Read Sons of Camelot: The Complete Trilogy for Free Online Page B

managed to escape his cousins without difficulty as Lady Enid intercepted them on the way from the banquet hall after lunch. She had brought Lady Margaret and Lady Ingrid to meet Richard and John and proposed they all take a walk through the orchard. Rhys mumbled an excuse and quickly walked off in the direction of his rooms. Enid was left staring after him.
    He changed his jerkin and shirt and told Erasmus that he was going to the library for the afternoon.
    “Do you plan on meeting the girl again, Rhys?”
    “Yes, sir, we planned to meet and talk again soon.”
    “Be careful, Rhys. It is a bad sign that you seem so attached to this girl and yet you are not free to speak about her to anyone.”
    “I am sure that all will be explained soon, sir. They are HER affairs we wish to discuss, after all.”
    “You are an admirable young man. Please never change in this respect.”
    Erasmus gave Rhys a parting smile. Smiling back, Rhys turned and left the room.
     
    ***
     
    He took the stairs two at a time until he was on the familiar fourth floor landing and as he pushed open the heavy door a voice called to him.
    “Master Rhys,” it said. “Hello, how do you do?”
    Looking up, he saw the librarian at the upstairs balustrade.
    “Murcanthia, how do you do?”
    “All is well, Rhys?” she continued.
    “Well, I’ve come to do a bit of research, if you would believe that.”
    “Research? What’s all this about then?” she pursued.
    “Well first could you get your most detailed book about faeries please, and then I’ll tell you what it is all about.” he promised, flashing her a crooked grin.
    Murcanthia soon returned with a giant hide-bound book and set it heavily on the table in the darkest corner of the library. As soon as Rhys joined her and was seated at the table, she closed her eyes and raised both her palms to the ceiling as she muttered, “Silentium orbis!” It seemed as if a huge bubble of air had surrounded them. Instinctively, Rhys put out his hand to touch it.
    “No, don’t touch it,” she blurted out. “This will ensure that we are not overheard. It is just a precaution, but if your answers will come from the Chronicus la Fae, we will need to ensure our privacy. Let us get to it Rhys; I do not have the entire afternoon you know.”
    “When I was on the mainland this week,” he started, “I found this amazing glen in Exmoor and took a swim in a pond there. When I looked through the waterfall, I was sure there was a girl there; she seemed to be watching me. Eventually, her reflection appeared on the surface and she spoke to me. We spoke for some time, but she would not answer my questions. She told me that you would be able to help me answer them.”
    “Well! Well!” Murcanthia chuckled. “You seem to have met a faery, Rhys. But how is it you could see her?” she wondered. His deep blush revealed that there was more to the story.
    “She seemed a little worried about that as well.”
    “I would imagine she must have been frightened by that, boy. Humans are not to be able to find the faeries' places or see them. There must be something more to this instance.”
    “She said her name is Naida.”
    She looked at him incredulously. “Are you absolutely sure about that, Rhys? Naida?”
    “Yes, Naida. Why?” he queried.
    She sighed heavily.
    “Master, it is quite a tale that I have to tell you.”
    Murcanthia opened the giant book that was in front of them. She turned the pages and soon stopped at a picture that filled both pages of the book. It was a very intricate drawing full of little creatures on what seemed to be a battlefield. They were killing a man.
    “Naida, as she is called, is over a hundred years old.”
    “One hundred and fifty, to be exact.” Rhys interrupted.
    “Shall I tell what I know or are you an expert forthwith?” Her expression was serious.
    “I apologize. Please continue.”
    Murcanthia cleared her throat and went on.
    “As I was saying, Naida is what is known to us