Hope (Knights of Av'lor - Book 1)

Sneak peek of GATE, book two of The Knights of Av'lor

Sir Lanclor, the Knight-Commander of the knights of Av'lor, lay upon the stone floor of his childhood home. Not far from his head, remnants of the blood and pus from last night's healing dried upon the floor. He wrinkled his nose and grabbed the edge of the bed. As he pulled himself to his knees, they popped in protest. The empty bed held no answers.

The sheets, coated with soot and blood, reminded him of Lady Kathryn's battle to stay alive. Her breastplate lay in the far corner; its once-white finish coated with grime and dried blood with gashes from her time on the Daemon home world. A muffled yell from the next room brought him to his feet and sent him running into the hall.

Master Vetera, the master healer for the knighthood, cradled the front of his head with his hand as he backed out of the other room into the hallway. His gray wings stood out straight behind him and gradually flattened as he backed against the wall.

"You're safe now, Lady Kathryn. It's me, Master Vetera, the healer. I won't hurt you." Master Vetera made no move to re-enter the room. He noticed Lanclor and motioned for him to join his side. "Sir Lanclor, something's wrong. I checked her dressing, and she hit me when she startled awake. I don't think she recognizes me or knows where she is. She's crouching in the corner, talking to herself. Maybe you can get through to her."

"I don't know what she's been through these last seven months, but I doubt she's had much human contact. We healed her body but not her mind." Sir Lanclor grabbed Vetera's arm and pulled him out of sight of the door. "Fall back to the other room and take care of that head wound. I'll see what I can do."

Vetera nodded and retreated down the hall. Waves of confusion, fear and despair rolled out of the room, settling into Lanclor's mind. His Joining with Kathryn allowed him to sense her whereabouts and emotions, as well as the state of her body. The ache of the wound stretching from her head around to her back would take weeks to fade. Master Vetera considered it safest to let it heal the rest of the way on its own. Lanclor wasn't so sure about that.

He took a cautious step to the door and looked into the room. The light globe near the bed outshone the dancing light of the fire in the hearth. Vetera must have needed the light globe to change her dressing. It took him a few seconds to locate her in the shadowed corner of the room. She held her sword at the ready while flames danced along its blade.

"You're a big bastard, aren't ya? We'll take care of you soon enough." Her clipped tone didn't sound right.

He hadn't seen magic integrated with a weapon before, although he'd read about it. Her use of "we" concerned him. If she Bore someone and he'd taken control of her body, Kathryn might never surface again, but the fact that she hadn't killed Vetera meant she was still somewhat in control. Lanclor wouldn't live for much longer unless he could show her he wasn't a threat.

Lanclor lowered his wings and eased the clasps of his black armor. In slow movements, he removed his armor until he stood before her in his shirt and pants. After a slight hesitation, he removed his shirt so she could not mistake him for anything other than human.

"Lady Kathryn, it's me, Matthis." He used his birth name to remind her of their history together. "You're safe in my mother's house. Master Vetera healed your wounds after I found you near a gate in the woods with a bunch of dead Daemons. I'm here to help you." He knelt upon the floor to make himself smaller and less intimidating.

"Synthakla, she knows this one." The flames along her sword dampened. "Jakob, are you sure?" The sword quivered in Kathryn's hand, then fell to the floor. "Goddamnit! Get out of my fucking head!" She wrapped her hands around the back of her brown hair and curled up into a ball in the corner. The stubs of her severed wings rocked back and forth with her muffled sobs.

Lanclor crawled toward her upon his hands and knees, sliding her sword out of her reach before stopping an arm's length away. "Lady Kathryn...Kate...it's going to be all right. You're back on Av'lor. Let me help you." He reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

"No!"

As her anger overrode his senses, her arm knocked his hand away and he felt the bone of his wrist snap. Cradling his sword hand against his body, he managed to look at her just as her other hand made a pushing motion toward his chest. His body flew backward and the ends of his wings broke against the sides of the doorframe before his back hit the wall of the hallway.

As he slumped against the wall, pain coursed through him. He glanced up, watching Lady Kathryn's approach. Her eyes, once a gentle gray, flared with madness. Now within striking distance, she stretched her sword arm back to lunge. Lanclor didn't delude himself into thinking she wouldn't follow through. He pushed himself to the side with all of his might.

Lanclor's scream of agony overrode the screech of her sword as it drove into the stone wall through his wing. With his wing pinned to the wall, he knew he wouldn't survive. Kate had enough magic to incinerate him without losing stride, and he could do nothing but wait for the inevitable.

"You know, Synthakla, he didn't resist very much. I don't think he's a threat." Lady Kathryn gripped the hilt of the sword, seeming unsure if she wanted to pry it out of the wall. "Silence, Jakob! I will make that judgment." She looked his way, and he felt the power gathering around her.

"Synthakla! Jakob! Stop this immediately. Lady Kathryn is no longer in danger and your insistence upon using her body in its exhausted state will kill her." A commanding voice echoed down the hallway. A tall woman with a regal bearing stood with her hands upon her hips, glaring at Kate. Lanclor's heart sank.

Lady Kathryn whipped around, and Lanclor felt the power continue to gather.

"Did you hear what I said, you fools? You're killing the person you're trying to protect. Remember your oaths and release her body to sleep at once, or so help me, I will make sure nobody Bears you for centuries to come."

The power faded, and Kate braced herself against the wall. She turned his way, tears streaming from her eyes just before she collapsed to the floor.

"Matthis, by the Goddess, let me help get that sword out of your wing." His mother stepped around Kate and positioned herself in front of the sword. Gripping the hilt with both hands, she attempted to pull the sword from the wall without success. She glanced at Lanclor. "I don't know how she got it in here. It shouldn't be possible."

"I think she imbued magic into her sword." Lanclor rose to a crouch with as little movement to his wing as possible. "She's the only one who can pull it out, and I can't wait for her to recover from her exhaustion."

"What do you mean—?"

Lanclor screamed as he forced his wing down, severing the upper half. The woman scrambled to staunch the bleeding with the hem of her healer's robe.

"Damnit, Matthis, you could have let me get some cloth ready rather than forcing me to use my best robe!"

Lanclor clenched his teeth, refusing to acknowledge her. He'd told Vetera to make sure she was out of the house. He should have known the stubborn woman wouldn't leave. "You're not supposed to be here," he growled under his breath.

She pressed harder against his wound, making him clench his teeth. "This is my home. I will not be told to leave, even by you. If it weren't for me, you'd be dead now, so stop complaining."

"I don't understand. How did you know what to say to her?"

"I've dealt with a Soulbearer through the delirium of a fever. You've almost killed me on occasion, although I doubt you'd remember." She avoided his gaze, staring at his partially severed wing.

"I—I'd remember—"

"No, you wouldn't remember. I pray that Lady Kathryn won't remember either. If she knew she kicked her commanding officer's ass, she might decide to take over the knighthood. I'm sure she'd do a great job, but then you'd have to move back in here, and I don't have the resources to feed you anymore." Her voice softened. "They attacked you because you're male, you know. They perceive any male as more powerful than Lady Kathryn in her current state. Now, hold still and let me get started on healing your wing. We'll take care of the rest of you after that."