History was restored, Morgan Le Fay had been defeated, and Guinevere was back in his arms where she belonged.
“I’m so sorry,” he found himself saying for the thousandth time. “I never meant to—”
“Quiet, King,” she commanded, her blue eyes sparkling. “It was all a big misunderstanding and it's time we moved on. After all,” she added, “we have a lot of work to do.”
His heart soared at her words. “Does that mean you’ll stay? You’ll stay and be my Queen? My . . .” He drew in a breath, his heart pounding in his chest. “My wife?”
Guinevere’s face broke out into a huge grin. “But of course!” she cried. “I’ve wanted to marry you since the day I first saw you. Running after that muddy pig that escaped from the kitchen.”
“You pounced on it,” Arthur remembered. “Your father was furious at you getting your dress all mud-stained.” He smiled. “I fell in love with you that very second.”
“We make a good team,” she murmured, leaning forward, ready to kiss him.
But something stopped him from kissing her back. “What about Lucas?” he couldn’t help but ask. “You sure you don't have feelings for him? I mean, I'd understand if you did and—”
“Stop it, Arthur,” she scolded. “He’s just a dear friend who cheered me up when I was down. You are my love. For now and always. No matter what that stupid Google says.”
Arthur’s heart swelled at her words. “Well, you know what they say,” he replied. “You can’t believe everything you read.”
“So very true,” Guinevere agreed, pressing her full lips against his own. And this time, Arthur didn’t resist.
On the other side of the room, Stu spun Sophie around the dance floor. Who would have thought her geeky best friend was such an elegant dancer? Thank goodness Merlin gave her a magical cast for her broken ankle to help her heal quickly. At this point, she wasn't even limping.
“Okay, admit it, this completely trumps the Snowflake Dance,” she declared. “Though it’s kind of hard to dance in this stupid thing,” she added, grabbing a fistful of fabric. It was her fault for allowing Stu to pick out a dress for her to wear to the feast. Of course he’d gone for the most elaborate red velvet monstrosity she’d ever seen.
“I think you look amazing,” Stu defended. “Like a dream come true!”
She rolled her eyes, but allowed him to twirl her around. “Too bad the band doesn’t know any Imagine Dragons.”
Stu winked at her, then turned to the bard at the front of the room, nodding. The musician grinned and motioned to the troubadours, who burst into an acoustic version of “Radioactive.”
Sophie gasped. Stu shrugged. “I had a lot of free time while I was playing king,” he admitted sheepishly.
“Wow,” she said. “I guess you really can have it all.” Then she looked behind him. “Ooh, don't look now, but I think you might finally be free of your stage-five clinger,” she added, nodding across the dance floor at Lucas and Elaine, who were dancing cheek to cheek.
Stu broke out in a grin. “No way!” he cried. “Lucas and Elaine? Who would have thought?”
“Well, your stepbrother always was one to help a damsel in distress,” Sophie reminded him.
“True enough,” Stu replied. “It's just too bad they'll have to part ways soon. Once we head back to the twenty-first century.”
“They won't, actually,” boomed a deep voice. They whirled around to see Merlin standing behind them, wearing an elegant blue robe, trimmed with ermine. It appeared he’d even washed his beard for the occasion.
“What do you mean?” Sophie asked.
Merlin shrugged. “Well, she can’t very well stay here,” he reminded them. “She’s supposed to be dead. So I figured we could stash her in the twenty-first century until I decided what to do with her. She's actually a very powerful sorceress in her own right. She'll be useful to have around, I'm sure.”
“Well, there you go!” Stu said. “Happy endings for everyone!” He let out a cheer.
Merlin turned to Sophie. “My dear,” he said. “Would you come with me? There's someone who wishes to speak with you.”
“Uh, yeah, sure,” she replied, reluctantly disentangling herself from Stu’s arms. He gave her a kiss on the nose.
“Don’t be gone long,” he warned.
She winked. “I wouldn't dream of it.”
Sophie followed Merlin out of the grand hall and into the dark, empty castle courtyard. The night air had a distinct chill and she found herself wrapping her arms around her body for warmth. She looked around, wondering who on earth would want to talk to her. After all, she admittedly didn't have a lot of besties in ye olde medieval England.
