“Further proof that no one should ever listen to Beatrix,” said a comforting voice.
Agatha nestled up to him. “Because from what I just saw, the people are certainly on your side.”
“In times of crisis, the Woods needs a leader,” said Tedros. “Maybe they finally realized that no matter how many mistakes I make, I will always be there to protect them and fight for them and put my life on the line for them, just like my father.”
“Or they’re afraid the Snake’s going to kill them and you’re their only hope,” smiled Agatha.
“That too,” said Tedros.
“Though according to the Snake, he’s actually the Lion. And you’re the Snake,” said Agatha.
“What?”
“When he captured us in Jaunt Jolie, he had a Storian of his own—a fake Storian—that tells the fairy tales from his point of view. And in his version of the story, he’s the Lion and rightful king and you’re the usurping Snake. He claims all of this will only end when everything we think is true is proven ‘untrue.’”
Tedros thought about this. “So when Lies become Truth and Truth becomes Lies.”
“Which is impossible, because the Woods knows this Snake now. They will never confuse him for a Lion,” said Agatha. “He’s the villain of this story. And you’re their hero. That’s why they’re cheering for you.”
“And it’s why I cannot let them down,” said Tedros.
He held her tightly as the castle came into view, a light rain starting to fall.
“Dot doing okay?” he asked. “Or do I need to kiss her back to her senses?”
“I was hoping you’d overhear that. She’ll be fine. By the time I left, she was turning her tears to chocolate and eating them.”
“Gross.”
The ship floated down in front of the castle. Tedros spotted Excalibur in the Blue Tower balcony, now guarded by five men and also sealed off in a huge, thick glass lockbox. Clearly his mother was taking no chances.
The moment the Igraine hit the water, surfing to the docks, the crew bounded to their positions, led by Rhian, lashing the ship to the pier as Hort dropped anchor.
From the railing, Tedros and Agatha watched the knight gather his group on the east dock.
“My team, follow me,” said Rhian, leading Hester, Anadil, Beatrix, and Reena away in the rain, with Dot scurrying and sniffling behind.
“Our turn,” said Tedros, taking Agatha’s hand, about to summon his team—
The king froze, squinting over the railing. Agatha followed his eyes.
There was a woman at the end of the west dock.
She wore all white, her hair the same ghostly color, wet from the rain.
“The Lady of the Lake?” Agatha breathed as she and Tedros moved closer—
Only now they could see the woman’s face.
Tedros squeezed Agatha’s hand. “Take our group and go,” he ordered.
“Let me come with—”
Tedros kissed her gently. “Go. I’ll see you inside.”
Agatha nodded. She gathered Hort, Nicola, Kiko, Willam, and Bogden and herded them down the east dock and into the castle.
Tedros came off the ship alone and faced the woman in white.
A key made of glass dangled from a chain around her neck.
“The Snake will have to kill me to get this key,” said Guinevere. “He won’t touch Excalibur as long as I’m alive.”
“I’m sorry, Mother,” Tedros rasped, trying to quell his emotion.
“My hair changed color the moment I heard the news,” said Guinevere. “And yet, I haven’t been able to cry.”
“He loved you so much,” said her son, his voice breaking. “In a way Dad never could. You were everything to Lance. He said it to me as he . . . as he . . .”
Guinevere pulled him into her arms. “He loved you too, Tedros. Like his own son. Even if he wasn’t always sure how to show it.”
“Why did he kill Lance? Why not me?” Tedros breathed, rain falling on his face.
“Remember what Merlin said,” his mother whispered. “He wants to break you. To take away everything you love so you’ll be too weak to fight back. But you have to fight back, Tedros. You have to stay strong. Both of us do.”
She tilted his chin towards her.
Tedros looked into his mother’s fiery eyes.
“We can’t let that monster win,” said Guinevere.
Tedros swept through the White Tower, his crown back on his head, peering at a map of the castle grounds in one hand and a ledger accounting for all of Camelot’s weapons in the other. He crossed through the staff dining hall, now turned into a war room, where Chef Silkima and her cooks were filling giant barrels with cooking oil.
“How many barrels, Silkima?” Tedros asked, without stopping.
“Sixty-four, sire.”
“And they’ll detonate easily?”
“At first flame, sire.”
The young king strode out of the hall and saw Hort in the corridor, helplessly surrounded by heaps of broken and rusted weapons: maces, spears, axes, swords— “This is a holy mess,” said Hort.
“Which is why I wanted a Hort on my team to fix it,” said Tedros.
“Aye-aye, sire,” said Hort.
Tedros veered into the next hall, where Kiko was standing with a beefy, shirtless guard amidst piles of mismatched pieces of armor that Kiko was trying to fit back together. Tedros raised his brows.
“I told him that if I could watch him put the armor on, then maybe I’d see how it all goes,” Kiko defended.
Tedros shoved past them and peeked into the stewards’ common room, where two maids were trying to repair a mound of splintered bows and arrows. He glimpsed a few newspapers spread out on a table. On top was the Jaunt Jolie Journal— KING TEDROS’ CREW BUNGLES
SNAKE CAPTURE! LANCELOT DEAD!
SNAKE ON THE LOOSE!
Tedros flung it aside to see the latest Camelot Courier—
SNAKE EYES CAMELOT!
IS THE LION OUR ONLY HOPE?
Tedros lifted it up to see the Royal Rot underneath, a huge portrait of Rhian and Sophie on its front page— DREAMY LION IN LOVE
WITH TEDROS’ EX-FLAME?
Tedros rolled his eyes, hurrying back into the hall. Agatha accosted him, Reaper at her heels.
“Guinevere and I met with the Treasury Master. Good news is the leaders of our allied kingdoms are contributing weapons, armor, and men to our army. Bad news is they’re only doing this on the condition that the ‘Lion’ lead that army instead of you, since a) he saved so many of their kingdoms from the Snake, and b) they blame you for losing the Snake last night, since Dot is your friend.”
“And is there a reason these leaders won’t tell me this to my face?” Tedros asked, frowning.
“When they found out the Lion was in town, they went gaggling out of the castle to try and meet him. Dragged your mother with them.”
“Whatever,” Tedros growled. “Let them think Rhian is leading the army. He’s my knight. His loyalty is to me, not them.”
“How else can I help?” Agatha pressed.
“Check on Rhian’s team in Maker’s Market. I’m worried the Snake or his thugs will find their way in, especially if my mother’s down there,” said Tedros. “If you see anything, shoot your glow into the sky. Don’t try and fight them yourselves. Deal?”
“Deal,” said Agatha, hurrying away.
“Agatha?”
She turned.