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I paused, drawing a deep, steadying breath. “The three queens’ Blood waited outside of the ruin, matched up by strength to potentially defeat each other and keep their queen safe. Even centuries ago, the queens didn’t fucking trust each other. They should have been more worried about an external attack, rather than an internal coup. Desideria masked our presence and ordered me to find a way inside. Rather than killing them all to raise the alarm, I slit the throats of the weakest Blood, one from each queen. She took enough of their blood to gain access to each queen’s blood circle. She brought me through to the innermost sanctum. Where she then ordered me to kill them.”
I exhaled a long, controlled breath, allowing the words to flow out of me as my shoulders fell. “I killed the first queen, and the deed was done. Because they were bound to the table, killing one queen killed them all.”
The fucking truth.
I didn’t try to convey the horror I’d felt. The atrocity. I knew full well I’d sinned against the Great Mother Herself.
Slaughtering three queens doing the Great Mother’s will. In Her presence. Her replica stared at me from the table. Watching me raise the sword and strike.
All because one insane queen blinded by her thirst for power commanded it.
Shara’s bond flowed through me, trying to soothe away the crippling guilt. :You had no choice.:
:There’s always a choice,: I replied. :I could have broken my solemn oath and damned myself from ever carrying another sword with honor for all eternity rather than execute another queen. I chose to honor my oath, even though she used that honor to enslave me.:
Everyone sat in silence while I slowly climbed to my feet. The Templar sword weighed heavily on my back. A silent judgment. I didn’t deserve to carry it. Not after killing for centuries at Desideria’s command, but especially executing Triskeles.
“Guillaume,” Shara said in a soft, gentle voice that still hammered through me. Compelling me to come the last few steps to her.
I couldn’t meet her gaze as I dropped to my knees beside her. Bowing my head, I pressed my forehead to her knees.
And wept.
I wept for the queens who’d died under my sword. The magic this world had lost. The knight who’d first sworn his Templar oaths. Who’d believed in honor and chivalry once upon a time. Ironic the Knights of the Round Table were present as I confessed my most horrific sins to my queen.
Her fingers stroked over my head, soothingly combing through my hair. “If you weren’t a knight of your word, then I wouldn’t have taken you as my Blood. I would’ve been too afraid you’d kill Rik.”
I lifted my head, swallowing hard at the shining light in her eyes. I didn’t deserve her love. “You would have Called other, better Blood, my queen.”
“There is no better Blood than you.” She gathered my murderous hands in hers. Lifted my damaged fingers to her lips so she could kiss each scar. “I wouldn’t have survived long enough to sit in this chair at this table without you by my side. If you want to damn yourself, then damn me along with you.”
“Never, my queen. You deserve only the best.”
“My mother told me there’s always a way around an oath sworn in blood, if you have enough time and are willing to pay the cost.” Her eyes flashed with power, her words echoing through the room even though she didn’t raise her voice. “But Sir Guillaume de Payne Isador’s honor is unbreakable.”
Drawn steel whispered in the silence. I didn’t draw my sword, but whirled toward the threat, still on my knees, arms spread open, shielding my queen with my body.
Sir Lancelot du Lac held his sword before him in both hands, parallel to his body with the tip pointing toward the floor. The sword glowed with pearly power. Blue runes rippled down its blade and a large crystal on the hilt cast rainbows on the darkened ceiling overhead.
Excalibur. Forged in fae magic beyond the Veil on Tír na nÓg’s sparkling shores.
Holding my gaze, he bowed his head, kissed the crystal, and then sheathed the legendary sword once more.
“That is why you live forever, my beloved knight.” Shara wrapped her arms around me, her mouth against my ear. “Not because the Great Mother doesn’t deem you worthy of redemption—but because She needs you here. I need you here. With me. Forever.”
38
SHARA
On my left, Okeanos started to quietly back away. I snagged his hand and kept him down beside me, with my other arm still around Guillaume. Keeping him pressed against me.
My Blood wouldn’t sit with me at the table if I was holding court. But they’d gladly go down on their knees for me. Even in front of legendary Knights of the Round Table and the Queen of Camelot.
I turned my attention to the rest of my guests, meeting each person’s gaze briefly. “So the question we must ask is why has a full Skolos Triune decided to meet a few hundred miles away. What do they hope to accomplish?”
“That’s what I can’t get my mind around,” Gina said. “They’re present—but they’re not actually meeting each other. There’s been no movement from either House in a week.”
“My guess is they’re still trying to hash out the particulars before agreeing to meet in person.” Guillaume replied. “It’s no small thing to come to the table as Triune. In fact, it can be fucking dangerous. The Triskeles queens saw me. They must have known what I was going to do. But they didn’t blink an eye or lift a finger to stop me.”