Then she saw her. Dressed in a snow white gown that fell to her feet, the soft moonlight illuminating her long golden hair. Sophie gasped. She'd always thought of her mother as beautiful. But here she looked like a goddess.
She ran to her, throwing her arms around her, burying her head in her chest and squeezing her as tightly as she could. Her mother's arms wrapped around her, stroking her hair with loving fingers. She leaned down to press a kiss against Sophie's head.
“Oh, Mom,” Sophie babbled, unable to stop herself. “I never thought I'd see you again.”
Her mother pulled her away, looking down at her with admiring eyes. “And yet you did what you had to do,” she pointed out. “Acting selflessly, for the good of the world instead of your own self.” She smiled. “I am so proud of you, Sophie,” she said.
Sophie shrugged, feeling her face heat with embarrassment. “I'm sure anyone would have done the same,” she reasoned. But inside she was bursting with happiness at making her mother proud.
“Anyone would not,” her mother corrected in a firm voice. “Only a precious few hold the needs of others above their own. And fewer still act bravely and risk their own lives to save those in need. Today you have proven yourself a true Companion. One of us.”
Sophie looked up, surprised. “Really? I'm a real Companion now?”
Her mother nodded serenely, leading her over to a nearby stone bench and gesturing for her to sit down beside her. Sophie did, still staring at her mother in awe.
“You are a Companion by birthright,” she continued. “But that doesn't mean you don't have a choice. Tomorrow morning you can jump into the Well of Dreams and never look back. You can live a long and happy life, get married, have children of your own. And nothing will take you from them or cause you pain . . . “ She trailed off.
“Or?” Sophie prompted, her breath in her throat.
“Or you could choose the life of a Companion,” her mother continued. “Join the eternal struggle of right versus wrong. Good versus evil. You can travel through time and serve and protect generations of potential chosen ones. I won't lie to you, daughter. It's a dangerous life. I cannot see the future for you if you chose to live it. You may die. You may be hurt. You may lose the ones you love. But you may also make a difference.” She paused, then added, “You may also save the world.”
Sophie beamed. “Just like you.”
Her mother chuckled softly. “I suppose so,” she said shyly. Then she looked up, meeting Sophie's eyes with her own. “I cannot tell you what to do. But you must choose now. And you will be held to this choice forever.”
Sophie squared her jaw, no doubt in her mind. “I want to be a Companion,” she declared. “I want to save the world, like you.”
Her mother leaned forward and kissed her lightly on the cheek. “Very well, daughter,” she said. “From this day forth, a Camelot Companion you shall be!”
And with her words, a spark flashed from the heavens, slicing through the sky and bathing Sophie with white light. She shivered as electricity ran up and down her body, causing the hairs on her arm to stand up on end. It was the most intense, powerful feeling she'd ever felt and she didn't want it to end.
But all too soon, the light faded. The darkness returned. And her mother was handing her a scrap of parchment paper.
/> “What's this?” Sophie asked eagerly. “My first assignment?”
Her mother laughed, shaking her head. “No. It's my Skype ID,” she replied. “From now on, if you want to chat, you can hit me up on this.”
Sophie looked down at the paper, then up at her mom. “No way!” she cried. “I can Skype you?”
“Just don't go all crazy now,” her mother added. “Those inter-time dimensional wi-fi charges aren't cheap.”
“And what about . . . my missions? When do they start?”
Her mother shrugged. “Perhaps next week. Or perhaps next year. Or perhaps you will never be called upon at all. But when you are needed, perhaps at a time when you least expect it, you will be called. And you will not be able to ignore the call.” She patted Sophie's knee. “In the meantime, I suggest you study hard. I'll be checking in on your report cards, you know. Remember you've still got to make up that history test you skipped out on earlier today.”
Sophie groaned. “Great. At least maybe I'll have a chance at passing it, now that history's been restored.”
Her mother laughed. “Well, don't think of that now. After all, you've got a dance to attend, right? And a certain boy, I think, who's waiting for you inside?” she added teasingly.
Sophie felt her face turn bright red. “I guess I do,” she admitted. “Thanks, Mom.”
