For the Ones We Love (Merlin Fan Fiction)

Chapter Five

I opened my mouth, ready to yell, “You have no way to prove that!” but I stopped myself. That would be pleading guilty.

“Do you deny it?” Merlin asked.

I couldn’t look him in the eye, so I stared up at the ceiling. There was no way around it. I had to confess. They had proof that I was what they said I was. I thought for a second of the possibility of threatening to turn Merlin in, but then I thought of Hunith. That would be no way to repay her. I choked back tears.

“Have you ever done something you know you’ll regret,” I asked, “Something completely idiotic just to save the life of someone you care about?” I felt more vulnerable than I had in a long time, laying there on my back in Merlin’s room with two people who now knew my secret.

Merlin faltered at my words. “I’ve never killed anyone to save someone else’s life,” he replied after a long moment.

“Would you if you had to?”

“No.”

I pursed my lips. Maybe he really did have a better heart than me, or maybe he was just voicing hopes. I couldn’t be sure. I sighed. “If you kill me, he’ll kill my brother. Then he’ll find someone else to get the job done. Either way, your king dies.”

“Who will kill your brother?” Gaius asked. He hadn’t said anything for a while,

“His name is Talon. He’s the man who taught me to use magic. The man who nearly killed my mother.” I shuddered, recognizing that I was giving away everything. Every secret I kept. I realized that I held no hope of living. I would probably be executed within the week.

“What does he have against the king?”

“Nothing. He just wants power. He tried to get me to kill the king of Carleon when I was fifteen. I refused. That’s why he tried killed my mother.” I laughed dryly. I could feel my heart start to pump faster. “And the funny thing is, once he has power, he’ll kill us all. We have no hope, really.”

Gaius turned to Merlin. “I think the pain is going to her head.” Just as he said it, the world went dark.

When I woke up, moonlight was streaming through the window. I looked around. I was alone. I pushed myself up, this time using my left arm. I walked to the window and looked out. It took me a second to gather that I was inside the castle. The thought scared me. This was exactly what Talon wanted.

The door opened behind me.

“Gaius told me to bring you food,” Merlin said. I turned around to see that he was holding a steaming bowl of something. “Stew,” he said. “How is your arm?”

I shrugged. “I can’t really feel it.” I paused, thinking. “How long have I been here?”

“Two and a half days.” He walked toward me and held out the bowl of stew.

I shook my head. “I’m not hungry.” Right after I said it, my stomach growled, betraying me.

Merlin lifted his eyebrows. He held the bowl out toward me again. I took it unhappily. I couldn’t understand why they were feeding me if they were just going to turn me in.

As if reading my thoughts, Merlin spoke. “We’re going to help you.”

I looked up from the thick broth in my hands. “What?”

“We’ll help you save your brother.”

“There’s no way to save him.” I murmured. I picked up my spoon and started spinning it around in the bowl. “As I said before, we’re all doomed.”