with anger.
Merlin’s volume matched her own. “You don’t have a choice!”
“Enough!” Galahad’s voice blared through the chapel, bouncing off the stone walls and vibrating deep inside her. “Cease this infernal quibbling at once!”
Tessa addressed her words to Galahad and glared at Merlin. “Chill, Big Guy. Keep out of this.”
Merlin stared back. “It’s none of your concern, Galahad.”
“None of my concern?” Disbelief underlaid what Tessa could only call a bellow. “’Tis of great concern to me. My name has been bandied about without care as to my presence. You speak of a quest I know naught of. ’Tis most perplexing and annoying to be discussed by a wizard and a mere woman with no knowledge of the issue at hand.” Galahad was a huge, barely controlled mass of righteous indignation. Wow. He really was impressive. Especially angry.
“Mere woman?” Tessa shook her head and directed her words at Merlin. “Am I going to have to put up with that? Can’t you turn him into a toad or something?”
“I prefer not to at this juncture.” Merlin shrugged. “However, I would not rule it out in the future.”
“He doesn’t know about the quest, does he?”
“What quest!” Galahad roared.
Merlin ignored him. “Not as of yet. The idea has always hovered in the back of his mind but the time was not right. And until His Majesty returns—”
“His Majesty? You mean Arthur?” Unexpected excitement flashed through her.
“Indeed. The king’s return is expected within a few days.” Merlin cast Galahad a benign smile. “All will be explained then, my boy.”
“I would you explain now, my lord Wizard,” Galahad growled.
“Trust me on this one, pal.” Tessa tried to put her arm around his shoulders but he was way too tall for her. Instead, she rested her hand on his arm. “You don’t want to know.”
“Why, Tessa St. James, you surprise me.” Merlin clucked his tongue. “Galahad will be delighted by the news. It’s what he’s always wanted. His destiny.”
“Yeah.” She heaved a heavy sigh. “But he never expected me to be a part of it.”
“So, it’s agreed then.” Merlin’s words were for her alone. “You will accompany him.”
“I guess. I don’t know why I keep fighting it.”
Merlin’s gaze bored into hers. “You have a stubborn spirit, my dear. You have a strength you do not suspect. And there is a capacity within you for greatness. It is why you were chosen.”
“Swell.” She smiled weakly. “So it wasn’t just because I don’t believe?”
Merlin laughed softly. “That is but the icing on the cake. There are countless numbers who share your disbelief. But you are special.”
“Thanks.” She glanced at Galahad. “So what’s in the works for us until the king gets home?”
“Galahad, Lady Tessa is a visitor to Camelot from a land very far from our own—”
“Takes years to get there,” she muttered.
“—I should be grateful if you were to serve as her escort. Show her the castle and the kingdom.”
Galahad swept a low bow. “I would be delighted, my lord. I should like very much to know more of the fair Tessa.”
“I’ll bet,” she said under her breath. “It could be worse, I guess. I could be dead.”
“That’s looking on the bright side, Tessa. You are in for a remarkable adventure, you know.” Merlin’s black eyes glowed. “One you will never forget.”
“I doubt if I’ve ever had a real adventure.” Anticipation trickled through her. Was she actually looking forward to this?
“Of course you are, my dear.” Merlin grinned. “And you well should be.”
“Okay.” She threw up her hands in surrender. “What do we do first?”
“First, I should like you to become familiar with the times and the land you now find yourself in. Acclimate yourself, as it were. Galahad will help.”
“’Twould be my pleasure and honor.” Galahad smiled and Tessa stifled a groan at the look in his eye. Middle Ages or twenty-first
Merlin’s volume matched her own. “You don’t have a choice!”
“Enough!” Galahad’s voice blared through the chapel, bouncing off the stone walls and vibrating deep inside her. “Cease this infernal quibbling at once!”
Tessa addressed her words to Galahad and glared at Merlin. “Chill, Big Guy. Keep out of this.”
Merlin stared back. “It’s none of your concern, Galahad.”
“None of my concern?” Disbelief underlaid what Tessa could only call a bellow. “’Tis of great concern to me. My name has been bandied about without care as to my presence. You speak of a quest I know naught of. ’Tis most perplexing and annoying to be discussed by a wizard and a mere woman with no knowledge of the issue at hand.” Galahad was a huge, barely controlled mass of righteous indignation. Wow. He really was impressive. Especially angry.
“Mere woman?” Tessa shook her head and directed her words at Merlin. “Am I going to have to put up with that? Can’t you turn him into a toad or something?”
“I prefer not to at this juncture.” Merlin shrugged. “However, I would not rule it out in the future.”
“He doesn’t know about the quest, does he?”
“What quest!” Galahad roared.
Merlin ignored him. “Not as of yet. The idea has always hovered in the back of his mind but the time was not right. And until His Majesty returns—”
“His Majesty? You mean Arthur?” Unexpected excitement flashed through her.
“Indeed. The king’s return is expected within a few days.” Merlin cast Galahad a benign smile. “All will be explained then, my boy.”
“I would you explain now, my lord Wizard,” Galahad growled.
“Trust me on this one, pal.” Tessa tried to put her arm around his shoulders but he was way too tall for her. Instead, she rested her hand on his arm. “You don’t want to know.”
“Why, Tessa St. James, you surprise me.” Merlin clucked his tongue. “Galahad will be delighted by the news. It’s what he’s always wanted. His destiny.”
“Yeah.” She heaved a heavy sigh. “But he never expected me to be a part of it.”
“So, it’s agreed then.” Merlin’s words were for her alone. “You will accompany him.”
“I guess. I don’t know why I keep fighting it.”
Merlin’s gaze bored into hers. “You have a stubborn spirit, my dear. You have a strength you do not suspect. And there is a capacity within you for greatness. It is why you were chosen.”
“Swell.” She smiled weakly. “So it wasn’t just because I don’t believe?”
Merlin laughed softly. “That is but the icing on the cake. There are countless numbers who share your disbelief. But you are special.”
“Thanks.” She glanced at Galahad. “So what’s in the works for us until the king gets home?”
“Galahad, Lady Tessa is a visitor to Camelot from a land very far from our own—”
“Takes years to get there,” she muttered.
“—I should be grateful if you were to serve as her escort. Show her the castle and the kingdom.”
Galahad swept a low bow. “I would be delighted, my lord. I should like very much to know more of the fair Tessa.”
“I’ll bet,” she said under her breath. “It could be worse, I guess. I could be dead.”
“That’s looking on the bright side, Tessa. You are in for a remarkable adventure, you know.” Merlin’s black eyes glowed. “One you will never forget.”
“I doubt if I’ve ever had a real adventure.” Anticipation trickled through her. Was she actually looking forward to this?
“Of course you are, my dear.” Merlin grinned. “And you well should be.”
“Okay.” She threw up her hands in surrender. “What do we do first?”
“First, I should like you to become familiar with the times and the land you now find yourself in. Acclimate yourself, as it were. Galahad will help.”
“’Twould be my pleasure and honor.” Galahad smiled and Tessa stifled a groan at the look in his eye. Middle Ages or twenty-first
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