Elderly knights made their way toward the castle dressed in slacks and kirtles. Some witches were dressed in tunic dresses and surcoats that trailed to the ground. Others wore jeans and peasant blouses with pointy-toed shoes. The teens wore a mix of fashions with boys in leather pants and boots to gym shorts and girls in mini-skirts and laced bodices.
Modern and medieval lived harmoniously in this small corner of the world. The magical town of Camelot was situated in the modern-day town of Caerleon in Wales. The majority of the residents were magic kind, but human tourists mingled in with the locals on the weekends, oblivious to the supernatural in the medieval-themed town.
But not today. Today was Tuesday, a notoriously slow day for tourists. The fake sword in the stone exhibit sat abandoned with no fanny-pack toting parents forcing their kids to take a staged photo. No one stood reading the placards of an embellished history of the legend of the great Arthur's place in Caerleon.
The placards made up lies from the truth. The words etched in stone told of a battle the great Arthur fought in Caerleon, the City of the Legion. According to legend, as written by Geoffrey Monmouth, Arthur held court for the feast of Whitsuntide here in Caerleon. He called forth his chieftain allies to sail down the River Usk to join him and renew their pacts of peace.
It was a great story. It just never happened here. The current Arthur was the third of his name. It had happened with his great-grandfather, Arthur the first, son of Uther Pendragon. And it had taken place back in Glastonbury, the original home of Camelot.
But the stone gimmick, and the placard marking the feast, along with a few other carefully crafted tales kept the truth hidden from humans. Hiding in plain sight they called it. That and the protective charm placed around the castle.
As I stepped away from the castle and onto the path into the city, I felt a marked change in the atmosphere. I hadn't felt it before, when I was more human than witch. But stepping away from the castle and the protective charm today was like shedding an outer coat. I shivered as we continued down the deserted road.
We were greeted by all as we weaved through. People didn't just say hello to Morgan and Gwin. They spoke to me as well. And not just cordial niceties.
They asked how I was settling in. They asked if I needed anything. They made me promise to come by and see them for a cup of tea, to deliver a keepsake that they had of my mother’s, or just to spend a little time.
The chill that had settled on my shoulders lifted as we came out the other side of the crowd. Standing between Gwin and Morgan as they chattered on, I felt like I was in a cocoon. Or no, a nest with the bum of a big bird keeping me warm until I was ready to fly.
It may sound corny, and a little gross. But it felt nice. Being a part of something, being included, being accepted, felt nice. Which made me wonder just how long would it last?
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Also by Jasmine Walt
Dragon’s Gift - The Trilogy:
Coauthored with May Sage
Dragon’s Gift
Dragon’s Blood
Dragon’s Curse
The Baine Chronicles Series:
Burned by Magic
Bound by Magic
Hunted by Magic
Marked by Magic
Betrayed by Magic
Deceived by Magic
Scorched by Magic
Taken by Magic
The Baine Chronicles: Fenris’s Story:
Forsaken by Magic (Novella)
Fugitive by Magic
Claimed by Magic
Saved by Magic
The Legend of Tariel:
Kingdom of Storms
Den of Thieves
Empire of Magic—Coming Soon!
The Gatekeeper Chronicles:
Marked by Sin
Hunted by Sin
Claimed by Sin
Also by Ines Johnson
The Misadventures of Loren
Spear of Destiny
Ring of Gyges
Hammer of God
The Bright Series (Paranormal Romance)
Bright
Blaze—Coming Soon!
The Moonkind Series (Paranormal Romance)
Moonkind
Moonrise
Moonfall
The Cindermama Series (Fairytale Retellings)
Pumpkin
Rumpeled
Beau
The Watchers Crew Series (Erotic Romance)
Test Drive
Cruise Control
Dangerous Curves Ahead
Slippery When Wet
The Pleasure Hound Series (Erotic Romance)
The Pleasure Hound
The Loyal Steed
The Clever Fox
About the Authors
JASMINE WALT is obsessed with books, chocolate, and sharp objects. Somehow, those three things melded together in her head and transformed into a desire to write, usually fantastical stuff with a healthy dose of action and romance. Her characters are a little (okay, a lot) on the snarky side, and they swear, but they mean well. Even the villains sometimes. When Jasmine isn’t chained to her keyboard, you can find her practicing her triangle choke on the jujitsu mat, spending time with her family, or binge-watching superhero shows on Netflix. You can connect with her on Instagram at @jasmine.walt, on Facebook, or at www.jasminewalt.com.
Aside from being a writer, professional reader, and teacher, INES JOHNSON is a very bad Buddhist. She sits in sangha each week, and while others are meditating and getting their zen on, she’s contemplating how to use the teachings to strengthen her plots and character motivations. Ines writes books for strong women who suck at love. If you rocked out to the twisted triangle of Jem, Jericha, and Rio as a girl; if you were slayed by vampires with souls alongside Buffy; if you need your scandalous fix from Olivia Pope each week, then you’ll love her books! You can reach Ines at her website www.ineswrites.com or on Facebook.