Three voices answer him in a booming chorus. “I am a Medium, born from the earth. I am Bloodcrafted, born from resilience. I am Arthur, Awakened!”

“My death means nothing. Killing me won’t stop what’s coming. There are others of us in your midst,” he rasps, stilling on the sword. “The Line of Morgaine is rising.”

“Let her Line rise. We will rise against it.”

Rhaz growls deep in his throat, and his eyes roll back. He collapses inward, melting around the sword until all that’s left is a slimy stream.

I stand there, sword still raised, chest heaving and blood thundering through my veins. Every eye turns to me. Nick. Sel. Greer. Bloodied and panting, ichor covering their faces and torn clothes. Piles of isel dust around them.

I lower Excalibur, exhaustion overtaking me. All of that power—Vera’s, Arthur’s, my own. It’s too much. My vision blurs, and the cave spins. Nick steps toward me; so does Sel. To catch me, I think, before I fall.

Now that it’s over, maybe I’ll let them.

But Arthur is not done. To him, it’s not over.

Without warning, he seizes me up like a puppet, turning me to the Legendborn in the cave and roars, “Has it been so long? Do you not kneel for your king?”

I gasp in the silence after my own words. That’s not what this battle was. That’s not what this is. That’s not who I am.

I had to destroy these monsters, I yell at him. And we did. But this is not about demons. This is about you!

I fight against Arthur’s will, but he will not yield—not on this. He demands obeisance. Homage. And deference. Especially after Davis’s public betrayal.

Thankfully, no one moves.

Then, someone does.

“No,” I whisper, because I don’t want to hear it. But when Sel speaks, his voice is strong and clear.

“Y llinach yw’r ddeddf.”

The Line is Law.

He drops to one knee, and bows his head deep.

A second passes. Another voice rises. Sarah’s.

“The Line is Law.”

One by one, she and the others bend, kneeling to their king. Kneeling to me.

Tor stands still, shock and fury shaking her frame, locking her legs in place. Arthur roars at her insubordination, but I don’t care.

I turn to Nick, pleading, but there’s nothing he can do. His ocean eyes are kaleidoscopes of emotion, turning so fast I can’t read them.

“No…”

“Y llinach yw’r ddeddf.” On the final word, his voice cracks—and despair slashes across his features like lightning. Then, a smile. Small, worried, sad.

“No.”

His weight shifts. “It’s okay—”

“Please, don’t—”

But Nick falls to one knee anyway and bows until I can no longer see his face.

This isn’t what I wanted! I scream at Arthur. I don’t want this!