Arthur dropped to the ground, his breathing shallow and quick.
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"Guinevere," he called weakly.
My mother opened her eyes. She was wounded, but even in her weakened state, she could hear the life fading from his voice. She staggered to her feet and leaning into me, we limped to where Arthur lay in a pool of blood. She dropped to his side, picking up his hand.
"I’m so sorry, Arthur," she murmured, stroking his hair back from his face. "You did not deserve this."
"I did not?" he asked simply. "I did not deserve a beautiful wife and the love of an entire country? I have been blessed, wife. Do not cry for me," he said as he watched tears stream down her cheeks. "I will leave here at peace, for I have done what I was sent here to do."
His eyes fluttered closed and my chest froze. I couldn’t breathe or swallow the lump in my throat at the sight of this great fallen king. My mother continued to hold his hand as every knight in the field dropped to one knee and lowered his head in deference to Arthur. Even the Saxons stood still, allowing the Britons a moment to honor their dead king.
Except for one. Gunner stealthily crept behind Lucan and Bedivere, his cold hazel eyes focused with unwavering clarity on his target. His face was as menacing as I’d ever seen.
"Lucan!" I screamed, gesturing wildly toward Gunner.
But it was too late. Lucan barely had time to turn, injured as he already was, before Gunner’s lance ran him through. Lucan’s head was thrown back and he hung limply on the lance, his feet shaking, before Gunner yanked it away. Lucan dropped to the ground.
I cried out, then watched gratefully as Bedivere drew his sword and charged at Gunner, strategically drawing the Saxon away from Lucan. Lucan lay flat on his back, his chest shuddering slowly as blood poured from his gaping wound. I knew I wouldn’t get there in time if I ran like a mortal, so I materialized next to his side in the blink of an eye. I didn’t care who saw me.
Lucan’s eyes were already turning cloudy and I collapsed onto his chest.
"I cannot do this again, Lucan," I cried. "This is too horrible, too wrong. Please, my love. Please."
He stared at me weakly, raising one shaking hand to my face, resting his fingers against my lips.
"Harmonia, you know this isn’t forever. I shall see you in a moment. I will wake in the Spiritlands, I promise you. Come meet me there."
"You promise you’ll be there?" I uttered haltingly.
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Blood dripped from my husband’s lips and he couldn’t speak but he nodded. That was the last movement he would make. His chest shuddered to a stop and he died. My screams were loud enough to reach the corners of the earth.
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Chapter Twenty Four
A moment later, I felt my mother’s cool hands on my shoulders.
"Harmonia, do not weep. We are done here. It is done. Let us return home, where I know Cadmus is waiting."
I turned into her embrace, unable to stop the flow of my tears. Over her shoulder, I saw Lucan’s lifeless body crumpled into the grass and I squeezed my eyes tightly closed. This never got any easier.
Ares and Ahmose joined us and my mother called to Hecate.
The next thing I knew, we were standing in the flowering courtyard of Zeus’ palace.
As soon as I opened my eyes and realized where I was, I took off like lightning through the falling lotus blossoms for the palace doors. Flying inside, I streaked up the marble steps to my bedchambers. Throwing open the doors, I pushed past Ortrera’s warriors and stopped short.
Cadmus was sitting on the table where I had left him. As he looked up and saw me, his face lit up in a grin and he stood, opening his strong arms. I flew into him with a crash and we toppled over onto the cushions.
"I can never watch you die again," I cried as tears streaked down my cheeks and fell onto him. "I cannot do it. Are you listening?"
He laughed, the most welcome sound I had ever heard, as he stroked my hair.
"Have I mentioned lately that you’re very beautiful?" he asked with a smile.
"There has never been a woman in all of history who has been as lovely as you are."
"Don’t change the subject," I growled against his neck as I showered him in kisses.
"I am never, ever, ever going to watch you die again. I can’t believe you put me through it."
"As if I had a choice," he replied wryly. "The wastelands were no picnic, I can assure you."
I inhaled him, stroking his face and his chest before kissing him soundly. I didn’t want to take my hands from him—I wanted to stay with him forever. After seeing how lifeless he was in the Wastelands, I would never get enough of his vitality. I would absorb it if I could.
"That was horrible, I agree," I said softly. "But you’re here now. And trust me, I’m never letting you go again."
I climbed off of him and pulled him to his feet. "Let us go and get Raquel," I urged.
"Let us get our daughter."
He studied me for a brief moment before smiling. "Perhaps, just maybe, you might want to change your clothing first."
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I glanced down and found my dress tattered and blood-stained. My hair was a tangled mess. I looked like I had just fought a battle, which of course, I had.
"You might be right," I agreed. Waving my hand, I dressed myself in a clean white frock and my hair was instantly arranged in a neat chignon.
"Better?" I grinned.
"Almost," he replied, wiping at a smear of blood on my chin. "Now you’re perfect."
Leaning up, I kissed him softly on the mouth, leaning into him as he deepened the kiss. He tasted like sunshine and I vowed never to move from his arms.
Someone cleared their throat from the doorway and I turned my head to find Aphrodite watching us with a smirk.
"I told you so, Harmonia," she announced. "I knew Cadmus would be here and all would be well."
My thoughts returned to the knights of the roundtable, slain on that bloody field.
"Some of us are well," I answered softly. "Only some of us."
She studied me for a moment, her lovely face thoughtful.
"Harmonia, we cannot change the mortal world. They eventually die. And those knights, they died with valor, the way they all prayed to go."
"Your mother is right," Ares announced from behind Aphrodite. He walked past her to scoop me up in a hearty bear hug and squeezed me until I couldn’t breathe.