Thalassa nodded thoughtfully, her blonde hair drying as we spoke. She lifted a pale hand and brushed it away from her face.
"Of course, Harmonia. I shall keep her under the lake with me. She will be safe, I assure you. My underwater world is protected by enchantment. No one may enter without my permission, not even the Fates."
I turned, motioning Raquel to the front. Kneeling in front of her, I grasped her hands. I started to tell her to go with Thalassa, but hesitated at the frightened look on her small face.
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"Raquel, I must tell you something." I glanced up at Lucan and he quickly joined me, kneeling next to us on one knee. He reached out and grasped my hand.
"This might be hard for you to hear and we will discuss it more later, but I need you to know something before you go." She waited expectantly, playing restlessly with her fingers.
"You are mine," I whispered.
"Yours?" she repeated, confusion apparent on her face and in her voice. "I don’t understand."
"You are mine. And Lucan’s. We aren’t what you think. Our names are really Harmonia and Cadmus and we live in a beautiful place called the Spiritlands. You were taken from us long ago by wretched old women. I’m so sorry that you found out in this way, but I wanted you to know."
She stared at me seriously. "I am not an orphan? You’re my mother, my lady?"
I nodded. "And when this is over, we will be a family and we will be so happy together. I promise."
Lucan spoke up. "I have never seen a prettier little girl. You must get your beautfy from your mother."
Raquel shifted her gaze to him and reached out with a shaking little hand, placing it on Lucan’s cheek.
"Can I call you papa?" she whispered.
Lucan took a sharp breath and his eyes grew watery. I squeezed his hand.
"Of course you can, little one," he answered softly, drawing her into his arms.
"And I will work hard to make you the happiest little girl in the world when we return." He held her for a few minutes longer and then released her. She stepped back.
As I stared at her, I had the sudden need to see her true appearance.
"Hecate?" I turned. "Can you reveal her true face? I know that the Fates disguised her. Can you show her to me?"
Hecate stepped forward and placed her hands on Raquel’s shoulders. She murmured for a moment, her body blocking Raquel from my sight. I waited anxiously, gripping Lucan’s hand. Yes, I knew that we had important things to be doing, but to me, this was the most important thing of all in this moment.
Hecate finally stepped away and there was a collective gasp from everyone.
She looked just like me.
Her skin was a golden tan, her hair dark. She did have her father’s chin, but her eyes were mine. Vivid jade green, they sparkled as she stared at us. I could clearly see why the Fates had disguised her. There is no way that I wouldn’t have known who she was otherwise.
"Is something wrong?" she asked worriedly, her hand unconsciously moving to her throat.
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"No, little one," I answered softly, moving to hug her. "You just look different.
That’s all."
Guiding her shoulders, I led her to the water’s edge where she could see her reflection. When she looked down, she gasped as well.
"I look like you!" she exclaimed, moving her hand to touch her cheeks, her hair, her shoulders. "Just like you."
"Yes," I agreed. "You do. Because you’re my daughter." I would never get tired of saying the words. Gripping her skinny shoulders, I turned her to face me.
"Go with Thalassa," I instructed. "When this is over, we will return for you."
She nodded obediently. "You’ll come back for me?" she asked worriedly.
"Of course we will," I assured her. "Just as soon as this is over and it is safe once again." She nodded trustingly and took Thalassa’s outstretched hand.
"This will be fun," Thalassa promised her with a smile. "Do you like flowers and sea sprites?" Raquel was staring at her in wonder as they submerged into the water and disappeared. A couple of ripples spanned the pool before it went still.
I looked at Hecate and Lucan, taking a deep breath.
"What now?"
Hecate nibbled her lip thoughtfully. "Much has happened over the past couple of days," she said. "While the Fates have changed so much, there are some things that have stayed just the same. Look."
She gestured toward the water and a picture formed on the still surface. There was a banquet in the castle and Mordred was somehow seated at Arthur’s right in Lancelot’s normal seat. Arthur was wearing an icy, dark expression, something I had never seen on his face before. He looked cruel, just as my mother had said. My heart sank in my chest.
I watched Mordred whisper something in the king’s ear and Arthur’s face clouded over. Leaping to his feet, his stormed through the mass of people from the room and down a hall. In a dark corner, Lancelot and Guinevere were sequestered, with Lancelot’s mouth by her ear. I didn’t know what they were doing, but it certainly looked compromising. Arthur rose up in front of them like an avenging, angry god.
"What is this?" King Arthur boomed.
Lancelot jumped away from my mother, but I noticed that he kept her safely behind him. He returned Arthur’s stare without flinching, clearly unafraid, even though he still showed respect.
"Nothing, your highness," Lancelot answered loudly. "It isn’t what it seems."
"Then explain to me what it is!" King Arthur’s voice was sharp enough to cut glass.
"Do you know the penalty for treason? And consorting with the king’s wife is most certainly treason in the highest form."
"Arthur, truly it isn’t…" Guinevere began, but the king cut her off.
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"Be silent!" he roared. "You think to humiliate me in front of my people? You are condemned to death, woman. You can ponder your sins in isolation today. Your crown is stripped from you. You will burn at dawn."
He spun on his heel and whirled around, his cloak swirling.
"Throw them in the dungeons!" he called over his shoulder as he climbed the stairs to his quarters. There was not an ounce of emotion in his voice, but for rage. This was not the Arthur that I knew.