Read My Merlin Awakening for Free Online

Grey’s family’s house.”
    Her expression dimmed. “Yes, Grey.” She glanced inside a huge bay window that took up half of one side of the house. “Is he inside?”
    I nodded. “What are you doing here? What about school?”
    “School is on break for a week and the Council wanted us—”
    Blake cleared his throat. He glanced at Matt, who remained at the edge of the driveway. “Maybe we should allow Master Emrys to explain.”
    “Should we go inside?” Matt said. “I need to discuss a few things with Sylvia first.”
    An elder guardian, Clarence, with a craggy face and a stern, militant expression marched up. The other guardians fanned out behind him.
    I was surprised when Clarence faced me first and bent his head in acknowledgement. “Ms. DuLac,” he said before his eyes slid over Vane to Matt. “Master Emrys, shall we start preparing? I have twenty more guardians arriving here within the next hour.”
    “Twenty more?” I glanced at the two brothers as they walked closer. “What is going on?”
    Vane shrugged. “Ask him. He’s the wise one.”
    I turned on Matt. “What have you done now?”
    Beside me, I heard Blake exhale a shocked breath. It amazed me that he still placed Matt up on a pedestal.
    Matt colored. “Let’s go inside. Sylvia and Grey need to hear this also. It will be easier to deal with all the questions at once.”
    “Or you could tell me now.” I shouted the words in my head, locking eyes with Matt.
    He returned a bland look. “ Didn’t you want me out of your head?”
    “Uh,” Gia said. “Do you want to warn your family we’re here?”
    Warn Grey ? My heart twisted at the plea in her eyes. I nodded and crossed to a short stack of steps that led up to the front door. Behind me, I heard Matt order Clarence to “Proceed with the preparations.”
    What preparations? I seethed as I entered the manor’s marble foyer. I went into a beautiful living room with mammoth windows on two sidewalls, overlooking the courtyard in the front and advertising a panoramic of the woods in the back. A giant hearth dominated the middle wall.
    The walls gleamed with fresh paint. Couches, armchairs, and end tables all sparkled with newness. While the manor had survived the fire, its interiors had not been so lucky. Before the fire, the manor had been stuffed with antique wooden furniture that scores of Ragnars had collected over time. I called it “Cabin-in-the-woods” chic. Alexa had called it “Pastoral-passé.” After the fire, Sylvia had updated everything to suit her. At least one good thing had come out of the disaster.
    Sitting on the couch, feet up on a marble coffee table, Grey ate popcorn and held a controller. A shooter game played on a sixty-five inch, flat screen TV.
    I pushed his feet off the coffee table. “Do you have any idea what’s going on outside?”
    “Huh?” Grey mumbled, as he fired loudly at a few characters onscreen.
    “Is Sylvia home yet?”
    “Mom was worried after the tremor,” he said between plays. “Wanted to make sure we were okay. Think she’s in the kitchen.”
    I grabbed the controller from him and pointed out the front window.  A crowd of guardians climbed the manor walls and trees, scouting for hiding places.
    Grey sat up straighter. “What the…?”
    Vane strode into the living room. “Hollow Hill Three. I’ve been waiting for this one. Thought it wasn’t supposed to come out for another month though.”
    “Mom got it early from a friend,” Grey said.
    “How many spells did she have to sell to pull that off?” Vane plopped down on the couch beside Grey and took his controller.
    Grey protested, “Hey!”
    Matt walked into the room.
    “Emrys,” Grey looked at him in dismay. “The Council let you go free?”
    I kicked Grey in the shin.
    “What?” he muttered. “Thought they would’ve caged golden boy after the stunt he pulled.”
    “They wouldn’t have been able to hold me,” Matt said arrogantly.
    “Grey, there’s something I need