Page 55 of To Break a Dark Cage

“I couldn’t honestly tell you. I’ve never met her.”

“She seemed nice, the few times I met her, but…I don’t know.” She sighed. “I don’t know who to trust.” Even Mordred. There was no telling what he’d do when he found out about Gwen’s newfound witch-ness.

“Well, first, you can trust me.” Bert patted her on the back. “You’re going to save us all, so I’m here to help you.”

“Right. Sure.” She smirked. “Ever consider I might not be able to save Avalon?”

“Well, if you can’t, we’re all screwed—so. I have nobody better lined up.”

Gwen glared at him.

He laughed. “Oh come on, I’m teasing.”

Grumbling to herself, she stared back at the road ahead of them.

“I have faith in you. Even if you don’t have faith in yourself. And that counts for something, doesn’t it? And why’re you asking about the Gossamer Lady, anyway?”

“I think she’s going to have a big part to play in all of this, and I just…don’t know her well enough to figure out if I can trust her or not.”

“Then I would assume you can’t.”

“I think that’s how Mordred wound up the way he is.” She straightened up and stretched. They had been riding in the cart nonstop for at least a day, and she was starting to get a little antsy. “Never being willing to trust anybody.”

“For someone his age, and with all he’s been through, I can’t say I blame him.” Bert shook his rusted pumpkin head. “Not that I agree with anything he does because of it. I can understand him, but that doesn’t mean I have to like him.”

Gwen smiled. “That’s fair. I can’t say he hasn’t earned his mistrust of people. I certainly haven’t been helping him. I’ve betrayed his trust twice so far. Soon to be three times.” She ran her hands through her hair, cringing at the thought of what Mordred was going to say to her when he saw her again. “I don’t know why he hasn’t just stabbed me yet.”

“Because he loves you.”

“How—” She blinked. “How do you know that?”

The scarecrow snorted. “I wasn’t born yesterday. It’s obvious. You got him to shatter the Crystal and yet you’re still running around with your head attached to your shoulders? A man like him only does that for one reason.”

Gwen’s shoulders fell. “I guess I’m the only idiot who didn’t notice.”

“It’s hard to see when you’re in the middle of it. And once you’ve been around a few hundred years, you’ll get the hang of it.”

“A few hundred years.” She stared down at her hands. “I can’t even comprehend living that long.”

“Well, you better start. Don’t go doing anything stupid, though—just because you don’t age, doesn’t mean you can’t die. Lancelot proved that point well enough.”

She shut her eyes. “Poor Lancelot…”

“No, no ‘poor Lancelot.’ That moron got exactly what was coming to him. He decided he wanted to make some idiotic noble last stand—but he was only out for revenge. When hate consumes a person, there’s only one way it ends. In a grave.”

“Like Grinn and Mordred.”

“Grinn’s doomed, as far as I can tell.” Bert let out a sigh and wrapped his straw-stuffed arm around her shoulders in a hug. “But Mordred has more in his heart than hatred. I wouldn’t give up on him so soon.”

“Would you be able to forgive him for what he’s done? Would anybody? I don’t see how the people of Avalon would just…let him live peacefully after this.” Wiping her eyes, she sniffled. She really hated how much she’d been crying lately.

“We villagers just want to live our lives and be left alone, without fear of rampaging power-mad elementals and their foolish wars. We want a chance to be free and happy. If that means he lurks in his keep somewhere, or takes up farming, we don’t care. We just want him to stop.”

“I think he would. I think he wants the same thing. Peace.”

“Then it’s the others I’m more concerned about, not him. Besides, I have a woman on the inside now—you’re our secret weapon.”

She chuckled at that. She certainly didn’t feel like a secret weapon. “Thanks, Bert. For everything.”

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