Page 25 of Kings and Monsters

"Not all of the ancient ones could easily be convinced." Merlin's golden eyes glittered over his cup. "I think one might. It's going to be dangerous to try to meet with him. It'll take Arthur and me time to get to him?—"

"You and Arthur! What about me?" Rosa was done being left behind, especially if this ally could help her get Balthasar back. If she sat around and waited, she would drive herself mad from grief and worry.

"I need you to stay here and look after Bleddyn," Merlin said. "He needs you."

"No, he doesn't. He has the Unseelie to keep him busy, and there's no way that Eirianwen won't protect him. Not that he needs it."

Merlin snorted with disbelief. "He needs protection fromher. I've never seen Bleddyn so careful around a woman. He's still not sure if she's going to stab him in his sleep or not."

"All depends if he deserves it. They just need to have it out, clear the air, and they'll be fine. They are both too stubborn and polite to actually do it. Eirianwen will die to protect him. I know that much." Rosa crossed her boots in front of her. "I also know you aren't going anywhere without me, Merlin. If Balthasar is dead, I have nothing left but my revenge. You aren't going to lock me away and keep me from it."

"If I wanted to keep you locked up and away from Gwyn ap Nudd, you wouldn't be able to do a damn thing to stop me," Merlin snapped.

Rosa stilled. "You are going to see Gwyn? As in…"

"The Lord of the Hunt? Aye. That's why you need to stay put and stop being so difficult."

Rosa was barely listening. She was thinking of Glenna Wylt and a wild, stormy night so long ago. "I'm coming, Merlin. You'll need me."

"Why would I? I already have Arthur to annoy me and keep me from doing anything too hasty."

"You don't get it. Gwyn ap Nudd and I have unfinished business."

Merlin let out a pained sigh. "Of course you bloody do."

Despite her frustration,Rosa decided not to leave. Merlin had succeeded in getting her drunk, and she had ended the traumatic night curled up beside him in his massive bed. Even wasted on faerie whiskey, she hadn't wanted to go back to her rooms alone, and she had fallen asleep with Merlin singing softly to her under his breath.

The Unseelie rose at nightfall, and Rosa stumbled back to her own rooms for a bath and a fresh change of clothes. She had dreamed about Gwyn ap Nudd for the first time since she was a child.

Ever since Rosa had begun to get her memories back, strange pockets of random events had appeared in mind, and she had struggled to sort the true from the false. Her memories of spending time with her grandmother had been in the hazy gray area where she wasn't sure if the memory was real or not.

Merlin had tried to grill her about what she knew of Gwyn, but she had made up an excuse about not wanting to talk about it until she could get her memories right.

To his credit, Merlin had accepted that. He had his troubles trying to keep his own memory clear and linear. He wasn't the kind of person to drop it though. He would wait a day or so and then corner her until she caved.

Rosa braided her hair and studied her face in the mirror. She looked worn out, black circles shadowing her feverishly bright hazel eyes.

"What do you remember about that night, Rosa?" she asked herself.

She could recall the smell of the sourdough in the air, fresh from the oven. Glenna was always showing her how to cook things. She closed her eyes, and she felt darkness inside of her when she thought of Gwyn. There was no memory, only the feeling of terror and anticipation and longing.

Something in her magic shivered and made her eyes snap open. Bleddyn was summoning her. She would try and find the memories later.

Rosa found Bleddyn in an anteroom of the main hall, studying a map on a large table. Bleddyn looked every inch the Unseelie king from his waist length black hair to his polished boots. He was dressed in a new black jacket that was decorated with silver stitching to match his undershirt. All that was missing was a crown.

"You look beautiful," Rosa said, meaning every word. "What's the occasion?"

Bleddyn wrapped an arm around her shoulders and planted a kiss on her forehead. "I've asked Eirianwen and the other generals to meet with us. I thought I had better look the part."

"Try not to yell at them and make them wee themselves in fear," she teased.

"With both swords present for the first time in thousands of years I am sure they will be anxious enough." Bleddyn'smesmerizing eyes were gentle as he asked, "How are you, my Rosa?"

"Heartbroken, afraid, and pissed off, but holding it together until I can kick the Autumn Queen's skinny ass," Rosa replied. "Don't worry. Merlin talked some sense into me."

"Doesn't sound like something Merlin would do. Whatever you two are planning, please don't do anything too rash," Bleddyn said with a frown.

"You know us, Father. We wouldn't know how to be rash," Merlin said, coming into the anteroom. Like the rest of them, he was wearing clean clothes of Unseelie design—a high collared black jacket, waistcoat, slim fitting pants, and boots. Somehow, he still managed to look like a disreputable rake that would ruin a lady's reputation.

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