Seek (Book 2 of the Hide and Seek Duet - Completed)

6. News

"Ready?" River holds my hand in his and smiles as I shake my head and say, "Yes" looking at the boys around me. We all had body armour on, and they were all armed, courtesy of the bags they had brought along with us, and now we were ready to go. I felt my panic rising, that I didn't know what we were heading into and Chase's warning keep ringing in my ears.

What If someone was waiting for us... "We've got this baby" Blaze says taking my other hand in his, and I groan, knowing once again my emotions have seeped around my block.

"Tavi" Stone prompts me and I picture the house in my mind and summon the portal, feeling Stone and Talon's hands on my shoulder as we all step through, before I close it behind us.

We are at the edge of a sweeping green lawn, a grey stone pergola behind us, in the distance, the cliffs and sea are visible at the bottom of the hill, but the top of the hill is crowned by a majestic stone castle.
The view is familiar, buried in my memories and I take an unconscious step forward as the castle calls to me. "Its calling me" I whisper, but they all hear me.

"Okay, but we stay close together, if we need to fade, we meet back here, baby, trust your instincts, lead the way" Talon says taking my hand as the others create the compass points around me.

I open my mind and let the castle in, guiding us up the side of the lawn and into the walled garden, heading for a door set back in the castle wall.

Talon twists the handle but the door doesn't move until I touch the wood, the whisper of a spell under my fingers, as the door swings open, showing us a long light corridor.

We stared in amazement at the space in front of us, it was light but there were no lights shining to make it so, it was all magic, old magic.

I stepped in and started down the corridor, jumping slightly at the sound of the door shutting behind us, Talons hand slipping back into mine and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

We continued in silence until the room opened up into a round hall, its soaring eaves, hand-carved in wood, towering above us. A fire was burning to one side, flanked by two armchairs but the centrepiece of the room was the intricately carved round stone table surrounded by a dozen carved chairs, with a jewelled dagger buried in the stone in front of the largest chair..

"Is that what I think it is?" River muttered looking at the table in wonder.
'I thought it was a myth" I gasp, knowing that River was imagining the table as King Arthur's, round table.
"Most myths are based on facts, and the round table and King Arthur has always been buried in mystery, partly to protect the bloodline but mainly the descendants wanted to live in peace, its believed in some circles this was done by altering the records to show Pendragon, rather than Penhaligon linked to the name" Stone explains, moving closer to the table.

I stare at him, trying to get my mind around what he has just disclosed. "Are you saying I might be a descendant of King Arthur?" I croak out and they all freeze, turning back to look at me in amazement.
"Shit... I hadn't thought of that, but yes, I do" Stone gasp.

"It would explain her natural abilities with her power and why the four of us balance her, do you think Chase knows?" Talon suggests.
"How can we tell, I mean who would know?"
"We need to find your grandfather for sure, but there is a way we can test the King Arthur link... if this is his table" Blaze muses.

"How?" I ask looking between them as they exchange worried looks.
"Its another myth, the sword in the stone" River chuckles, waving his hand towards the table, "We have the dagger in the table, don't worry, we can all have a try first, then you"

I step forward both eager and anxious, it seemed like a ludicrous suggestion but I wanted to try, there would be no way for me to free the dagger, if they couldn't, they were all much stronger than I was... unless what they said was true.

Stone went first and I watched the muscles bunch in his arm and the strain showing as he tried. Blaze went next, growling as he tried, then River, then Talon, each had strained as they tried but the dagger had not moved, now it was my turn. I held my breath as my fingers wrapped around the leather bound hilt, my grip automatically tightening as I felt warmth against my palm and I pulled back... the dagger sliding free from the table.

I did it, I don't know how, but it slid free with no effort at all, I look at my boys who are grinning broadly at me, before dropping to one knee, their heads bent and fists against their hearts.

"Our Queen" they said in unison and I giggled nervously. "Get up, please get up" I begged them.
They rose together and my heart fluttered at the sight, these were my men, my knights. I look down at the dagger in my hand, lifting it up to the light to see the detailing carved into the blade. "What should I do with this, should I put it back?" I ask nervously, not used to carrying a weapon.

A shuffle and a croaked female voice "Its yours, keep it safe" sounded from a chair by the fire, and Blaze and Talon leapt forward, guns drawn, as River and Stone, closed in around me.

"Who are you?" Blaze demanded, pointing his gun at the person, I couldn't see.
"I am of no importance, but I have information you need. Put down your weapons I cannot harm anyone here. Come forward child, we've been waiting a long time for you" she responded and again I felt the castle sooth my fears, allowing the feeling to flow through our bond to the boys.

Stone guided me to the empty armchair and I could finally see the tiny old lady sat watching us, her wrinkled skin showing her great age. Across her lap lay a leather belt which she held out to me.

"You will need this to wear Carnwennan" she tells me and I look at the others.

"Carnwennan?" I query, but as I say the name, the dagger warms in my hand, a tingle spreading up my arm before I hear a whisper in my mind "I am Carnwennan"

"It spoke to me!" I gasp and the old lady nods. "That is as it should be, It recognises you as its master"
"But what if I lose it, or break it, this is a priceless treasure, it should stay here safe" I say, looking at the boys to back me up, but the woman speaks again.

"It will not leave you, not until you die, Carnwennan was forged in the heart of the world, its magic is as old as time, you cannot break it or lose it, it's not possible. It protected Arturos till he chose to leave this world and now it has chosen you" she smiled softly at me. "Many people have tried over the centuries to remove the dagger from the table but none have succeeded, Carnwennan did not deem them worthy, till now, till you"

She holds up the belt and River takes it from her as Stone helps me to my feet, the two of them fastening the belt around my waist and I wonder where I'm supposed to put the dagger.

"Just tuck it into the belt, it will do the rest" she cackles, laughing at me and after a quick shrug from my boys, who don't have any other ideas, I do as she says, feeling the dagger, melt into the belt, with a whispered promise "I will come when you need me"

I look down at the woman "Who are you?"
She smiles softly up at me, "I am Mathilde, I was your mothers nursemaid, many years ago, now I keep the castle safe"
I fell back in the chair at her words, "You knew my mother, you know who I am?" I felt tears in my eyes.

"Oh child, you look just like her, your brothers and sister all took after their father but you, you were made in her image, sweet baby Octavia, last I saw you, you were about three, you all came here for the summer, all the St Croix came, the Queens as well. It was a joyous time" she said her voice trailing off as she remembered.

"Mathilde, Do you know where Louis Penhaligon is, we are trying to find him?" Stone asked kneeling next to her chair.
The sadness on her face, made my stomach clench and I knew whatever she said next would not be what we wanted to hear. She looked at me.

"Six months ago, in the night a group of men visited, some were from Faerie, your grandfather ended up throwing them out after an argument. The next day, he told me he was going to Faerie to see the Queens, but he didn't get there, his car was found by the gatehouse, no sign of him. He had told me that if ever he disappeared I was to stay here, with the table, he knew you would come, he had believed for years you were still alive but couldn't find you. I know he was sure someone was watching him, he didn't trust many people, not after... after your family"

I reached out and squeezed her hand gently "Thank you, we will find him and bring him home" I promised.