The Seven Swords Read Free Page B

from the hamstring at a handsbreadth. “This looks like a crossbow bolt,” Lance said.
    â€œâ€™Tis. Get rid of it,” Merlin said.
    â€œIt’s gonna hurt.”
    â€œNonsense. Do it!”
    â€œRight,” Lance said, propping Merlin’s leg against his own. “On three. One. Two. Three.”
    Lance pushed the tip of the crossbow bolt through the wound as Kay let out a long “Ewwwww!” The old man grimaced but didn’t make a noise. Then Lance grabbed the other end of the bloody bolt and yanked it out.
    Merlin grunted and said, “Thank you. Please throw that as high as you can.”
    Lance flung the bolt into the air with a great underhand motion. When it reached its apex, Merlin pointed the carved end of his cane at it. The owl’s closed eye opened briefly, and the bolt exploded into a million little pieces.
    â€œThere,” Merlin said, satisfied. He looked totally spent.
    â€œDude, you need a tourniquet,” Lance said as he applied pressure to the wizard’s thigh.
    Merlin nodded weakly as his color faded again.
    Bedevere dropped his claymore and ripped off his T-shirt. He handed it to Lance, who quickly and expertly stanched the flow of blood from the wizard’s leg.
    â€œWater,” Merlin said. “I’m so thirsty.”
    Bedevere ran into the house.
    Breathless, Artie knelt next to his friend and asked, “Merlin—what happened?”
    Merlin’s head rolled toward Artie. It took all his effort to say, “I tried to find Qwon. I tried to go to Fenland. But Morgaine . . .”
    And before he could say any more, he passed out.

3 - IN WHICH MERLIN TELLS OF THE NEXT QUEST
    Merlin was moved to the guest bedroom, and Lance dressed his wound properly. For the rest of the day and through the night, Merlin slept.
    He woke at noon the next day and asked for water, toast, and four Advils. “Magic is good, but magic plus medicine is great,” he said faintly. He ate, swallowed the pills, and went back to sleep.
    He woke again at dinnertime. Artie was in the room reading a comic book. Merlin looked at the thin boy who had freed him from his prison, the invisible tower. Merlin couldn’t believe it: after all these centuries, after all his suffering, after all his scheming, his plan was working.
    Merlin whispered, “My boy, how are you?”
    Artie looked up from his comic book and said, “Good, I guess. But how are you ?”
    â€œI’ll be fine,” Merlin said, a smile creasing his face. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner.”
    Artie shrugged. “Don’t sweat it.”
    Merlin propped himself up. “It must have been hard to wait. I know how badly you want to get your friend back.” He paused for a moment before adding, “In fact, Artie Kingfisher, we need to get her back.”
    â€œOf course we do—she belongs in Shadyside, not in the Otherworld!” Artie insisted, but clearly Merlin meant something more. Artie stood and asked, “What’s going on?”
    Merlin started to get out of bed. “It’s better if I tell everyone. Are they here?”
    â€œYeah, they are. But I want you to tell me first. I am the king, after all.”
    Merlin gave Artie a hard look. “As you wish, my liege,” he said with a little less sincerity than Artie would have hoped for. “Qwon’s in trouble. She doesn’t have much time.” Merlin raised his head and looked Artie in the eye. “We need to get her so she won’t be killed.”
    â€œWhat?” Artie asked, taking a step backward.
    â€œI’m sorry, my boy. We have ten days.”
    â€œ Ten days? What are you talking about?” The fact that Artie wasn’t already there, actively helping Qwon, was killing him.
    Merlin stood. “When you and Mr. Thumb opened the crossover at Serpent Mound, things were set in motion. Things that can’t be stopped,” he said.