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But that did not explain what had happened to the rest of the village or why this man had returned, twisted in shape, to harm his wife and child.

Only when we reached the village square did I finally understand.

The putrid scent of decay lingered in the air as we neared the remains of what had once been a festive feast.

As the ground beneath the horses’ hooves squelched with a sickening wetness, I put a hand to my mouth.

Tables had been dragged out and set up around the square. In the center lay the remnants of a massive bonfire where spits of roasted meat had been cooked.

Human meat.

Only gnawed bones remained now, littering the bloodstained tables.

In my mind, I could hear the echoes of the villagers’ final moments. The desperate pleas for mercy for the children. The anguished cries of loved ones as unspeakable acts were committed by those who had returned from battle, corrupted by whatever my father had done to them, transformed beyond recognition.

Draven slid from his horse and came towards me, standing by my side as we bore witness.

At that moment, I couldn’t bear to be touched. He must have sensed this for he made no attempt to do so. Simply stood by my side, vigilant and present.

All I could think of was that we had two pack horses.

I looked back at where Gawain rode at the rear of our party. “The pack horses. Take one. Bring it to the woman. Take enough food for her and the child.”

Gawain nodded. He must have known how very close I was to demanding—nay, begging—him to return with the woman and not simply give her the horse. To escort her all the way to Brightwind and away from this place that had once been her happy home and was now cursed ground.

And so we spent the first night in the silent kingdom of Rheged.

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BOOK 2

CHAPTER 16 - MEDRA

“I’ll tell you the truth. I honestly don’t know what to do with her.”

Crescent was talking to someone about me.

“None of the other children will play with her. I brought Taina over from Noctasia. You know that’s been my plan all along. I introduced them, urged them to play together, then left them alone together for a little while. Only half an hour, mind you. But it was a complete disaster. I’ve never seen Taina so frightened.” He hesitated. “She was... rather unkind.”

“Taina? I’ve never known her to be cruel to another child.” It was Sir Ector’s voice, slow and plodding. He seemed so old to me. Was he the most ancient man in Camelot?

“Nor have I. But with Medra, she was different. I practically begged her to give the girl another chance. I had hoped they would be playmates. But she...” Crescent was hesitating again. “Well, she said Medra was too strange.”

She had called me a freak.

Stupid little Taina. I didn’t want to play with her anyhow. Her and her dumb dolls.

I had ripped her favorite doll’s head clean off and tossed it out the window. She hadn’t told her father that. Was it because she was frightened? Of him? Or of me?

I crept along in the shadows, hiding behind bushes as Crescent and Sir Ector strolled through the cloisters that edged the Queen’s Garden.

“The truth is, Sir Ector,” Crescent was saying, “she is strange. Surely we may admit that, at least to one another. I have never met a child such as her. Not that I don’t care about Medra very much, regardless of how different she may be,” he hastened to add.

“But she is half-fae.” Sir Ector sounded puzzled. “Surely you have seen such things as this. The fae have many features I might find odd or different, but such is your way. Admittedly, perhaps Medra is more unique.”

“Unique?” Crescent gave a laugh that sounded strained. “More unique than any other fae child. More unique than any fae child I have read about or heard of. And believe me, I have tried to find one. I’ve had clerks and librarians scouring the records of Myntra searching for a suitable comparison. A precedent if you will, for, well, for whatever Medra is.”

“And what is it exactly that you think she is?” Sir Ector’s voice was still very soft, but I detected a slight chill. “She is a half-human, half-fae child. Just as I once believed Morgan to be. But she is still a child, Crescent. A very young, very inexperienced child in need of our protection and care. Let neither of us forget that.”