King of Knights Read online

  “I am not.” I snapped but kept my eyes on them. I didn’t know Malcolm. I didn’t know what kind of person he was. It was in Ivy’s best interest that I watch. Besides, I was actually looking at my sword.

  Malcolm took Ivy’s hand as they talked. He didn’t even ask her, he just did it. This guy was no knight. It was despicable, holding her hand out there for the entire world to see! The cookie I was holding crumbled to sand as I clinched my fist. After a few minutes, they waved goodbye, and Ivy entered the building. Malcolm went to the other side of the courtyard and entered his.

  An old man came around the corner of the building. He was an odd looking person, wearing a long blue tunic with a belt around his hips. He walked crookedly, with a knobbed wooden cane. His long white hair practically reached his ankles, and his beard was just as long. He hobbled down the sidewalk to stand next to Excalibur. He turned his head one direction, and then the other, making sure no one was watching. Then, he reached over and pulled the sword from the stone.

  I let out an involuntary yell as I watched him swing my sword around like it was a baseball bat! The audacity! My sword! It was out, and some crazy old man had it.

  “An old man!” I finally got out to Owen, “And old man has my sword!”

  “What?” Owen demanded.

  Then, with a final swing, the old man put the sword back in the stone.

  “NO! He put it back!” It was finally out, and I had missed my opportunity.

  After setting the sword in the stone, he turned and looked directly at me. With a wink, he vanished into thin air.

  “Owen!” I didn’t know what else to do. Owen marched over, pushing the curtain aside to look out the window.

  “What?” He demanded as nothing looked changed.

  “There was an old man, and he pulled the sword from the stone, and then he put it back and vanished!” I got out all in one breath. Owen stared at me, and then out the window, then back at me again.

  “Are you alright, bro?” He asked in all seriousness. “Like I know gaining the title has put a lot of pressure on you, and your magic classes are taking a lot of time, and then there’s Ivy.”

  “I saw an old man outside!” I argued pointing to the window.

  The door opened and closed and Ivy walked in. She paused when she noticed Owen and me at the window.

  “What happened?” Ivy asked.

  “Ryker was peeping on you and your boyfriend.” Owen laughed. I slugged his shoulder.

  “I was not,” I said at her expectant gaze. “An old man pulled my sword from the stone.” I then explained. Ivy shook her head, a look of confusion clouding her feature.

  “What?” She demanded.

  “Ryker wants to know if you want to ride the Aussie train.” Owen laughed and made little toot toot noises.

  “Owen, fuck off.” I said and then turned back to Ivy, “After you and that Aussie went separate ways, an old man came into the courtyard. He went to the sword, pulled it out, swung it a little, and then set it back in, vanishing.”

  “Well,” Ivy started, “That is just all strange.” She gave me a small smile. I had been getting that one a lot, it was a look of pity. I hated it.

  She pitied me because of the stressors of my life and because she knew how I felt about her dating. I didn’t expect her to be a saint or anything while we figured all this out, but. . . Well, I guess I just never pictured her moving on when we decided to just be friends. I knew I had hurt her by moving out of the cabin but what other choice did I have? We had to keep our relationship controlled, restrained, and how was I supposed to do that when she was strutting around naked all the time? Since then, I hadn’t seen her in dream world. She stayed on her side, and I stayed on mine. Though I had gotten a load of reading done, since Ivy can now access dream world from a mirror in reality world, I was growing. . . lonely. Being away from her made me lonely.

  Besides, since Excalibur had entered my life, I had felt . . . odd. Out of control. There were certain urges I felt, inclinations that I could not ignore. It wasn’t just about Ivy, but about everything. Sometimes I even felt it when I was trying to make remedial decisions like bacon or sausage? It felt somewhat akin to if an alien had entered my mind and was rearranging my neurons to trigger bodily gut reactions at the oddest of times. Every decision felt like life and death sometimes, and I had no idea how to make it stop.

  She picked up a cookie and ate it. “These are delicious.” She commented, taking another bite. “Do you ever think of adding nutmeg?” Owen gave her a long look.

