Page 56 of The Sword & the Stone

She moved with an otherworldly grace, almost floating on air. I wondered how old she was. By appearance alone, she looked no older than maybe thirty years, but the fae didn’t age like humans. For all I knew, she was thousands of years old.

Her hand lifted and hovered just inches from my cheek. The warmth radiating from her skin and the scent of wildflowers and honey that clung to her was intoxicating. "I’ve waited for you. You have your mother's eyes."

I blinked several times, not sure I heard her correctly. "What did you say?”

Tatiana's smile was tinged with sadness. “I never thought I’d see her face again. But here you are, Arthur Pendragon…” She stepped closer. “May I?”

I had no idea what she was asking, but I was in no position to deny this queen anything, all I could do was nod.

Tatiana gently placed her hands on my cheeks. Her hands were soft and warm, but there was an unexplainable energy emanating from them. As she cradled my face, I found myself drawn to her, unable to resist the pull.

Then something extraordinary happened. Tatiana's eyes, which were already mesmerizing with their deep blue color, began to glow. It started as a faint shimmer, but soon turned into a bright silvery light that illuminated her face and the entire library.

As I stared into her luminous eyes, time seemed to slow down and everything else faded away. It was just the two of us, connected by some unknown force. Images flooded my mind. A hundred, a thousand, amilliondifferent faces and places.

I saw a woman with hair the color of mine, with amber eyes and a mischievous smile. She was laughing, her head thrown back as a man placed gentle kisses on her neck.

The vision shifted, the laughter fading into the shadows as a new scene took shape. I saw the same woman, her belly swollen, walking through the halls of a grand castle with red and gold banners.

As she turned a corner, she came face to face with a woman of striking beauty, her dark hair cascading down her back like a waterfall of obsidian. But her eyes, a piercing green, were filled with rage.

"You," the woman hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "You dare to show your face here, you filthy little whore?"

The pregnant woman stepped back, her hands instinctively cradling her stomach. "Please, your highness, I meant no disrespect. I only wished to speak with the king..."

The dark-haired woman let out a harsh laugh, the sound echoing off the stone walls. "The king? You think you have the right to speak with my husband, after what you've done? After you seduced him into your bed like the harlot you are?"

I realized with a start that this was Uther's queen, Mordred’s mother, Adriana.

My mother shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. “It was a spell, Adri! I never would have?—”

“No more lies, Morrigan! I’m sick of looking at you.” The queen spat on the ground at Morrigan’s feet.

A spell? What did she mean it was a spell?I opened my mouth to ask just that, when suddenly, as if they both sensed my presence, Morrigan and Queen Adriana turned to face me, their eyes looking straight through the vision back at me.

I stumbled backwards, and Queen Tatiana’s hands left my face, taking the vision with them.

Chapter Nineteen

ARTHUR

Queen Tatiana'svoice was barely a whisper as she apologized. I blinked rapidly, trying to make the disturbing vision disappear. The shining aura surrounding her had weakened. "I know it must have been hard for you to see that," she said, "but it was necessary."

I gritted my teeth and glared up at the queen. “Did my mother seduce King Uther?” The thought sent a rage through me. Maybe Mordred had a valid reason for hating me the way she did.

Tatiana shook her head vehemently, her golden hair swaying with the movement. "No, Arthur. Your mother didnotseduce Uther. The truth is far more complex and tragic, I’m afraid."

She took a step back. The hooded figures around us seemed to lean in, their hidden faces turned towards their queen.

A strong hand landed on my shoulder, and I looked up to find Merlin there. I let out a long breath, just now remembering that I wasn’t alone in all of this. I had Merlin, and I had my knights. At least, I hoped I’d still have them after this. They were stillgathered behind me, an impenetrable wall of muscle, magic, and loyalty.

"Morrigan was a sorceress of immense power, born of both fae and druid blood. She was my very best friend, and I loved her. She went to Camelot as a guest, sent by her father, the Archdruid of the Old Religion, to study under Gaius and hone her abilities. Uther had just returned from a long campaign that took him away for three years."

Tatiana's eyes took on a distant look, as if she were seeing the events unfold before her. "The moment they met, an ancient prophecy awakened, one that had been dormant for centuries. It spoke of a child born of magic and royal blood, destined to unite the realms and bring about an age of peace."

She sighed, a sound filled with sadness and regret. "The prophecy bound Morrigan and Uther together instantly, their fates intertwined like threads in a tapestry. It was a force beyond their control, a destiny written in the stars themselves."

I opened my mouth to speak, but Tatiana held up a hand, silencing me.

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