The rise of avalon, p.1
The Rise of Avalon, page 1
The Rise of Avalon
DUET PART TWO
KNIGHTS OF CAMELOT
D WILLIAMS
The Rise of Avalon: A Knights of Camelot Duet Book 2
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This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locale, or organizations is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2023 D Williams
Edited by D Williams, and MorningStar Beta Babes
Cover by AM Design Studios
Map by EternalGeekery
Dream and live like anything is possible.
Do not fear the unknown.
You will be surprised by what you find every time.
-D Williams
Acknowledgments
Thank you all to my fans who took a chance on my take of all these famous stories.
The original thought was for this to be a ten-book series and I may still finish it in the future. But for now, I think the duet is it for now.
Sometimes a break is exactly what an author needs to recharge their story well. For now, know that I am still working on more books and will circle back to this storyline when it’s the right time.
Thank you
Contents
Synopsis
Prologue
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Epilogue
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Synopsis
Centuries I have waited to break the curse that has plagued my people for my recklessness in trusting the wrong person.
The cost of my mistake has been too high. Now on the eve of ending all these years of suffering, she is stolen from me.
My mate has been taken from right under my nose, which means only one thing. There is a traitor among my ranks. I must save her above all cost, for she carries with her our salvation. This castle is no longer safe, and I must protect the ones I love while separating friends from foes. We’ll need to go into hiding, leaving our protection to the Mages yet again. The full moon is approaching, and if we don’t break the curse before it wains, all will be lost. I pray history does not repeat itself.
Avalon will Rise.
To Defend Their Queen.
Prologue
“CAMELOT!”
I hear Emily scream and sob harder. She was only trying to save my life but had doomed us all with just that one word. The questions will never stop now.
“Preposterous. That is a children’s fable. Do you view me as a fool, Ms. Sommer?” The hit Emily takes echoes off the walls, but the roar she lets out is louder.
“You’re a fucking idiot! And when they come for us, you’re going to wish for a normal death.” Emily spits in Bruno’s face.
He swings his arm back to hit her again as the room folds with red light and alarms start to sound. He drops his hold on Emily and rushes over to an old-style telephone.
“Da,” He yells over the alarm, and I turn my attention to Emily.
Her cheek is bright red, her lip split and bleeding. But it’s her eyes that scare me the most.
I’m not sure anyone is going to need to avenge her honor. They’ll just need to hand her a blade. Killing him will be her honor, no one else’s.
The submarine rattles, shakes, and then tilts sideways. The sudden change makes Bruno lose his footing, and he slams into the opposite wall.
“What’s going on? Are we sinking?” Emily screams as we hang listlessly to the side from our chains.
Bruno is knocked out cold, and I swallow hard. Drowning does not agree with me. Not knowing how to answer, I conserve my energy and look up at the chains that are holding us.
If I could just reach the bolt holding it in place to the ceiling, I might be able to get free. The handcuffs I’d deal with after. I stretch my arms higher but fall short by several inches.
“FUCK! I’m too short. Emily, can you reach that bolt above your head? If you pull it out, you should drop to the floor.” She nods and tries to reach it as well.
She curses and then props her foot on the edge of a table and pushes off with a grunt.
“Got it! OUCH,” She falls to the floor hard and slides, into the table that helped her a moment ago.
“Hurry,” I hiss, seeing Bruno starting to wake.
Emily sees me eyeing him and picks up a chair, brings it over her head, and hits the man three times over the head.
“NEVER! HIT! A LADY!” She yells with each hit.
She throws the chair and rushes over to me.
“Feel better?” I ask as she lets me down.
“No,” she goes back over to him and searches his pockets, finds the handcuff key, and removes our cuffs.
I pick up his gun and gingerly pinch it between my thumb and forefinger.
“Good idea! Let’s shoot him.” Emily grabs it and points it at Bruno’s head.
“Um, Em? Pressurized environment.” The Scientist in her regains control, and she drops the weapon to her side.
“Right,” She nods and goes to the door.
As soon as the door opens, the sirens get louder, and water rushes into our room, quickly rising to our ankles.
“Oh, that’s not good.” My ears start to pop, and it seems the submarine is surfacing.
“Stay behind me. I’m shooting anything that comes our way.” I want to argue, but seeing as we need to get the fuck off this sinking vessel, another hole in the cabin won’t do much more damage.
