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.That might be beyond even a Maja's powers, of course.But it waspossible, particularly if Geirolf had indeed damaged the cell when he'd escaped.So what should he do? Changing her could free them, or could simply ensure their deaths and thedestruction of the Magekind. Then again, she might just go insane and kill him.He didn't much care for the odds either way.It was best to hold off, Reece decided.If he waited, some other alternative might present itself.Maybe he'd get really lucky and some Maja would have a vision.Grace was famous for that kindof thing, and since they were friends, she was even more likely to experience some kind ofprophetic dream.On the other hand, if he took action now, the odds were too great he and Erinwould end up dead.In the meantime, he owed it to Erin to explain what her situation was.She needed to know all thepossibilities so she could help him make the decision.She deserved a choice."Erin?"She looked up from her steepled fingers."Yes?""We need to talk."She studied him, her gaze cool with calculation and wariness."That's obvious, but the topics areliterally endless.What have you got in mind?""Why do you think Geirolf locked us up together like this?"Erin frowned."He plans to make us one of his human sacrifices as part of some kind of plotagainst your people.Whoever the hell they are." She shook her head."He talked a lot, but none ofit made much sense."How could he present this in terms she'd believe? Erin might be willing to believe he was avampire and Geirolf was some kind of otherworldly demon, but she was much less likely to acceptthe fantastic truth about herself."This isn't going to be easy to believe," he began."Champion, so far none of this has been easy to believe.Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I'vegot a choice." Unfolding her long legs, she stood and moved toward him."I caught something aboutMerlin." She shook her head."I thought he was a myth.""No, Merlin, Arthur, Lancelot they all exist."She frowned."I remember reading that historians believe there was a Celtic warlord namedArthur who lived in the fifth century.But Lancelot is supposed to have been the creation of aFrench troubadour hundreds of years later.How can he exist?""They were wrong." Reece leaned a shoulder against a stone wall and crossed his arms."Thetroubadour was actually one of Lance's descendants.He simply put to music the stories he grew uphearing about his ancestor.""So why did it take so long for Lancelot to appear? Didn't people know about him?" "People now don't know anything about me, and I've been an agent for the United Statesgovernment for the past two hundred and twenty-eight years."She stared at him."You're kidding.Who the hell recruited you George Washington?""Actually, I was the one who approached him.""You approached ? Oh, come on!""No, really, I'd known George for years.Served with him during the French and Indian warseven before I became a vampire.When the Revolution broke out, I offered him my services." Heshrugged."He took me up on it."Erin grinned."I'll bet you've got a collection of war stories to make a historian drool." Then sheshook her head."Too bad I don't have time to hear them if we're going to get out of here.So.Thelegends about the Round Table are true.""No, actually, they're about ninety percent bullshit, but the court did exist.But Camelot was morethan knights and ladies, and Merlin was a hell of a lot more than the Druid magician of legend.Tobegin with, he wasn't even human.He and Nimue ""Nimue.That was the Lady of the Lake, right?""Right.They were well, I guess you'd call them aliens.""Aliens." He watched her struggle with her instinct to scoff."Like ET-phone-home aliens?""Not& exactly.For one thing, they weren't just from another planet, they were from anotheruniverse.This one, the Mageverse.""Hold on.You're saying we're in another universe? Now?" She went to one of the windows.Their cell was surrounded by what appeared to be a garden gone jungle, complete with huge,softly glowing roses nodding in the pearlescent light of the Mageverse moon.As Reece looked out over her shoulder, a tiny, glowing creature flitted up to land on one of theroses by the window.She and it was definitely a she, with those delicate breasts foldedbutterfly wings and parted the petals until she could reach into the flower's heart.She drew outminuscule fingers covered in glittering pollen
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