  “Merlin didn’t say anything about nutmeg.” He replied.

  “It was just a thought.” She shrugged, popping the last of it into her mouth.

  “Why did you say that?” Owen demanded. Those two were so superstitious about the universe it was a wonder they could function.

  “I just thought that nutmeg would add something,” Ivy replied, picking up another cookie.

  “You asshole, now I have to make more cookies.” He muttered and then went to the kitchen. Ivy shrugged and picked up another cookie.

  “So are you excited about tonight?” Ivy asked me, curling up on the chair across from me.

  That night I would officially join the Order of Knights. It was a secret ceremony, held when candidates turned 18 years of age. We would pledge ourselves to the Knights Code and get our tattoos, signifying us as true, full-fledged knights. The school held the ceremony every year at the end of January for those of us who had reached the proper age. It was an honor and a privilege, and I’d been studying for it for weeks. I had over thirty-six creeds to memorize, an entire rulebook, and of course the Code. My father was flying in just for that night, to witness it.

  “I am, its one of the steps in gaining us some ground to stand on,” I answered honestly. Once I became a member of the Order of Knights, I would take my place as a leader of them as Legacy Pendragon. From there I could earn enough clout to bend the rules of Ivy and me to be together. I had all the steps worked out; I just needed her to be patient enough for me to achieve them.

  She tilted her head, looking at me with fascination.

  “Well, that’s something.” She nodded after a moment. Sadness washed over her and I wished it would go away. I didn’t know what she expected me to do about this situation. The rules and protocols were clearly stated, and it took time to meander around them.

  “So, what were you and Malcolm talking about outside?” I found myself asking. I don’t know why I did it, I just. . . She drove me insane.

  “I don’t see how that’s any of your business.” She replied in that snooty tone she was so good at. As her hair swished I could smell the sweet scent of coconut.

  “Just don’t go out with that blowhole.” I begged, “I didn’t like the way he was interacting with you.” The way he touched her so brazenly out in public like that. Ivy gave me a wide-eyed look, and I knew I was about to get an ear full.

  “So you were watching.” Ivy snapped. She turned to fully face me, crossing her arms over her chest. Her thin blond brows pushed together into a scowl as her eyes began to spark with magic.

  “Well someone has to, the last three guys you’ve gone out with were all completely insane.” I retorted. One proposed to her, one tried to kidnap her, and the other has become an incessant stalker that I had to threaten with bodily harm to get him to stop coming around.

  “Malcolm is a knight.” She gave me a cold smile. The other three had been wizards. This was the first knight, other than me, she had shown interest in. I hated it because she was right. I’m not saying that there had never been a corrupted knight, but they were rare. Which meant that Malcolm was most likely a decent guy, which also meant that Ivy could actually have a relationship with him. The idea made my head feel like it was on fire.

  “Well, it looks like you got what you wanted, didn’t you? A knight.” I snapped. I didn’t consciously make the decision to be such an ass, it just happened. Ivy’s eyes widened as I could see the hurt and anger fill th
em.

  “There was only one knight I wanted, or have you forgotten?” She stood, pointing her finger at me.

  “Put that thing away,” I ordered. The reason why society thought it was rude to point actually derives from an age-old superstition. Wizards can project their magic through pointing, which meant that whoever they were pointing at was probably receiving a curse. She curled her finger back clenching her hand into a fist.

  “I haven’t forgotten, I just asked for patience, you’re the one who can’t seem to grasp that.” I retorted after a moment.

  “Look, Ryker, I understand that you’re a rule-book kind of guy, but dream world doesn’t fall into the jurisdiction of your rules. You’re the one who broke this, not me.” Ivy snapped. I had nothing to say. In her mind she was right, but in my mind I was right, and we would just keep fighting over this, forever. That’s all we ever did, was fight, ever since I stopped seeing her in dream world.

  “And now you're going on dates with guys you don’t give a shit about, to what? Spite me?” I demanded. Ivy narrowed her eyes and set her mouth. She straightened her spine and gazed up at me with those furious emerald green eyes.