We hold the wall as we walk down the corridor.
“It’s like a fun house,” Emily giggles, and I frown.
Is she concussed?
“Not the time Em,” I mutter when we get to an intersection.
“Left or right?” We look both ways, and I notice the water flowing right, so I point left.
“That way seems drier.” We rush up and come to a set of metal stairs.
Slowly we start climbing them. Voices yelling over the alarms bring us to a stop, and Emily peers over a landing to see what’s going on.
“Four guys, standing in front of a bunch of old ass computers.” She whispers in my ear loud enough for me to hear.
The submarine shakes again and then moves faster than should be normally possible. It spins in a circle and makes us fall down the metal steps.
A crunching sound fills my ears as I try to sit up and fall back from the pain in my left leg. I look at it and see a gash running from my knee to my foot, blood mixing with the water on the floor.
Sunshine falls on my face before the roar of a dragon makes me look up.
“Hello, my love,” I whisper to Jordy before passing out.
Chapter
One
THUR
“When will she wake?” I curse myself for not reaching out to her through the bond to warn her.
I watch as I pace while Merlín knits her leg together.
“When she wakes, majesty. These things should not be rushed.” The Magi smiles up at me warmly, and Jörmungandr roars in my head.
Hurt mate.
We both did I sigh at my beast and sit down with my head in my hands.
I purposely didn’t send a warning so she wouldn’t foolishly try to help, and look what it got me. My mate is unconscious with a scar on her leg.
A consistent reminder of my failures to look at for all eternity.
“Sire,” I raise my head to look at Lance.
“The meeting you requested?” I nod and stand.
“Stay with her,” It comes out as an order, but he knows it’s more of a plea.
“Always.” He nods with his fist over his heart.
“Magi, she is to feel no pain.” I glare at him, and he waves an old wrinkled hand at me.
“Off with you. Your mate is in capable hands.” He never takes his eyes off the wound he’s healing.
The bonds of the magic glittering in the air around Gwyn’s leg tell me he has the matter under control, and I force myself to leave the room.
Jordy rumbles his disapproval but doesn’t comment. I feel a flutter of warmth coming through the mating bond and the tendrils of dread I’ve been feeling finally ease.
She’s not awake yet, but she will be by the time I’m done with this, what did Percy call it? News conference?
The technology of the human world is crude,
“Calm, Percival. They are both safe and healing with the Magi. Lance stands watch while we take care of these matters. I look around the room with a frown.
“How have they lived like this for so long?” There is barely any room to move with all the bulky equipment filling up the space.
“Stars, your Majesty, I do not know.” Perry shares my confusion at all the humans brought with them for this interview.
“Are you, the King?” A blond man with a nervous smile approaches me with his hand out to shake.
I raise my chin and nod once, not wasting words that I don’t need to.
“May I introduce his Majesty, Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot.” The man’s eyes widen, and I smirk.
“Welcome to Avalon. I trust your journey here was a pleasant one?” I walk around the man to a chair that has been set up in front of the cameras.
I take a seat and fold my hands in my lap, waiting for the humans to start this inquisition. The blonde takes the seat in front of me and smiles at the camera that faces him directly.
“Do you have any questions before we begin?” He addresses me directly, and I shake my head.
“Percival has given you the list of approved questions. As long as you do not deviate, I see no issue with continuing.” A young woman approaches me with a tiny microphone and taps her shoulder.
I take it from her and clip it on my robes.
“Soundcheck,” Someone shouts, and then some music starts playing.
“Ready?” The blonde man nods, and then he turns to me.
“Good evening, and thank you for joining us for this special news broadcast. I’m your host, Ethan Frost. Today we are live, off the shore of Scotland, where you all know there have been some out-of-this-world developments. We are here to clear up all the rumors you’ve heard. I am pleased to introduce you all to King Arthur.” He pauses for dramatic effect before chuckling and continuing on.
The cameras switch to me as he starts talking again.
“Yes, you heard that right, this is the King of legend, and he’s not human, ladies and gentlemen. He’s an Elf.” I raise an eyebrow and nod.
“Indeed I am. It seems our stories have been altered through your history. I am here with you today to right those wrongs. Starting with a bit of a cliché phrase but nonetheless true.” It’s my turn to pause for a flair of the dramatic.
