Page 99 of Awakening

“I don’t need to see him.” Trystan concentrated on his target as he turned repeatedly.

The bow hummed, a strange surge of energy permeating his fingers, and Trystan stopped.

It always hits its target.

He opened his eyes and let the arrow loose.

The arrow soared through the darkness, quickly closing in on its target far off in the distance.

“Follow it. Get the sword,” Trystan said, breathless and weakened.

Marc looked at Trystan, catching a pale blue glow in his eyes that slowly faded. He dropped to his knees. “Trystan!”

“I’m fine. Go.”

Marc hesitated.

“Go!”

Marc didn’t want to leave him, but they needed to get Excalibur back. He mounted one of the wolves and charged full speed down the hill towards the arrow’s final destination. Upon reaching it, he discovered it lodged in the back shoulder of the horrible creature that went by the name of Grønn Riddari. A web of light emanated from the point of the arrow, spreading throughout his upper body. Riddari crouched on the ground, backing slowly away from the Prince.

Marc snarled. He dismounted the wolf and approached Grønn Riddari.

“Ah, we meet again, Your Grace,” Grønn hissed. He backed up against the trunk of a tree.

“I’m going to kill you this time.”

“Ah, but you can’t,” Grønn Riddari taunted, laughing wickedly.

“What makes you so sure?” Marc barked.

Grønn Riddari snickered again. “Because only the owner of Excalibur can unleash the power needed to destroy me.”

The sword lay in the grass between them. Marc advanced toward him, his stride hastening. In one swift, uninterrupted move, Marc lifted Excalibur into the air with his foot. He caught the hilt with his hand and lunged toward Grønn Riddari, plunging the point of the blade into his chest.

“There’s just one thing you are mistaken about,” Marc growled. “Iamthe owner.”

“No. It can’t be,” Grønn Riddari squeaked.

“And this is so you can’t hurt Trystan or anyone else ever again.” He pushed the sword deeper into his chest, pinning the vile creature to the tree. The sword began to glow.

Grønn Riddari’s smug expression turned to disbelief as he looked down to see the light from Excalibur penetrating his body from within. He screamed as green and white flames consumed his body and burst through his skin from beneath. Within moments, the fire went out. Only ashes remained.

Marc pulled Excalibur from the trunk of the tree, mounted the wolf, and returned to find Trystan pacing about.

“Trystan!” Marc rode up to him and jumped off the wolf.

“Marc! Did you find him? Did you get the sword?”

“Yes and yes.”

“And what of Grønn Riddari?” Trystan dreaded the thought of what he’d done to him. What he might do still.

Marc stopped inches in front of him. “I can promise you he won’t be bothering anyone ever again.”

“Good.” Trystan sighed with relief. He leaned into Marc and kissed him. “Though I should have liked to see him die.”

“Perchance with Morgaine, you will.” With his arms wrapped around Trystan, Marc looked down into his eyes. “I’ll make sure of it.”