Lost in Albion 3 (Merlin) - Completed

Chapter 14: A Brief Death

Chapter 14

My shoulders shake as a way to let out my silent laughter. I receive odd looks from people around the castle but it's nothing compared to the ones Arthur just gave me. I push my door open, leaning into it as I let my laughter sound out again.

Merlin is already waiting for me on my bed. His eyebrows raise as I feel the tears begin to swell again. I use my finger to wipe them, sighing loudly. Pushing off the door, I flop onto the bed beside Merlin.

"Merlin," I say, breathing deeply with the cheeky grin still on my face. "We both know that Arthur is an ass, but he was just all ears today." The raspy laughter starts up again at my pun work.

"Uh, that's great," Merlin says slowly, not yet understanding my humour. "So he listened to you."

"The goblin is doing horrid things, but at least he's not an assassin," I giggle, hitting the bed with my fist. Merlin's face remains unamused, so I prop myself up to spill the beans. "The goblin turned Arthur into a donkey."

Merlin is flabbergasted. "A donkey?"

"Well, a human body but he's got the ears. And he's braying."

Merlin's face cracks as he finally understands my earlier statements. "Braying?!"

"He looked so sad, I almost felt bad for him."

"I don't," he snorts.

I laugh but bring the conversation back to the important things. "Did you find anything in his books."

"I think so," he says, pulling out a book I didn't see earlier. He opens it, turning to a page about goblins. "If the host body dies, the goblin dies with it. So, if Gaius is dying, the goblin will be forced to leave him."

"Are you suggesting we kill Gaius," I gape.

"Just briefly-"

"Oh, only briefly," I cut him off. "That makes much more sense." Merlin glares at me so I put my hands up in surrender. "Sorry, I'm sure you've thought this through."

"I have. Once it's out, we trap it in a box lined with lead, that's the only thing that will hold it."

"And the killing Gaius part?"

"I can make a poison and an antidote. As long as we get it to him on time."

"And the box lined with lead – the one we found him in originally."

"Exactly," he grins. "It's a full-proof plan."

I scrunch my nose in doubt. "I'm not sure I would say that. But it is a plan," I say, patting his back. "You go get the box, I'll look through Gaius' stuff for the quickest poison and cure."

Merlin nods, quickly leaving my room and I march down to Gaius. Knocking on the door, I wait for any answer, but the goblin isn't here, so I enter, heading straight for his book collection. I know exactly where to look because, oddly enough, I have needed it already more than once.

Pulling the book from the shelf (which isn't dusty at all), I let it thud against the tabletop and flip through the pages.

"Ah-huh!" I exclaim, but there is nobody around to celebrate my finding. My finger trails along the words, squinting as I do so. They just get more difficult to read as time goes on. I even rub them, hoping that I can concentrate more.

Finishing reading, I leave the book open as I paddle around the room, picking out the ingredients and putting them on the other side of the table.

Merlin busts through the door just as I begin to make it.