Epilogue
The light changed. The stars that had formed their archway to escape seemed to have followed them. Tiny lights flickered on every wall, bouncing off what looked like hundreds of thousands of crystals.
Actually, it looked more like a cave than a room. Slowly, Chloe became aware that she and Gavin were not alone. Two couples stood watching them. One of the men was tall with a tawny mane of hair and golden eyes that reminded her of a big, lethal cat. The woman beside him had ebony hair and blue eyes. The other man had dark hair and eyes like Gavin, but there was a mischievous twinkle in them. Chloe was pretty sure the lady with the strawberry hair was the missing veterinarian.
“Sophie Cameron?” she asked and when the woman nodded, she turned to the other. “Sara Kincaid?”
From the darkened corner of the room, a voice grumbled, “It’s getting completely too crowded in here.” An old man with white hair ambled forward, long blue robes flowing behind him and squinted at Gavin. “You, eh? Did you finally do something to redeem yourself?”
Chloe bristled. “Look, mister. I don’t know who you are, but Gavin saved my life and…” She found herself suddenly unable to speak as the old man’s blue eyes pierced her. He suddenly seemed to grow in stature and didn’t look quite so old.
“I am Merlin.”
Chloe opened her mouth, but no sound came out.
“Oh, stop showing off,” a light, feminine voice said from seemingly nowhere and then an ethereal form began to shape itself into a young woman who wore nearly transparent wings. “Now take the spell off or I might be tempted to enchant you back into that tree.”
“Don’t try my patience, Nimue,” Merlin snapped as he waved a hand at Chloe. “I didn’t invite you here either.”
“Crumpy man,” she said and turned to Chloe. “Are you feeling all right?”
Considering she was probably having the hallucination of her life—without taking any drugs that she could remember—Chloe wasn’t sure. “Did I hit my head or something? I don’t even know where I am.”
Sophie smiled and came forward, taking her hand. “I felt the same way when I got here. Let me introduce you.” She beckoned the dark-haired man to come over. “This is Tristan.” She pointed to the warrior-looking guy. “That’s Lancelot. We—”
“Wait. Lancelot?” Chloe heard her voice squeak. “Are you all playing at being characters from Camelot?” She looked at Gavin. “Do you know what is going on?”
He looked uneasy. “Yes,” he finally said. “The platter brought us to Merlin’s Cave, just like the spear brought Lance and the sword, Tristan.”
Chloe frowned. “I know you and Mr. Smith kept saying these relics have powers—and I’m even willing to buy into that, based on how we escaped the fire ring—but why are you guys acting like you’re from Camelot?”
“Because they are.” Nimue drifted over to her, toes barely skimming the floor, and sniffed delicately at Chloe’s neck. Her eyes widened in surprise. “You are part fey!”
“Just what I need. Another faerie floating around,” Merlin griped.
“I don’t float…” Chloe shook her head to clear it. “What do you mean, you’re from Camelot?”
Lancelot strode toward her. “While Arthur sleeps, the ancient relics given to mortals by the gods are being summoned back. The world is on the threshold of annihilation; the knights are being prepared to fight once again.”
“Knights?” She looked up at Gavin wondering if any of this was real. “You’re a knight?”
He regarded her gravely. “I am Modred.”
She felt her knees jelly as Gavin caught her. “But—you killed Arthur!”
“He did not,” Lancelot said. “Modred stood to Arthur’s left while I stood to his right. It was Melwas who attacked.”
“But the books say—”
“The books have it wrong,” Tristan interrupted. “All those stories about Lancelot loving Gwenhwyfar and me stealing Iseult from my uncle are wrong too. Someone really needs to set the story straight, once and for all.”
“You look doubtful,” Lancelot said with a smile, “but we’re all stuck here until the Grail can be found, so I’m sure Modred will have plenty of time to convince you he isn’t all bad.” He punched Gavin lightly on the shoulder. “Even if he is a vampire.”
“Actually, that’s kind of cool,” Chloe said.
Lancelot’s smile widened into a grin. “I guess that means you’ve already gotten to know him then.” He flicked a thumb toward a tunnel at the other end of the cave. “There’s an extra room in there where he can explain everything you need to know.”
“Yeah,” Sara said as came up to him, slipping her arm through his. “That explaining really takes a long time.”
He leaned down to nibble her neck. “I don’t think I finished either.”
Chloe looked up at Gavin, seeing the man she had grown to love. Suddenly, it didn’t matter what the books had accused him of.
Maybe she’d be the one to set the record straight and tell the world the real story of Camelot.
She’d always wanted to write a romance novel.
.... We finally book a room together….no need for two…
The End.