-74-

"This is the man you're in love with?" Byron asked incredulously. "You forgot to mention that he's a warlock. A powerful one at that." He stood, rubbing his backside.

"I didn't really know myself until a little while ago," she admitted. "In his defense, you were asking for that."

"I suppose I was," Byron admitted. "Sorry."

"No harm done," Merlin replied.

"Look, I can't just abandon Theor." Byron looked at Ryll. "You wouldn't just give up on Merlin."

"No, I wouldn't."

"Then it's settled. I'm coming back to the city. I'm going to free him."

"We can't stop you," Merlin said. "But if you get caught we might not be able to help you again."

"I am thankful for all the help you have given me," Byron said. "Please don't take this as a sign of disregard. I need to do this."

Ryll met his eyes and nodded slowly. "You're right," she said. "We'll do what we can to help, but it's not going to be easy."

"I know. Theor always told me that druids were a peaceful people, but there are certain things they need to fight for. This is one of them."

Ryll looked between the two boys and then said, "Let's go. Dawn isn't far away." They raced back through the forest, keeping to the shadows. They could hear knights shouting in the distance and knew that they were looking for Byron. Ryll felt a stab of fear. She would do anything to protect Byron, but she and Merlin were putting themselves in a lot of danger.

Byron seemed to realize this because he said, "You two should get back into the castle. If you get caught helping me, you'll be joining Theor."

"I don't abandon my friends," Ryll told him stubbornly. Byron gave her a long look, but nodded. Merlin gave her a look that said she wasn't going to die for this, but she wordlessly followed after Byron and after a moment, Merlin followed after them. As they neared the castle, they crouched in the undergrowth. Guards stood along the parapets holding torches. There was no way they were getting back in unseen. Not unless they used magic. It occurred to Ryll that all three of them had that ability. It struck her then that she wasn't alone anymore. All the years she'd been afraid of who she was, all the times she'd felt alone, now she wasn't alone anymore. She felt powerful and in control. They could do this. She closed her eyes and summoned her powers. A wind picked up, sending the Camelot flags into a tizzy. The flames on the torches lunged to the side and threatened to flicker out. Ryll increased the strength of the wind, adding in a little rain to put out the torches. She could feel Merlin and Byron's eyes on her, but she kept her focus. The guards were crying out in panic, and when Ryll opened her eyes, she saw that the torches had gone out, leaving the parapets in total darkness.

"Let's go," she said. Merlin and Byron followed her toward one of the hidden doors that led into the castle. They found their way toward the dungeons, but a sound to their right caught Ryll's attention. There was the sound of a crowd and then Uther's voice. "This way." They crept down the passage to the right which led out into the courtyard before the castle doors. Ryll paused outside the gated door.

"People of Camelot, we have a traitor in our midst," Uther's voice rang out. "He escaped our dungeons but left behind his companion. Tonight we show how we deal with those who practice magic." Ryll watched in horror as the crowd shifted. She saw that a pyre had been built and a figure tied to it.

"Theor," Byron breathed next to her.

"He moved up the execution," Ryll said. Two guards neared the pyre, burning torches in their hands.

Byron made to break down the gates with his magic, but Merlin and Ryll both grabbed him, heaving him back. "Let go of me!" he shouted.

"You will die if you go out there," Ryll told him.

"I'm not leaving him to die!" Bryon shouted.

Ryll looked at Merlin, terrified that Byron was going to get himself killed. She wasn't seeing a way out of this. If they let Byron go then he would get caught. Ryll didn't want Theor to die, but they couldn't save him without giving up their own lives.

"I'm sorry, Byron," Merlin said. He said an enchantment and his eyes glowed amber briefly. Byron slumped to the ground, unconscious. Ryll couldn't watch the scene outside. She folded herself into Merlin's arms as the fire crackled. Theor did not scream. He did not say a word. Merlin held Ryll tightly. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry."

"We couldn't do anything. Byron is never going to forgive me." She looked down at the druid.

"He didn't stand a chance out there," Merlin told her.

"We need to get him away from here before he wakes up and does something stupid," Ryll told him.

"Let's get some horses while everyone's attention is still here. We can get him back to his camp."

"Alright."

"Let's drag him to the entrance. I'll get the horses and meet you there." They carefully pulled Byron toward the outside entrance. Ryll waited anxiously until Merlin reappeared with three horses. They pulled Byron onto one and mounted the others, riding into the forest toward the druid camp. As dawn began to chase away the night, Ryll slowed Owl and turned to Merlin.

"You should go back," she said. "To avoid suspicion. No one will notice if I'm gone for a day."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Arthur will notice if you're gone. You can just tell him I caught a cold or something. No one will question my absence. I'll be fine."

"Alright. Be careful," Merlin told her.

"I will be." She pushed Owl forward, leading the horse carrying Byron. Whatever Merlin had done had really knocked Byron out. He slept through the day and into the night. When they reached the druid camp the next morning, Ryll woke him using her own magic. He jolted awake, sliding off the horse and landing hard on his feet.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking around in panic. "Theor?"

"He didn't make it, I'm so sorry, Byron," Ryll told him, dismounting and putting a hand on his arm. He snatched it away. Ryll took a step back, hurt by his reaction even though she had expected it.

"You stopped me from saving him!" he shouted. "You had no right to make that decision!"

"Byron, you would be dead too if you had tried to save him. It was too late. He died so that you could escape. Playing right into Uther's hands is not what he would have wanted. Trust me."

