Of Men and Dragons (The Lion of Wales Book 3) by Woodbury Sarah

Author:Woodbury, Sarah [Woodbury, Sarah]
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: The Morgan-Stanwood Publishing Group
Published: 2015-04-24T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter Six

7 December 537 AD

Throughout the night, Myrddin, Huw, and Nell took turns with Cedric, staying near him and checking his breathing and pulse every hour to make sure his concussion wouldn’t settle him into too deep a sleep.

As dawn approached, while Myrddin was sitting by him and Huw and Nell were sleeping, Cedric woke fully for the first time. Myrddin had just tended to the fire, so it burned hot and gave off enough light to see the outline of the ceiling of the barn, the rusting farming implements and equipment that hung on the walls or were stacked along them, and the shapes of his companions.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve slept in a barn.” Cedric’s voice was strong enough for Myrddin to note the amusement in it. “I must have been no older than nine.”

“How do you feel, my lord?” Myrddin rested the back of his hand on Cedric’s forehead, trying to sense whether he had developed a fever. He was cool enough.

“You’ve fought for Arthur your whole life.” Cedric shifted and then winced as pain shot through his leg. “I’m sure you know how I feel.”

“True,” Myrddin said. “In fact, I have a new scar on my leg that mirrors the one you will have on yours. I received it a few weeks ago when a Saxon company tried to take Garth Celyn.”

At that, Cedric, who’d been gazing up at the ceiling, turned his head to look at Myrddin. “You say, ‘tried’. I’d heard your enemies burned the castle to the ground.”

Myrddin stared at him. “Why would you say that?”

Cedric pursed his lips. “Because that’s what the messenger told me.”

Myrddin had a sudden fear that the Saxons had attacked Garth Celyn since they’d left—that the first attempt had been a ruse to make them think they were secure.

Warily, Myrddin said, “On the 24th of November, a fortnight ago, Owain ap Gruffydd and a company of Saxon soldiers attempted to enter Garth Celyn through a tunnel that runs from the beach, north of the castle, into Garth Celyn. We stopped them.”

Cedric pushed up on his elbows, trying to straighten enough to sit up. Myrddin grasped him under his arm to help him.

“You tell me truly?” Cedric said. “The date is correct, but the outcome is not what I was told.”

“Did the rider say who’d been killed?”

“He said that Arthur’s daughter was captured and taken to Mercia, and a host of the king’s personal guard killed, although King Arthur himself escaped.” Cedric paused. “I can see from your face that this is not true.”

“None of it,” Myrddin said. “Not even a morsel. Whom did the messenger serve?”

Cedric pressed into his forehead with two fingers, his eyes closed. “Agravaine.”

“I don’t understand it,” Myrddin said. “Why lie?”

“To counter your victory at the Strait, of course,” Cedric said. “To convince all of us who’ve wavered at times to stay true to Modred.”

“But eventually you’d find out ...” Myrddin’s voice trailed off at the subversive logic. With helpless understanding, he nodded. “By then, Agravaine assumed he’d have killed King Arthur or severely weakened his cause.

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