Mistress of Blades by Erin Dulin

Author:Erin Dulin [Dulin, Britt Cooper and Erin]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Young Adult Fantasy Romance
Publisher: Totally Entwined Group
Published: 2022-09-22T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Rory knew where Excalibur was located and had even been to see it as a girl. Her sword master, Drustan, sometimes brought her when he did business in town, which had always fascinated her.

In truth, it still did.

Once, she and her younger sister, Aedra—Drustan and Isolde’s only legitimate child—had been permitted to touch it. Guards surrounded it as always, but for a single day, perhaps because Luther believed all threats to his throne dead, the kingdom allowed anyone who wished to touch the legendary blade an opportunity to do so.

The sun that day had been sweltering, with heat revealing itself in visible ripples undulating in fluid waves above the earth. She had still been known as Gwenivere then, the identity that shielded her from the Chamelautean king’s tyrannical order until she refused to continue hiding.

The princess remembered in vivid detail how skillfully forged the weapon was. Drustan taught her all he knew of his craft, every bit the expert, yet even he admitted Excalibur’s splendor surpassed his ability. All afternoon they awaited their turn, Rory and Aedra gossiping amongst themselves as they watched others approach the sword. Young boys with wooden replicas sparred, dressed as miniature knights of the court, teasing the girls for so much as wanting to make contact with the blade when it would never deem them worthy enough to pull it.

Aurora hadn’t been naive enough to think she might be the one to retrieve Excalibur. In truth, she’d always thought it a ridiculous notion. It was more likely the sword would never budge than for someone honorable to claim it. But when her turn came, she had shuddered. Her reflection had shone in the unblemished steel, free of all tarnish or any indication of its age. An unforgiving sun had caused sweat to bead upon Rory’s brow during their wait, but it was her time.

Instead of reaching for the hilt, the princess couldn’t satisfy her intrigue over the intricate design peeking out from the stone. Upon that mirrored metal was artistry her heart already somehow knew. So little of it could be seen, with the remainder buried inside that dreadful rock, but she had been able to feel it. Drustan gently urged her, but when Aurora had extended her fingers to explore the soft curves engraved into the sword, the world went black.

The memory had been more lucid than any reality.

Disappointment had been her only companion for days, which grieved the princess more than not remembering touching the damned blade. She didn’t want to care about such things, but it all felt pivotal somehow.

Drustan and Isolde had warned her against venturing too close to what was best left in the past, though it was still very much her destiny. Isolde, in particular, was so fearful in all the years following the butchering of Rory’s family that Luther might discover their treachery and end them as well.

While Drustan had trained and prepared Aurora to fight for her rightful position, he and Isolde had advised that she embrace the new life they’d given her.

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