“You know Lia…you were more fun when you weren’t so distracted.”

Ryan’s comment cut through Annalia’s thoughts as she stared absently out the restaurant window and forced her to look over at him as he fed her son. She blinked, and then flushed in embarrassment as he cocked an eyebrow at her pointedly. “I’m sorry Ry. I guess I’ve just been so flighty since Talin left. And things have been stressful,” she admitted as she looked down at her lunch and shifted the salad about slowly as the sounds of the restaurant returned to her awareness.

“Wanna tell me about it? Never know…I might even be able to help,” Ryan suggested with a smirk and was pleased as she smiled a little in return.

“It’s…complicated, Ryan. And truthfully, I don’t think you’d believe me,” Annalia murmured softly as she twirled her fork slightly before stabbing it into the gathered vegetables, chicken, and lite ranch dressing before putting it into her mouth to chew inattentively.

She blinked and focused on her brother as his strong hand rested on her own. She looked into his warm caring eyes as he smiled at her. “Try me, Lia. I’m your brother…the one you told about Avalon and everything that happened there. The one who stood by you when your pregnancy came out and Talin came back into your life. Let me help, sis. Please,” he whispered firmly and made tears come to her eyes as she sniffled.

Nodding, she squeezed his hand and then waited until he had Arthur on his shoulder and had commenced burping him before replying. “It’s very complicated, Ry. And I think we should go someplace else to discuss it. But it does have to do with what had happened in England, so…so, I best start from the beginning,” she concluded hesitantly before finishing her salad.

He nodded in understanding, and then laughed as Arthur released a hearty belch before patting the baby on the back proudly. “That’s my nephew! Burp like a man!” he stated in amusement, which made Annalia laugh. They finished their lunch, and then Annalia packed Arthur into his carrier while Ryan paid for the check. They joined up at the front door and headed out, then grabbed the stroller from her Relay and put Arthur in it before heading for the nearby park.

Annalia began to explain everything that had happened from day one with her, Talin, and their son, Arthur. Ryan stared at her a couple of times and nearly hugged the breath out of her after the part with Arthur’s premature birth before nodding in understanding as she explained what had happened just the other day. “So that’s what had you so frantic. Those servants nearly had you, but Talin must have spelled our parents’ house as well as your own house. And now he’s in England, heading for Avalon?”

“Yes. And he’s hoping to contact old allies, which I’m not sure on, but with how he talks, they are powerful, ancient ties. I just hope he succeeds. I feel a chill in the air and it’s coming after my son,” Annalia murmured as she clenched her hand around her pendant while looking at the clear sky.

“And you, from the sounds of it. You have more importance than just the birth mum of Arthur Pendragon, Lia. And those baddies know it,” Ryan pointed out as they sat down on a bench.

“I know. And it frightens me with the ease that this strange force takes me over. I…it’s like some other higher being is enfolding me and speaking through me and it’s exhilarating as well as terrifying,” Annalia admitted shakily as she tucked a wayward strand of red brown hair behind her ear.

Wrapping his arm around her shoulders soothingly, Ryan kissed her head. “You and Arthur are safe. I’m here and, while I can’t perform magic like my brother in law, I can protect you as best I can. And it seems like your home and mum and da’s home are the safest places to be. Why don’t we head over to your place and we can relax more there?” he suggested with a warm smile, then leaned in to play with his nephew’s tiny fist and earned a curling of the miniature fingers around his own large digit.

Smiling at the sign of love her brother showed to her son, Annalia nodded. “Yea, let’s go then,” she agreed with a soft sigh of relief. She stood up and stretched prior to checking on Arthur’s straps before they started back the way they had come to head for their cars.

Suddenly without warning, the sky darkened to pitch black and lightening flashed across it as the wind whipped out of control around them. People cried out in shock and alarm while pointing up at the sky or at Annalia and her family as Annalia looked around wildly in panic as she saw several figures surrounding her, Ryan, and Arthur. Ryan moved quickly and grabbed her hand while turning them around. “Run!” he cried over the rising gusts and she took off after him while pushing Arthur’s stroller before her as they ran desperately away from the pursuing group. Ryan quickly stopped them and grabbed his wailing nephew from the stroller before resuming their fleeing and even double backed at one point in the hopes to go around their chasers.

But their hope was fruitless as they found themselves surrounded. They looked around madly for an escape as they were encircled, and then Ryan put Arthur into Annalia’s hold before grabbing a large branch. “Stay back, you cloaked bastards! You aren’t getting either my sister or my nephew!” he snarled out warningly as he waved the hefty limb at them.

Mocking laughter floated out as the cloaked figures continued their encompassing movement before soft chanting began to drift out around them. Ryan shook his head as his eye sight began to blur as Annalia cried out to him in fear. He looked over, and then fell over unconscious as the chanting grew in power. Arthur’s wailing mingled with the chanting as Annalia screamed in fear. “TALIN!!”

She looked around frantically as she held Arthur closer while the shadowed group moved in around her and their chanting increasing in power and pitch. She sobbed and tried to escape, fighting and crying out as they were trapped by the chanting. Slowly, she swayed as she felt the dark power of their spell overwhelm her and break her resistance. She fell to the ground unconscious, overpowered by the dark magic that had been cast and Arthur kicked his legs and waved his arms in terror as he sobbed against her still form. The lead figure directed the others to gather Annalia and the terrified baby before they left, disappearing into the woods and leaving Ryan’s unconscious form where he had dropped as the sky cleared.

They went to the airport and disguised their pass through the airport with a spell to distract any who looked at their group too long. Going to the private jet area, they boarded it with their captives and headed for Cardiff, Wales, where the entrance into the ancient Cambrian Mountains led to an even more ancient Road and the balance of power between Good and Evil, Light and Shadow could be shifted either way.

Hours later, they landed in Cardiff, and then headed for the Cambrian Mountains following a pass that was hidden to any that did not have the Ancient blood within them. Two days passed as they drove along until they came to the center of the encompassing range where a mysterious valley appeared. Stopping at the ridge above the valley, they took Annalia and Arthur out of the van and headed towards the path that would lead them into the vale. In the center of the vale stood an enormous silver tree that was reaching its skeletal branches high into the sky. It had silver and crystal leaves on it and glinted with the touch of the sun, welcoming those who sought it with a song that sounded like water playing on crystalline chimes.

As the troupe of Shadow servants climbed carefully down the steep pathway, thunder and dark clouds rolled in over the valley and their ominous presence lent to the appearance of three large figures that rode on horses leading hundreds of other riders. The time drew at hand. Soon, they would have what they needed to defeat the Light and nothing could stop them.

Not even the last of the Merlin.