The Dragon King by Nils Johnson-Shelton

thing I hate about my injuries is that they’ve kept me out of the mix. You’re stuck with me, sire. I don’t plan on missing any more action.”
    “I should probably stay here, kiddos.” Lance looked wistfully at his still-healing leg. “Numinae says I’ll be back in shooting form in a couple days, but at the moment I’m plowed. Speaking of shooting—while you’re there can you grab my spare bow? It’s in the trunk of my cab, which I left parked in your driveway.”
    “You got it, Lance,” Artie said.
    Kay stood. “You know I’m in, Bro. A shower in our bathroom sounds like winning the lottery at this point.”
    “Ditto,” Artie said.
    “Yeah, you do kind of reek, Artie,” Erik observed.
    There was a pause, then Qwon said quietly, “I’d like to go home too, Artie.”
    They fell silent as Artie looked at Qwon. Of course she wanted to go home! Hadn’t that been what he’d wanted too until this whole Avalon whirlwind? “I know. I promised your mom I’d bring you back, and I will.” He looked from knight to knight. “Well, what are we waiting for?”
    Bercilak shot his arm into the air. “Ooh, sire! Can I come too?”
    Lance turned to the Green Knight. “Uh, I’m not sure that’d be such a hot idea. A walking, talking, empty suit of plate mail isn’t exactly normal , sorry to say.”
    Bercilak lowered his hand tentatively. “But . . .”
    “He’s right, Bercy. Let us check it out first,” Kay said. “Then we’ll bring you over for a nice meal of Mountain Dew and Big Macs. Real American junk food. You’ll love it.”
    Bercilak shook off his disappointment and said, “I’ve waited this long, what’s a little longer?”
    “That’s the spirit,” Kay said.
    Artie turned to Dred. “What about you?”
    Dred beamed. “Of course I want to come to your side! You are my brother.”
    “While you’re in Shadyside, I’ll go to the Library,” Numinae said, “and do some of my own research on the Grail.”
    Thumb jerked his head. “I’ll join you, mate.”
    “Splendid.”
    Kay clapped, “Well, let’s do this!”
    Artie pulled Excalibur from his scabbard and led them to the yard and, finally, back to Shadyside.
    Artie opened a moongate that deposited them smack in the middle of the Kingfishers’ backyard, and he, Kay, Dred, Qwon, Bedevere, and Erik crossed over. It was a dark night in Pennsylvania—no moon, no stars. Barely visible over their fence’s edge, a streetlamp flickered weakly, as if the bulb was dying.
    Artie drew a breath through his nostrils. The air was crisp and fresh, but also tinged with an acrid waft of garbage. It must be pickup day tomorrow, he thought. People here were going about their daily lives.
    He didn’t say it, but he was jealous. He wanted a daily life, too. One that wasn’t so dang nuts.
    He looked to his house. “Well, here we are. Castle Kingfisher.”
    “What time is it?” Kay asked.
    Qwon illuminated the face of her pink digital watch. “Two seventeen a.m.”
    Dred spun in a circle. He took in the tall trees of the suburbs, the Kingfishers’ nice but modest home, the large yard, and Kynder’s neglected vegetable garden. “It doesn’t look that much different from the Otherworld.”
    “It is,” Bedevere assured him. “Cars, planes, too many people. Food is better though. And they have this thing called TV, which is like a sangrealitic picture machine. It’s pretty—what do you say, Kay?—dope.”
    “Sure is, Bedevere. We’ll make a regular teenager out of you yet.” Kay shivered. “But let’s go inside. It’s chilly .”
    Kay kicked along the grass toward the patio, fallen leaves crunching underfoot. The others followed; Artie and Dred brought up the rear. As Kay crossed the deck, Dred stopped and put a hand on Artie’s arm.
    Artie stopped too. “What is it?”
    “Artie, if we have to go to Castel Deorc Wæters to see Morgaine, you should know that the place we were born is . . . well, it’s pretty messed up.”
    Artie frowned.