Page 10 of Kings and Monsters

"What was it that Cai used to say? 'Arthur, you're the mad wizard's moral compass. Without you around, no one would be able to stop him from destroying the place every time he lost his temper'."

"You're my human shield, is that it? Goes to show you what that idiot knew. Go to sleep, my king. I have no need to lose my temper tonight."

"Merlin? Are you going to tell me what happened to you while I was sleeping?"

Merlin turned back to the flames, shame and fear and pain paralyzing him. "I will when we are somewhere safe. Go to sleep, Bear. My sad story can wait."

Arthur gave him a long look before nodding and rolling back over.

Finally alone, Merlin stretched his hands out to warm against the flames and used just enough magic to reach out for her…Nimue.

Merlin was dozing when the sound of Nimue's voice whispered across his skin like a kiss…Merlin. His golden eyes snapped open, searching for the source of it. There were creatures in the Aos Si who could trick a man with a lot less. Merlin stretched out his magic, and he felt her presence in his mind.Merlin, Merlin, Merlin.

He fixed on the feel of her, so faint that he could barely catch it to make a link to her.If you keep saying my name, you are going to wear it out, my love.

Amusement and relief flickered back to him, emotions easier to communicate than words.

Safe?

Yes, we are getting help, and then we are coming for you.Are you okay?

Yes. In the pit. Forgotten for now.

Balthasar?

Separated. Queen hid him so Court would not see. Afraid.

Traitors in the Court?

Discontent. Fear. Weak magic.

Good for us.Merlin could feel her magic fluttering. How she managed to get a message to him at all was a miracle. He couldn't make her keep it up without hurting her, and by all the gods, it was the one thing he couldn't handle. Instead of words, Merlin focused on sending her comfort and reassurance, wrapping her mind in as much love as his damaged heart was capable of.

My Merlin, don't keep me waiting so long this time,Nimue replied. The connection cut out, leaving him rattled and cold.

Merlin rebuilt the fire, anxiety crushing him and making his hands shake. He fought the urge to pick up his pack and head towards the Seelie Court. He was mad enough to dig them out by hand.

"Merlin," his father's voice broke the wave of anger surging in his mind. "What did you see?"

"I got a message from Nimue," Merlin replied, coaxing the flames to catch. "The queen doesn't have as many allies in the Court anymore."

"Clever girl," Bleddyn said, sitting down beside him. "And Balthasar?"

"The queen separated them and is keeping his presence hidden from her subjects. If they knew a Seren Du had been captured, Leiddiad himself, it could cause problems for the queen. She can't have someone that her enemies can rally behind," Merlin replied, and because he knew it wasn't what his father had truly asked, he added, "Nimue didn't know if he was hurt or not. You know he won't get away from the queen unscathed. Not after all the Seelie he's killed over the years."

"Balthasar isn't a fool. He'll get more information out of her than she will out of him. He's done it before and survived. He can do it again."

"He's never been held captive by the queen." Merlin hated that he couldn't give his father reassurances that his half-brother would be okay. He had seen and felt every scar on Nimue's beautiful body, and he had never been the kind to offer false hopes.

"You don't need to remind me of that. I haven't forgotten what it was like being Aeronwen's prisoner," Bleddyn said, his voice far away.

Merlin felt the shiver in his father's magical field and the wall that came up to trap it in.

"You won't be able to keep it locked inside much longer. It will need to connect to the land sooner or later," Merlin warned.

"We need to be in the Unseelie land first. I thought we would have reached it yesterday, but the borders kept moving."

"Perhaps, they are moving away from you because you aren't connecting with it, so it thinks you're hostile," Merlin said. "You know the magic running through this land is capable of it."

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