YOU CAN'T ESCAPE DESTINY | Arthur Pendragon [2]

Revenge

*Annabelle's P.O.V.*

        Gaius was called down to Sigan's tomb only a few moments after I woke up, and Merlin and I decided to follow. As soon as we arrived, I noticed that the glowing stone was missing from its setting at the marble outline of the most powerful sorcerer to ever live.
        "Sound the warning bell!" Arthur ordered immediately before leaving, and Gaius looked at me and Merlin worriedly; the soul of Cornelius Sigan has been released. But the question hanging in the air is... Whose body is it in?
        "Anna? Merlin?" Gaius called as he bent down to look at something on the floor beside the grave, and Merlin and I stepped inside the tomb, seeing as we were both standing by the entrance. I looked down at the object in Gaius's hands, and my eyes widened as I shared a look with my brother; Gaius was holding the stone that was missing from its setting, but it wasn't glowing anymore, nor was it blue anymore. Now it was just a simple, crystal clear, heart-shaped jewel, which made me worry even more. "Whoever did this got more than they bargained for,"
        "I don't understand how they got in," I said, shaking my head, before gesturing to the gate behind me. "The gate's not even damaged,"
        "They must've used a key," Gaius said.
        "Arthur's got the only key," I said, knowing about the different keys the Prince is responsible of keeping from Merlin.
        "Where does he keep it?" Gaius asked, now turning his attention to Merlin.
        "On his belt with the others," Merlin replied.
        "Does he ever take it off?"
        "Only when he's asleep," Merlin said. "He keeps it next to his bed,"
        "Who had access to his chambers last night?" I asked after thinking for a second, knowing for a fact that Merlin wasn't with Arthur at that time, seeing as he was sulking in our room.
        "Just me, and..." Merlin trailed off as some kind of realization hit him like a ton of bricks, before he looked at us with wide eyes, "Cedric," he breathed out, before running out of the tomb.
        After we had a small talk with Gaius yesterday, Merlin told me what really happened. A man named Cedric suddenly showed up right before my brother, Arthur, and the Knights left for the hunt two days ago. Apparently, the girth on Arthur's saddle unclasped itself and the Prince fell off his horse, immediately blaming Merlin. Cedric brought the horse back to them, and Arthur offered him a place as one for the beaters for the hunt. While in the forest, the men were attacked by a beast, and Merlin, using magic, threw a spear at it, killing it and saving Arthur's life. However, Cedric lied that it was him who threw the spear, and Arthur decided to give him any reward he wished for. Apparently, he only wished for one thing: a position in the royal household.
        The next day, Merlin arrived in Arthur's chambers, only to find out that Cedric has taken over his duties to Arthur. However, Merlin still had to muck out the stables, and suddenly fainted while doing so, and somehow all the horses escaped. Arthur, of course, blamed Merlin, and told him to go home and think about whether he still wants to work for him.

*The Next Day, Late Evening*

        As I walked down the hallway, I heard loud screeching, growling, and screaming coming from outside. My brows furrowed in worry and confusion, and I ran over to the nearest window, opening it. My eyes widened as I saw all the people in the Square running away in panic from gargoyles, which looked awfully similar to the same ones that reside on Camelot's roof-top walls.  I gasped as one of the stone creatures flew close to the window I was standing by and leaned back so that I wouldn't get hit with its wings. Someone placed their hands on my shoulders to steady me, and I turned around, only to see Arthur. I stiffened, not exactly happy with him at the moment. Merlin tried to tell him that Cedric is being possessed by Sigan, but Arthur didn't believe him. My brother then attacked Cedric, and Arthur decided to throw him into the dungeons.
        "Are you alright?" Arthur asked hastily, and I nodded, which seemed to make him give a small sigh of relief, before he gave me one last look and ran down the stairs, following his knights outside. I sighed, now incredibly worrying, before running to the infirmary, where I knew Gaius would be.