiss. The second she’d first touched him, right after freeing him in Avalon, a band had formed around her heart, causing some sort of connection between them that went beyond their natural attraction to each other.

Everyone was back in their seats, buckled in for landing. Aliana hid her smile when the plane tilted and Galahad’s hand involuntarily tightened on hers. She glanced at Arthur, surprised to see his calm expression. He seemed to be handling his first plane ride very well. Then she noticed his white knuckles as his fingers clutched the armrest.

She looked out the window at the marshland, strips of beaches, rows of houses, and the outline of downtown Charleston. Galahad stared in awe when an old battleship in the harbor came into view. She’d have to take him to see it when they had a chance. Owen had never been to the States, neither had Leo nor Lancelot, and she wanted to show all of them the beauty of her historic hometown.

The plane touched down on the tarmac with barely a bump, but Galahad’s jaw clenched tight. He breathed a small, relieved sigh when the plane taxied into a small hangar near the end of the private airstrip. It was funny—Aliana had lived here all of her life, but had never known this little strip existed.

Unfastening her seatbelt, she sent a quick text to Dawn to make sure her friend had found the hangar all right. As soon as Aliana, Lacy, and Dawn had gotten their driver’s licenses, the three girls had made a tradition of meeting each other whenever one of them returned from a trip. The drive home usually consisted of giggling, gossip, and blasting whatever music they were into at the moment.

Let me talk to Dawn first before you just pop up, Dagg, Aliana reminded her Dragon guardian as everyone stood and stretched. Dawn always had an open mind, but a Dragon, no matter how small, would be too much