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wrapped my arms around my shivering core.
    Lila groaned in her sleep. Despite the commotion, our two friends were both still asleep and pressed close to each other. Lila lay curled up in a fetal position. Tears streamed down her face.
    Merlin noticed and frowned. “Only the magically inclined would have sensed the dragon’s sorrow. What kind of creature is Lila, Morgan? I’ve been wondering for a while. Have you put some kind of glamour on her to hide her? She seems outwardly normal.”
    “She is no danger to you, and she needs my protection.”
    “Let me guess, she’s an unusual creature, hunted and rare. She’s from a race with a horrible yet undeserved reputation of evil.”
    “What do you know?” I asked coldly.
    He laughed. “I know nothing, but I do know Morgan le Fay loves the ugly beast with a heart of gold.”
    “When I get my memories back, you won’t be able to taunt me all the time.”
    “Aye, lass. I won’t be able to do much of anything with you,” he said and turned away. “Now, on to the business of finding and saving this dragon.” He picked up his black bag and thrust his arm inside, all the way up to his shoulder.
    “We can stop off at my shop and load up on spells,” I said. “Probably a good idea to check on the frozen dragon, too. And we still don’t know what relic they have, so we should bring a wide array of spells.”
    Merlin nodded, still facing away from me. He spun around swiftly and threw something at my face.
    “Widdershins,” he said as flecks of metal confetti hit me.
    They wiggled and wormed their way across my cheeks and into my ears, eyes, nose, and mouth. I gagged and tried to spit them out as they invaded my throat and then pulsed down into my belly. They surged downward still, until I felt the bits of metal settle into my ankles, knees and hip joints.
    “No,” I said, and ground my teeth. I braced my muscles as I fought the compulsion spell for a full two seconds before I started walking widdershins: counter-clockwise. I walked in a circle around the room, my legs moving swiftly. “You did not just put a spell on me, Merlin Ambrosius,” I said. “Unbind me.”
    Merlin looked at me as I marched around him in a circle. “You really thought I would take you into this battle? These men seek me , Morgan. Not you. I long ago wronged the Red Dragon. Today I will set that right or die trying, and I won’t have anyone I love be hurt in the process. This is my journey, not yours.”
    I stomped past him. “I will break this spell before you even leave this room.”
    Merlin shrugged. “I bound together a couple spells to keep you busy, my headstrong lass.”
    I swore and said some unmaking words as I touched the spelled button on my shirt. My spell flared, but I kept walking around the room. I touched my ring to my lips and muttered “amddiffyn, amddiffyn.” A strong protection spell coursed through me, but Merlin’s spell was wound too tight inside of me. On I marched.
    “Damn you, Merlin.” I stomped my bare feet on the ground. “Adam. Lila, wake up!” I shouted.
    Neither stirred.
    “A sleeping spell?” I asked. “Leaving us behind has been your plan all along?”
    “I have lived a long time, Morgan. Perhaps too long. It is lonely to be in this world, and being near you? It only makes me ache with the fact of how soon you will be gone again.”
    “Then I promise I won’t leave you. I vow it. Undo this spell.”
    “That you cannot promise, not without knowing your own self,” he said quietly. “But worry not, lass. There’s fight left in this old dog. I may still surprise everyone. Myself included.” He put on his inky-black coat and hoisted his satchel over one shoulder.
    “This is idiocy. You know I am an asset in battle, Merlin. You know you are weaker without me.”
    “Yes. Always, my love.”
    The windows flew open and a cold wind blew in. Merlin took an oaken staff out of his black bag, hit it on the ground three times, and rose into the