"Trust you? When you knocked me out and dragged me away?" He ran a hand through his dark hair, pacing. His shouting had attracted the attention of the other druids who now came out of the shadows, peering curiously at them. Several nodded to Ryll in greeting.

"Byron?" one asked. "Where is Theor?"

"He's dead," Byron said roughly. "Uther executed him."

Whispering broke out in the camp along with gasps of horror. Theor had been their leader and a wise one; Ryll knew they would be in mourning for a long time. Byron clenched his fists. "I will get revenge," he said under his breath.

"That is not the druid way," Ryll told him. He turned around to face her, eyes flashing.

"Not the druid way?" he asked. "So dying at the hands of Uther is? Allowing yourself to be defeated by his hatred for magic?" he snarled.

"Theor died an honorable death. Your anger is blinding you," Ryll snapped back. "He wouldn't want you to avenge him. He would want you to keep fighting for what you believe in, but not with violence."

"Listen to yourself!" Byron shouted. "You've gone soft. You're one of them. You've never been one of us!" Ryll shrunk away from his anger, but he wasn't finished. "You're either on my side or his. It's time you chose."

"I'm not on Uther's side," Ryll said. "I'm on yours."

"Then join me. Don't just sit there in the castle enjoying his luxuries and the safety your own lies give you. It's all a lie, don't you see? Your life is a lie when you live there. You will never fully embrace who you are!"

"My life is not a lie," Ryll told him. "I stay there because I love Merlin and because I believe Arthur will make a great king some day."

"Some day isn't today, Ryll! Some day isn't soon enough anymore! How many more of our people have to die for you to see that?"

"I do see it, Byron. This isn't the way though. You can't just storm into Camelot. You can't fight Uther with magic!"

"Can't we?" Byron asked. Ryll didn't like the wild look in his eyes.

"No. It will kill you!"

"I'd give my life willingly if it meant the end of him!" Byron spat.

"Listen to yourself! Your hatred matches his. This is only going to lead to more death!"

"Get out."

"What?"

"I said, GET OUT!" Byron shouted at her. "If you won't join me, then you have no right to be here."

"Byron." Ryll tried to reach out to him, but he moved away, eyes burning with an anger and hatred Ryll had never seen before. "Please."

"I've made my choice. If you won't stand against Uther, then I have nothing more to say to you."

"I know you're hurt-"

"No, I'm not hurt, I'm broken. I'm lost, I'm unable to be who I really am without being hunted and persecuted. What kind of life is that?"

"You're not alone."

"Go back to your padded life, Ryll. Go back to your warlock. You can hide under Uther's nose together."

Ryll backed away from Byron. Tears were burning in the back of her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "Fine." She mounted Owl. "I hope that you find the peace you're looking for," she told him. "Next time I won't bother to save your life."

"Good."

She waited for him to say something more, but when he continued to glare at her, she nudged Owl, trotting the horse out of the camp. The druids watched her go silently. Ryll didn't let her tears fall until she was far away. Then she broke down. Seeing Byron like that…she feared that kind of anger. Not for herself but for Byron. That kind of hatred and anger would consume him. She'd seen it before. Morgana had nearly killed her own friends to get her vengeance. Byron was going to end up with more than one dead druid if he pursued this rage. She wanted to stop Uther more than anything, but she didn't think murdering him was the answer. That would set Arthur even more against magic though she knew there was a chance that he would change his way of thinking some day. She had seen him consider magic as something more than evil before. He just needed a good example. Byron trying to kill his father was not going to accomplish that.

When Ryll returned to Camelot, she fell down on her bed in utter exhaustion. It had been so long since she'd slept through the night that she slept well into the next day. She must have looked ill because when Gwen came to check on her, she put a hand to her forehead. "You're burning up," she said.

"Just feeling a little ill," Ryll said blearily. "After the last few days…"

"Yes, it was awful," Gwen agreed. "That poor man didn't do anything."

"No, he didn't. He just existed," Ryll said bitterly.

"The other one got away though."

"Yeah. He got away," Ryll replied. Gwen gave her a look that led Ryll to believe she suspected more than Ryll would say, but the maid said nothing more on the subject.

"I'll bring you something to eat," she said.

"Thank you." Ryll offered a weak smile, falling back into bed. She must have fallen back asleep because the next thing she knew she heard voices and saw Gwen handing off a food tray to Merlin who set it next to her. He sat down on the bed.

"How is Byron?" he asked. "I came to check on you after you got back, but you were fast asleep. I didn't want to wake you."

"I was so tired…"

"You've had a busy week."

"He's not good, Merlin," Ryll told him. "He was furious with me. He shouted and basically told me to get out of his sight."

"He was upset, but he shouldn't have done that. Not after all you did for him. You risked your life to save his."

"I know. I'm afraid of what he's going to do. He threatened Uther. I'm afraid he's going to try to take Uther down himself."

"You don't think he'd really try to kill him? Druids aren't violent people," Merlin said.

"Byron is different. He's not peaceful and calm, he's passion and fire. He will do anything to get what he wants. I know he fights for a good cause, but there are better ways of achieving peace."

"We'll keep an eye out," Merlin assured her.

"I don't want him to do something stupid and get himself killed."

"You've done all you can do," Merlin told her.

"I know. I just hope we did the right thing."

"He'll forgive you. Just give him some time," Merlin said.

"I hope so," Ryll replied. "I really hope so."