Page 69 of Kings and Monsters

"The Hunt seems to agree with him," Gwyn replied, looking down at the beast with cold silver eyes. "Whatever sorceryAeronwen used does not seem to be shifting. Rosa, you could always join us with him."

"Balthasar is still alive, and I have no doubt between my father and I, we can unravel whatever magic this is," Merlin interrupted before Rosa could. He placed an arm around Rosa's shoulders. "We need to get him home to Gwaed Lyn. We don't know if the magic is locked to the Aos Si… He could change as soon as he's away from the flow of power."

Merlin was grasping for ideas, and he knew it sounded weak, but he couldn't let her give up hope. He could sense the tangle of enchantment over Balthasar, and without a long sleep to clear his head, he wasn't going to be able to begin to unravel it.

"How will we get him back home?" Rosa asked, her eyes full of tears.

"Gwyn and the Hunt could help. As you can see it calms him, and they can cross over to the human world," Nimue said, her eyes wide with innocence.

Merlin hid a smile. There were times that he loved her so much that he was surprised he didn't explode from it.

"Nimue is right." Rosa looked up at Gwyn, placing a hand gently against his leg. "Please, can you help me? I need to sort out some things here in the Aos Si tonight before I can return, but if you take Merlin, Arthur, and Nimue with the Hunt, they will be able to secure him safely. I will meet you at Glastonbury at the next full moon to fulfill my promise to you."

Gwyn's tight mouth softened as he said, "You have been good with fulfilling your promises thus far,geneth. I will do this thing for you, though you should consider my offer if by the full month he is still a beast."

"I will consider it," Rosa promised him.

He touched her cheek gently before whistling. Two mounts came forward, and he gestured at them to Merlin.

"Don't worry, Rosa. We'll make sure he gets back safely," Nimue said, giving her a hug.

"Tell Bleddyn what happened and not to fret." Merlin pulled her braid gently before climbing on the faerie mount. He lifted Nimue up behind him, and Arthur drew his horse close, effectively putting himself between Rosa and Gwyn.

Rosa winked at him. "Make sure Merlin doesn't do anything stupid."

"I can't promise that, my lady. You know how much he enjoys his stupidity," Arthur replied.

A warrior of the Hunt wound a rope around Balthasar's neck and leashed him carefully to Dormach.

Better Dormach than Gwyn, Merlin thought. He didn't know how far he'd go to ensure that Rosa joined the Hunt, and killing Balthasar would be an easy way to make it happen.

"I trust you know the way to Gwaed Lyn," he said to Gwyn.

The Lord of the Hunt gave him a frustrated look before his power rolled out over them, and they were racing together as one.

Bleddyn sawthe Hunt ride away and felt Merlin's magical pulse with it.

It's okay, Father. I'm taking your favorite child home, Merlin touched his mind reassuringly.

Thank you, Merlin, Bleddyn replied, relief flooding him.And Rosa is my favorite.

Mine too. Find her. She isn't coping well.

Rosa was dry-eyed by the time Bleddyn located her, sitting on the trampled grass, the sword of the Seelie across her knees.

"It was supposed to work," she murmured. "Killing her was supposed to be the answer."

Bleddyn knelt down beside her, placing a gentle hand over her bloodstained arm. "Look around you, Rosa. You have achieved something here that none of us could've imagined," he said.

Rosa lifted her head with a sniff. Since they had told the armies that the battle was over and that the new queen was putting together a treaty with the Unseelie, the fighting had stopped. There was an awkward peace happening. Daesyn was talking and laughing with Fintan. A group of knights and warriors were sitting together on the earthen walls, and Seelie commoners were creeping cautiously out of the forest, watching the Court burn with wide eyes. Bleddyn never thought it would be possible. He expected them all to die that day.

"We will restore Balthasar. I promise you," Bleddyn reassured her. "You know we will. The day wasn't a loss. There hasn't been peace since the old kings died. You stopped a lot of death today, Rosa. You should be proud of that."

"Merlin burned the Court," she said finally. "Where are all the Seelie going to go? I can't just leave them. The land won't let me."

"We will take them to the Day Court. It was in a heart tree close to the border until the queen decided to create her own barrow court. If we go there now, we can be there by nightfall. How about it? We can get these people to safety and go home."

Bleddyn was helping Rosa to her feet when Eirianwen appeared through the trees and barreled into her, hugging her tightly.

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