“We come in peace.” I spread my hands wider than the grin on my face when I feel Gwyn fully awake and giggling through our bond.
Chapter
Two
GWYN
I blink a few times and move my arms.
Wait.
My shoulder doesn’t hurt anymore.
“Easy, my Queen. You have been through quite an ordeal.” Lance’s beautiful smile is the first thing I see when my eyes finally focus on the low light of this…hut?
“Where are we?” I try to sit, but a hand on my belly brings me up short.
I hear a growl in my head. Jordy is not happy with someone else touching me.
“Calm, your Majesty. All is well. Your leg is almost healed. No reason for your beast to eat me.” Merlín chuckles as he rolls his hands in a circle and sits back, smiling at me.
“Enough of your theoretics Magi. Is the Queen ready for transport?” Lance’s normal easygoing manners are no wear to be found.
Frowning, I tune into our bond.
Stress, agitation, and worry are all coming from Thur. Lance’s emotions are darker. Anger, bitterness, betrayal, revenge.
“Wow, I can tell you apart now.” I blink my eyes open and manage to sit up this time with the assistance of Merlín.
“I’ll let you two have a moment.” The old wizard walks to the wall where his walking stick is leaning.
When he touches it, the wood sparks and glows white for a second, making me squint. Before the door is fully closed, Lance has me in his arms.
“Stars, we were so worried,” His kiss sears me and has me panting by the time he pulls away from me to rest his forehead on mine.
“Missed you too, handsome. Where’s Thur?” I search through our bond and hear the echo of his voice whisper in my mind.
We come in peace…
I giggle and cover my mouth in shock.
“Who is he speaking to?” I look around us in amusement at Thur’s words.
“Mm, his Majesty is giving a press conference.” That stops me short, and I glare at him.
“Excuse me? As in, he’s sitting for an interview with humans?” I flip the sheet that was covering my modesty from Merlín off and push to a standing position by the world spins on me, and I catch myself on Lance’s shoulder.
“Gwyn! Slowly darling. You were unconscious for some time. You need rest, food, and more healing. Let our King handle the humans. Contrary to popular belief, he can be rather eloquent with his words when needed.” Sure, he can.
“Right. The problem is the humans don’t play fair, and a simple interview can turn into an inquisition quickly.” Lance smirks at me.
“That’s what Thur called it.” I roll my eyes.
“Help me dress.” I search the room and find no clothing.
“Why would I do that? I’m thoroughly enjoying the view.” I bite my lip, trying not to smile as his eyes roam my curves.
“LANCE! He needs a human to help him through this interview. Please?” He sighs and stands, handing me a bundle that was blocked from my view while he sat on the bed I was laying on.
“Thank you.” I take it and shake out the dress before pulling it over my head.
“I’ll have Emily come in to help you.” He steals a quick kiss before as soon as my head clears the material.
He vanishes out the same door Merlín used, and a moment later, Emily busts in with a crazy look in her eye.
“They broadcasting him around the world. The New Regime will twist this to their advantage. Don’t they have a press advisor on Avalon?’ I shrug as I twist the straps of the dress around me and then give up.
“What press? Have you seen a television here? Help me with this so I can get to him. He has no idea what our government is capable of.” Emily rushes over and has the dress wrapped around my body like a glove in ten seconds flat.
I open the door and find Lance and Percy waiting for us.
“Take me to the King.” The soldiers snap to attention, and both bang their chests.
“Yes, my Queen!” That’s when I notice the additional members of the guard in the room.
I blush but keep my head held high.
Precious one, come to me.
The ghost of a whisper from Thur runs through my mind, and I smile. I’ve worked out his and Lance’s mental voices, but when it’s a growly demand, Jordy’s scaly face fills my vision.
A shiver runs through me as we walk out of Merlín’s hut to board the transports. Lance’s hand never leaves the small of my back, so he felt the reaction I had.
“Soon, darling. You’ll have your fill of all of us.” He grins at my facial expression.
“What do you mean by that?” Emily asks to make me blush harder.
“The mating ceremony is tomorrow evening,” Lance announces with confidence.
“Well, that was a shit bachelorette party.” Emily pokes fun at the serious situation we found ourselves in.
“Wait, what happened to the crew of the submarine?” I turn to Lance, who looks away from me rather than answer.
“Under guard in the dungeons, my Queen,” Percy answers instead.