  “Regardless of what you may think, King of Knights, the world doesn’t revolve around you.” She spit between her teeth.

  “Well, when one of your suitors goes crazy again don’t come crying to me to fix it.” I snapped and then stormed out of the room. I couldn’t be in there with her anymore. She was impossible and proved impervious to reason. Did she not get that everything I was doing was so that we could be together? But no, she was far too impatient to spend that time alone.

  I had thought about dating. Right after Ivy announced that she was going to, I decided to do so as well. I asked out a pretty little legate witch who had been giving me sex eyes from across the room all semester. She was more than thrilled to go out, and we had a nice time. But after I dropped her off at her dorm, and politely refused when she asked me in, I felt so damn disgusted with myself. I spent the night out with a lovely girl who was totally into me, and all I could do was compare her to Ivy. It didn’t feel right, so I just didn’t try anymore. I wondered how she could just so casually go about dating. It was like she didn’t really care at all.

  I made my way to the campus garage, avoiding crowds of people so they didn’t try to stop me. I wasn’t in the mood to play hero for them at the moment. Entering the parking garage, I found my car on the third story. I needed to go, to get out, to drive and clear my head. Over the years, and with my father’s help, I was able to purchase and fix up a 1970 Chevy Chevelle. She was a beauty, painted black with a white stripe down the middle. In fact, some of my fondest memories was fixing up this car that summer with my father . . . before he betrayed us. With a turn of the key, the engine roared to life, echoing off the concrete of the garage.

  As I drove off campus, I kept my foot on the gas through the hilly forest roads of Western Virginia. Shifting into fifth gear, I opened up the engine, letting her fly down the vacant road. For some reason, I found myself in town, pulling up to the local Mythos public high school. I parked across the street and watched as students poured out of the building, the final bell just releasing them. I watched them in their ignorant bliss as they didn’t have a care in the world. There was no point in me wishing I went there instead of MBIA. I would be lying if I said I didn’t want to attend the academy, but also, I would never be allowed to just be normal. I was a Pendragon, after all. If it wasn’t MBI, I would be at Annapolis or West Point. My father had graduated at the top of his Mythos class at West Point and then went to the MBI academy as part of a joint task training. Not once had I ever heard him complain about the pressure.

  A knock on the window made me jump. Beth stood next to the car, giving me a small smile. I wasn’t there to see her, but seeing her was actually a little comforting. I waved her in, and she opened the door.

  “You’re not exactly inconspicuous in this car.” She laughed as she sat in the passenger seat, laying her books on the seat between us.

  “Yeah, I suppose not.” I chuckled. I didn’t know what to say to her. It had been over a year since the last time I had seen her.

  “So, what are you doing here?” She asked, positioning her body so she was facing me. Her raven hair had grown past her shoulders now, and her bright blue eyes shone with happiness.

  “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. Beth was quiet for a moment.

  “Did it work out with that girl? The one in your dreams?” She then asked. I wasn’t there to see her, but she thought that I was. God, I was a piece of shit. I should have never have come here.

  “I found Excalibur.” I chose to say, instead of answering her question. I don’t know why I told her, but she had been a part of my life for so long, that I knew she would understand.

  “That’s amazing.” She gasped, leaning forward and resting her hand on my arm.

  “Do you know what that means?” She went on, “You’re the King of Knights.” Her eyes went wide as the realization hit her.

  “Oh, Ryker, the pressure.” I knew she would get it. She had known about my hatred for the expectation of the Pendragon line since we were kids. Ivy didn’t understand. She was always free to be whatever she wanted to be, but for the rest of us, our paths were chosen even before birth.

  “Yeah, it’s pretty intense,” I muttered. It wasn’t that I didn’t want it, I just wish I knew what I was doing. Everything felt so new and foreign.

  “Is that why you’re here?” She asked then.

  Help! Tightness filled my chest as one word kept revolving around in my mind. Excalibur. It was in trouble.

