The lake bubbled and gurgled from its center, where the mirror had plopped into the water. The ripples grew and lit up. Mist formed along the surface, and a gelatinous sea monster with green hair and pearl eyes rose from the lake.
My dad, Robin of Locks—who swore he’d never recognize a claim of sovereignty over him—lowered himself to one knee and bowed by the shore. “Oh, lovely Lady of the Lake—”
“Lovely?” I choked out, stunned, while Dad shot a scathing look at me.
“Thank you for accepting my humble offering.”
“Robin Hood, you have thrown many things into this lake maneuvering for something better in return. Yet, to bring this girl to me again, you are either a fool or more cunning than I had given credit for.”
“Again?” I asked. I probably should have kept my mouth shut, but the legends my dad had told me had never mentioned the Lady of the Lake was a swamp thing. I wasn’t sure what she would do with the mirror. I really hoped she wouldn’t ask it about her fairness, because she wouldn’t like the answer.
“I see,” she said. Her blank, pearl eyes seemed to bore into me. It was an uncomfortable stare to say the least, and my wrist started to burn in response. I clamped down on it and slowly, like a gauzy curtain being drawn back, I had a hazy memory of nearly drowning in this lake. I’d made it out…except I had died anyway.
Remembering any more was slipperier than trying to hold on to the lady’s eel hands.
“I’m sorry, Robin.” She sighed. “Throw in an iron ax and I can return it to you gold, but I cannot reverse what has been done or remake her more than what she is. However, my offer stands. I can keep her in sleep at the bottom of my waters, so that the pestilence does not grow.”
“There’s another way. Excalibur. The sword was forged to break oaths and binds.”
Her pearl eyes flashed. “That is a dangerous idea. Excalibur was made to unite the world under a single banner, to protect those who had been abused and oppressed. It is the liberator.”
Listening to them talk, maybe this sword was exactly what I needed. I really didn’t know which was worse, having my soul swallowed up by Morte or slowly having all that was me replaced by Dorthea. It was like being hung and burned at the stake at the same time—it didn’t really matter which one killed you. Either way, you suffered, and the best you could hope for was a merciful arrow to the heart. Only that wouldn’t work for me since I couldn’t stay dead.
I wasn’t about to bow to the lady, but I did soften my tone and put my hands in front of me to plead. “If the compendium refuses my name and I’m destined to be one of the Forgotten, then I’m going to do that as Rexi, not a puppet of the Emerald curse. Not a pawn for Morte.”
The choppy lake stilled, like a storm calming. “What makes you think you can retrieve the sword while the wicked, gluttonous witch still searches for it?”
I didn’t have an answer for that. I’d forgotten Blanc was looking for Excalibur as well. Guess to be empress, you need the sword of kings.
Dad jumped in when I stayed mute. “My lady, you had to have seen how the tree glowed when I laid her body next to it.” His demeanor changed so slightly most would have missed it. But I knew this smile, this gleam in his eye. This was Robin Hood, the man who could con Tinker Bell into buying a lifetime supply of organic pixie dust. “You said you could feel its presence in Camelot. Take her, and she’ll be drawn to it.” He clapped an arm around my shoulder.
Which I promptly shrugged off. “Camelot? And don’t you mean take us? This was your plan. I’m gonna need your help to pull it off.”
The jelly mass jiggled, swaying back and forth. “Whether Excalibur was stolen or returned of its own accord, I don’t know. Magic has a mind of its own. But Camelot was recently taken over, and it’s now guarded by a powerful force field. The only way to bypass it is through the waters of Avalon. All waters of Story are interconnected and, for the most part, still under my control. If you remember, I gave you a gift so that no water may harm you. I could lead you to Avalon, but unless your father has managed to steal some gills, you will have to go alone.”
“But not for long,” Dad cut in. “Have a little faith, kiddo. I am the greatest thief that ever was. I will go over land and find a way in somehow. And in the meantime, you can keep this with you.” He handed me the golden crossbow from the museum. “You are my daughter. I know you have what it takes, and now you’ll have my double bull’s-eye aim as well.” He put his hands on either side of my face and kissed my forehead. “I swear, I will do whatever it takes to free you of your burden. This sword is the answer to all my troubles.” His smile notched up. “Our troubles.”
The water gurgled. “I said I could lead her, not that I would.”
“But you will,” Robin challenged. “Time is running out. That witch grows stronger, and Rexi is your best hope of keeping Excalibur out of her hands. I have faith in my merry girl. I know that, when the time comes, she’ll do the right thing and save us all.”
Ropes of kelp shot out of the lake, drawing me to the edge. “Poor child. You didn’t want to be a hero or a champion, so I will not ask you to protect the sword for the good of the world, but swear you will seize the sword and turn it back over to my care, if only to save yourself.”
Now that I could promise.
“I swear.”
“Then, Robin, we have an accord.” And without giving me a chance to say good-bye, the kelp yanked me into the lake.
From my place underwater, Dad’s voice was muted, but he said, “Find the sword and I’ll find you.” Or it could have been Mind the swordfish or they’d skewer me. Like I said, words were a bit garbled.
My eyes took a minute to adjust to the murkiness of the lake. But when they did, it didn’t look like we were in the lake at all. The water wasn’t cloudy brown; it was deep blue and bright corals dotted the sandy floor.
I’d been holding my breath out of reflex, but I couldn’t stall breathing forever. A big clown fish and a smaller one with a gimpy fin darted to and fro in front of my face, tickling my nose. Without much choice, I sneezed, scaring off the fish. I tried breathing the water, trusting the Lady of the Lake and my body’s memory that this would work out.
In and out, like normal. Just wetter.
“How are we in the ocean?” I asked, little bubbles coming out of my mouth.
“I said as much before—all the waters in Story are interconnected. And I have dominion over them and all that reside within.”
The lady had not changed with the scenery. She was still as kelpy and swampy as ever. But I suppose it made sense. Since she had domain over all the waters, her body was made of elements of lake, ocean, sea, and pond.
She still had ahold of me with her seaweed hair. And we were going fast enough that some of the aquatic creatures that made up her body kept getting left in our wake—or eaten by bigger fish within her.