Page 102 of Embrace of Dragons

Sai curved his long neck and met Arthur’s gaze with sympathy, as if he knew what Arthur felt.

But it was Brigid who said, “We came to retrieve you back to the Yukon. Things are coming to a head. It took some effort. For a while it seemed as if all of you disappeared from this realm. From every realm.”

“The effect of my protection spell,” Merlin guessed. “Now that that piece of me is part of Arthur, I suppose the spellhas lifted. Or he does not know how to use the powers yet for himself.”

“Yes, perhaps that was it,” Brigid said, thoughtful, “but there was something else. I could sense danger around you, but not where you were.”

“The shadows,” Annie said.

“They came for us. Our dragons fought them off. Especially Lancelot, who turns out to be a water dragon too.”

Sai looked around.

I assume the reason that he is not amongst us is because he’s been recalled to the Celestial Realm?

I saw thechimuon his forehead, Rui inserted.So, yes, that would be an accurate assumption.

It is strange that neither of us sensed the dragon in him, or even his affinity with water, Sai noted.

Not so strange when you think about it, Rui countered.

The Jade Emperor hides his dragons in plain sight on earth, though they always maintain some of their magic. Their Gifts do not manifest until exactly the right time.

“When their Mates are in grave danger,” Merlin said, looking at Arthur.

Everyone else did as well.

He swallowed, his newly whole heart booming with the weight of revelation and responsibility.

“That would be me,” he rasped.

“That would most definitely be you, brother,” Wolfe confirmed with a small tilt of his lips.

“I think I know how to find him and bring him back,” he declared to the group at large.

“My sword, Excalibur. Lancelot gave it to me. He said it would protect me when he is not there. When I used to carry it, I never came to harm. Something of his, something magical, would surely lead us to him, is that not so?”

“Where is Excalibur now?” Annie asked. “I’ve never seen you lugging a sword around. You didn’t have one in the Yukon.”

“I gave it away long ago,” Arthur answered, shaking his head.

“It was…I was…I didn’t want…”

“Who did you give it to?” Brigid interjected before Arthur could ramble further, lost in regret.

“Sai and I can pinpoint anyone in any realm, across time. Even if we have to go to the past to retrieve it. All you have to do is give us some identifiers. Memories. Dreams. They can all lead you to what you seek.”

“I gave it to a knight in my elite guard. Tristan du Lac, Lancelot’s ward. It was my way of returning it to Lancelot without actually doing so. He would never have accepted it back. But he would not begrudge the gift to Tristan, whom he loved like a son.”

“Myfriend Tristan?” Wolfe exclaimed.

“Last I saw him he was a grown man, a true knight in Arthur’s court…I haven’t thought of him in so long.”

Rui leaned her neck back to nuzzle her Mate as if she heard the sadness in his voice.

It is not your fault, Wolfie, she said gently.Remember, you were erased from the memory of everyone who knew you in exchange for being allowed in the Celestial Realm, to stay at my side.

“True enough,” Arthur said.

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