Forbidden Love - Merlyn [2]

Chapter Sixty-Seven: Unwanted Answers Found

Merlyn knew she wouldn't find anything of interest in Gaius' books. She knew that there was one being who would know so much more ... as long as he was awake. Merlyn ran all the way down to the caverns, grabbing one of the torches that decorated the hall's walls. Merlyn knew the path well and charged down the steps, leaping towards the bottom. She appeared into the cavern panting, her eyes immediately locking onto the rock that rose into the centre of the cavern. Upon it rested a curled-up dragon, who slowly moved with each breath it took.

"What's going on? Why is everyone asleep?!" Merlyn called out to the creature to which a snore returned. Kilgharrah was asleep! Merlyn didn't know what to do or say at the revelation. Kilgharrah's snores echoed through the cavern continuously informing Merlyn of his slumber. The young witch ran her hand over her pulled back hair, clutching at the roots. Without the dragon, Merlyn had no answers, she had no way of figuring anything out. The books had no answers and neither did she. Merlyn found herself beginning to pace as the situation overwhelmed her.

Just when she needed Kilgharrah ... again. Sighing, Merlyn stopped pacing and looked back over to the dragon. Hearing the dragon's snores once more caused Merlyn to stop for a moment. No one else was snoring. Every single person in Camelot was asleep and not one of them was snoring – and Merlyn knew some of them snored in their sleep (Gaius for example) – so why was the dragon snoring whilst everyone else was silent? Narrowing her eyes, Merlyn stepped forward towards the dragon with suspicion.

Was he asleep?

There was no harm in calling the dragon's bluff; if he was awake then he would answer her, if he was asleep then he would not. With as much authority as she could muster, Merlyn spoke out towards the dragon.

"Kilgharrah I know you're not asleep and Camelot is on its knees. Someone has cast a sleeping spell on the castle and the Knights of Medhir are right up our asses. Help me."

Suddenly, the Great Dragon's snores stopped and his giant head lifted from his front legs which he had been resting his head on. Merlyn internally sighed at the movement; she was relieved to know her bluff had worked.

"Only if you fulfil your promise" Kilgharrah replied, his deep voice clearly set in anger. His words caused Merlyn's body to tighten once more. She knew what he was asking for. However, after Merlyn had seen the future within the Crystal of Neahtid she had been much more reluctant to release the dragon. The images had been ones of Kilgharrah attacking Camelot and they were burned into her memory with clarity.

"Have you figured out a way to free yourself yet?" Merlyn asked. She had been searching herself though that had stopped around the time of the crystal debacle but she feared that the dragon would figure it out eventually ... and she was not wrong.

"Yes."

"How?" Merlyn asked quietly, the word echoing in the cavern.

"To free me you must steal a sword from the Knights of Medhir. Their blades were forged by the Old Religion. If you harness its power to your own, you will have the strength to break the chains with which Uther Pendragon keeps me prisoner." Merlyn hated that answer so much. It involved her freeing him after this incident was stopped. Once the Knights froze, she could and would have to free the Great Dragon, despite the future she had seen.

"I will free you ... as I promised I would" Merlyn stressed but she didn't have the time to free him nor the inclination in that moment. "But if, and only if, I save Camelot from the Knights and wake everyone up. Something that will need your help." She was pleading with him but Kilgharrah had had enough and was not going to budge on the matter.

"How do I know you will keep your promise?" Kilgharrah asked narrowing his eyes upon the young witch. He knew she was being hesitate about freeing him and Merlyn could feel herself being backed into a corner.