Heart of Time (Knight Traveler) by Regan Black Page B

come.”
    “Heirs to her destruction, eh?” Kay’s disapproving grumble rolled through the hut like thunder. In the distance a bear called. He glanced to his left, meeting Bors’s gaze and both men turned to Gawain. “What do you see in the fire, man?”
    “Our king’s last resort,” Gawain said. His hound gave a lonely howl, seemingly just outside the door. “A fire nymph is waiting.”
    “Indeed,” Arthur whispered. “You will join me and together we will do all in our power to root out Morgana’s plots. No matter the personal sacrifice, we shall vow to put an end to her schemes before they can begin in earnest. We will begin our preparation here, now, then we shall spend three days in Avalon, strengthening our hearts and minds and honing our unique skills. We shall brace ourselves for victory in what - if my dreams can be trusted - are quite foreign places.
    “Is there one path, Arthur?” Gawain asked, looking away from the fire at last. “A point of weakness we might exploit right away?”
    “Possibly. The Lady of the Lake may know more by the time we arrive. While I hope and believe we will prevail, Morgana’s empty promises of power, riches and the like have enticed too many already.”
    “You fear if we sever the head of the snake too soon, others who may be worse will take the lead,” said Bors.
    “Yes,” Arthur replied. That was his greatest consternation. “New leaders pose a greater danger because they are unknown to us. Merlin agrees Morgana is training her followers to hide themselves from him and others who would interfere with her plans. When I volunteered to do this alone, he insisted it would be folly. He mounted a tremendous resistance and there were visions of certain failure, in fact.”
    “Your visions or Merlin’s?” Gawain asked.
    “Both.”
    “I see.”
    Arthur bore Gawain’s scrutiny, wondering what the man’s uncanny vision noted that others could not. “What word shall you give? Are you still willing to join me, my friends?”
    “Aye,” Kay said without hesitation.
    “Aye,” Gawain and Bors said on the heels of Kay’s agreement.
    “What is life without risk and adventure?” Bors asked. “And the promise of more of the same after this body fails me is too intriguing to ignore.”
    “My gratitude, friends,” Arthur said. Pushing to his feet, he embraced each man as they stood, hoping he was not cursing them all to a terrible, violent eternity. These men deserved far better in whatever afterlife awaited them. “Then let us proceed with the first step,” Arthur said, reaching back for a flask. “Merlin warns me it’s bitter, but it takes the sting out of the fire nymph’s touch.”
    He removed the cork and touched the flask to his lips, trying not to taste the liquid as it poured down his throat. He handed the flask to Gawain, who drank, winced, and passed it to Kay.
    “Pray tell, what does she intend to touch?” Kay demanded with more curiosity than concern as he dragged the back of his hand over his mouth.
    “Your heart,” Gawain replied before Arthur could explain.
    Arthur had always admired Gawain’s intuition and vision. Long before the magic that solidified the bond with his hound, the knight was ever quick and accurate at sizing up a situation. Be it a battlefield choked with enemies, or the unspoken fear plaguing a friend.
    Bors hissed at the tasted of the bitter liquid. “Why the heart?” he asked, pushing the stopper back into the empty flask.
    “As Merlin explained it to me, the fire nymph’s touch will serve as a defense, shielding your heart against false witness or influence,” Arthur explained. “Her touch shall increase our constancy of purpose.”
    “Will her shield make us immune to Morgana’s influence?” Gawain asked.
    “I hesitate to make such a certain promise, being fully aware of Morgana’s dark power. But I believe in taking every precaution.”
    The fire flickered and leaped. Arthur pushed back the screen and a form