Page 12 of Queen Takes Camelot: Gwen
“That’s all for today, folks,” Kevin said loudly to the onlookers. “I hope you enjoyed the show. Come back again next week!”
I didn’t think the crowd would buy it, but I didn’t really care. Closing my eyes, I pressed my face to Lance’s throat and just breathed. So good. I wanted to wallow in his scent and cement our bond immediately, but first, I reached out to Shara.
:Are you okay? What did Arthur do to you?:
She didn’t answer right away, which made my heart rate quicken with dread. I tightened my focus on our bond, reaching toward her. If she needed healing…
:I’m fine,:she finally answered, her bond steady and sure, though thinner, as if she’d taken a hit and needed to conserve her strength.:Where did that ring come from?:
:Guinevere gave it to him on their wedding day.:
:That’s the key to his power and the curse. There’s something very malevolent tied to it. It drained my power like a leech before I could disconnect from it. So now it’ll be even stronger.:
:Great.:I sighed internally.:I’ll see if I can find out more about it and where it came from.:
:That ring sustains and protects him. Take it, destroy it, and I believe the curse will end.:
She sounded tired and achy. In our bond, I felt her Blood gathered close, soothing her with touch and blood. Guilt twinged. We couldn’t risk damaging Shara, or we’d all die. She was our queen and protected us all.
:I’m tired, not hurt,:she replied tartly, giving me a gentle mental shake.:We held him off, so this was a victory, not a defeat. Take your Blood. Celebrate. Then we’ll come up with the final battle plan to end this for good.:
Take my Blood.
Goddess above, when had Guinevere ever actually lived long enough to taste Lancelot’s blood again? Meanwhile, here he stood, holding me in his arms on the sidewalk in front of the tower.
“Kevin, can you take care of replacing the glass? And deal with whatever media questions come up?”
Grinning, he pulled open the door and Lance swept through with my other two Blood on his heels. “Replacement glass has already been ordered. I’ll hold all questions until tomorrow morning, but if anything urgent arises, I’ll call Gina.”
“Thank you, Kevin. Without your help…”
He inclined his head, a very old-fashioned gesture that fit him well despite his youth. “My pleasure, Your Majesty.”
5
Lance
Iclutched my queen in my arms and fought the urge to run. I’d carry her away to the furthest, most forlorn place in the Gibson Desert I could find. We’d hide from Arthur and the world at large. I’d keep her safe. No one would ever harm her again.
But even in my wildest fantasies, I knew it could never be.
Her Majesty Guinevere Findabair, the White Enchantress, had never fled from her duties. The queen of Camelot had many responsibilities. She cared for all the people in her house, whether it was this modern skyscraper or the fabled castle of old. She’d never abandon those under her care, even to keep herself safe.
Arthur knew that. Which was exactly how he’d been able to find and kill her over and over again.
“Put me down, Lance.”
I did so at once, even though it felt as though letting go of her tore my own skin off my body. These eyes had never seen her before, yet I would know her anywhere. She had the same lustrous mahogany hair, though she wore it in a single braid rather than coiled around her head. Her changeable hazel eyes saw everything laid bare at a glance.
Guinevere of old had been a small, delicate woman. This lifetime, she was taller, almost to my shoulder, and not nearly as ethereal though every bit as beautiful as I remembered. She wore a bright red dress with large white stripes and full skirt that swung about her knees. I’d never paid much attention to women’s fashion, but I hadn’t seen anyone dressed like this. It reminded me of a style worn in black-and-white movies decades ago.
The matching red heels she wore made her legs go on forever. Guinevere would have adored those shoes, too. She’d loved bright, unexpected colors. She’d never been allowed to wear—
My thoughts died off, my brain locking down.
White and red stripes.
Sir Lancelot du Lac’s coat of arms.