  “Beth, I have to go. I’m sorry, but I just have to. You can either buckle up or get out, but I need you to do it now.” I said. Beth raised her eyebrows and buckled the seat belt. I peeled out, as I held down the emergency brake to drift the back end of the car around on the street. When I was straightened out, I lifted the brake and gunned the gas, taking us towards city limits, and then another ten miles to the hidden campus.

  Help! I heard a small voice in my head. It wasn’t mine, but I knew, I just knew, it was Excalibur. I pressed my foot harder on the gas, and I heard the engine surge as the vehicle picked up speed.

  “So what’s happening?” Beth asked.

  “Excalibur’s in trouble,” I muttered, keeping my focus on the road. My motions almost felt robotic, like some other force had taken over my body.

  “Wait, you know that? Like you can sense it or something?” Beth asked, her eyes wide as an owl’s. I glanced over at her.

  “I think it’s starting to talk to me,” I admitted.

  Within a few minutes, we were back on campus. I drove over the lawn, parking just outside of the dorm building. Big black clouds of smoke billowed over the buildings, and large flames licked up towards the sky. People were rushing out of the building and standing around wondering what to do. Emergency services should be there soon.

  I ran around the building and into the courtyard. Excalibur still sat in its same place, right below my window, but the window had been shattered, and large flames flickered out of the opening. Ivy and Owen couldn’t still be in there, right? I mean, they got out, right?

  I glanced around at the students who were hurrying away from the building. I saw no bright blonde heads or tall, dark figures.

  “Ivy!” I called up.

  They’re in there. I heard in my mind. I glanced over at Excalibur and then proceeded to scale the side of the building. I should have never have left them. My own selfishness got in the way of ensuring their safety. Carefully gripping the windowsill, to not cut my hands on the broken window glass, I lifted myself up and peaked in. The air was hot, like opening an oven, and my eyes began to water.

  “Owen.” I heard Ivy’s voice.

  “Ivy!” I yelled.

  “Ryker!” I heard the relief in her voice.

  “I’m stuck, but Owen’s hurt.” She called.

  Without hesitation, I p
ulled myself through the window. Lifting my t-shirt, I covered my mouth and nose with the material, as I crouched down low. Huge flames roared from one side of the room. Ivy sat in the corner of the living room, a large support beam had landed on top of her legs. She saw me and then pointed towards the kitchen.

  “Get Owen first.” She ordered.

  I turned; Owen was laying face down on the kitchen floor completely unconscious. Crawling on my hands and toes, I made my way to him. His skin was burned on his face and arms, and the front of his shirt had melted off. Grabbing him, I pulled him to the window. By then, a rescue team was running over. I shouted at them, and they quickly set up one of those inflated mats. I dropped Owen down and then went back for Ivy. The flames were growing bigger, and it was getting hotter. Sweat dripped over my eyes as I moved cautiously towards her. The beam, itself, probably weighed at least five hundred pounds, and it was wedged between the wall and another fallen beam.

  “Ryker,” Ivy called. I could see the panic on her face as the fire roared and flourished across the kitchen. Grabbing the beam, I pulled with all of my strength, but it wouldn’t budge. It was really stuck and probably a little warped and melted from the heat.

  “The flames are going hit the propane tank on the water heater.” Ivy pointed out. It was headed towards the front door, where the closet for the water heater sat. I pulled the beam with all of my strength, my muscles screaming from the exertion. The heat was excruciating as my skin started to burn. The fire was too hot. The whole apartment was about to blow. I climbed on the other side of it, and setting my back against the wall, I pushed the beam with my feet, it moved slightly.

  “Ryker, I’m so sorry.” Ivy started to weep.

  “No!” I shouted. That was when I realized I would never leave her there.

  She shut up, looking up at me with scared watery emerald eyes. Taking in a deep breath, I knew what I had to do. I calmed my body, forcing it to gain control, and then I envisioned all of my energy going into my feet. It was a technique Morgana had taught me. I just needed to push a little magic out.