Her mother rose to her feet, pulling Sophie up with her. “No, thank you. The Companions owe you a great debt. Everyone is thrilled to have you join us.”
And with that, she kissed her again, then snapped her fingers and disappeared. Sophie stared at the empty space where her mother had stood a moment before, the tears rolling down her cheeks. Then she looked down at the parchment paper and felt a little better. This wasn't a real goodbye. Just a see you later.
And besides, she had to go find Stu and tell him all the crazy news. He was going to die when he found out!
And so, Sophie headed into the party, rejoining the boys and Guinevere, who dragged her into a circle for a group dance. As she kicked up her heels and got down with her friends on the dance floor, she marveled how something that seemed like such a happily ever after could actually be just the beginning.
Epilogue
One Month Later
“Whoo hoo! Go, Stu!”
Sophie whooped and cheered as her boyfriend raised his lance and flicked his horse's reins, starting his journey across the tiltyard, helmet down, stance firm. The other knight lowered his own helmet, then charged in the opposite direction.
From beside her, Sophie caught Elaine grasping Lucas's hand tightly in her own. “I hate this part,” she admitted, squeezing her eyes shut. Lucas laughed and kissed her on the forehead.
“Wimp,” he teased. Then he turned back to the jousting. “Get him, Stu! Kick his black knight butt!”
Dust flew as the horses continued to stampede toward each other. Closer and closer, nostrils flaring as the knights raised their shields. Sophie almost wanted to close her own eyes as they neared, but forced herself to keep them open. If Stu won, she wanted to be able to see it for herself.
SLAM!
The lances struck the shields as the knights met in the middle. To Sophie's delight, the black knight's weapon splintered, the force of the blow knocking him from his horse. As he fell to the ground with a resounding thud, Stu rode around the ring, lifting his own weapon in victory.
The crowd—well, the three of them anyway, plus Lucas's uncle Joe—cheered. Stu released a victory “whoop” then slid off his horse, taking a mock bow.
“How'd I do?” he asked Joe.
Uncle Joe laughed, jumping into the ring and helping the other poor defeated knight to his feet. “Um, only completely awesome,” he declared. “Seriously I don't know where you learned to joust like that, but I'd love to send my own knights there for practice.” He shook his head. “When you turn sixteen, you’ve got a job here, if you want it.”
Stu beamed. “I may take you up on that,” he said. Abandoning his lance, he hopped over the barrier wall and into the mostly empty stands. Sophie ran over to give him a congratulatory hug. “Nice one!” she declared.
“Yeah, well, it's a lot easier when you know it's just for fun,” he admitted.
“Dude, that was so cool,” Lucas cried, he and Elaine joining the two of them. He fist-bumped his stepbrother. “You sure you don't want to join the football team? We can use strong defenders like you.”
Stu laughed, shaking his head. “No way. I've got better things to do.” He threw an arm around Sophie's shoulder and squeezed, giving her a grin. “Now let's go get some pizza.”
“As long as it's pepperoni,” Sophie declared.
Yes, pepperoni pizza was back on the menu and Stu and Lucas were once again stepbrothers. The Companions had woven the threads of time back together and set them straight. Sophie was no longer friends with a cheerleader and Camelot's Honor was once again a bestselling videogame. Not that they'd had much time to play it. After beating Morgan Le Fay in real life, the whole virtual thing seemed a bit anticlimactic.
In fact, everything had turned out better then Sophie could have ever hoped for. She'd been a bit concerned about making the transition from friend to girlfriend with Stu, but it turned out she had nothing to worry about. They remained the best friends they always had been—but now, as a bonus, they got to kiss and hold hands. Which was pretty nice, Sophie had to admit. She was even getting along better with her stepmother, Cammy, now that she wasn't on the computer 24/7, and tried to make an effort to keep up with the dishes, as per her mother's Skype requests. And even Elaine had turned out to be pretty cool, now that she wasn't all insecure about not having a boyfriend. Though Sophie dreaded what would happen if she and Lucas ever broke up.
As the four of them walked out of Medieval Manor, toward the pizza place down the road, Sophie felt her phone vibrate in her pocket. She pulled it out, squinting down at the text on the screen. Her eyes widened as she read the words.
Rex quondam, Rexque Futurus
Could it be? An assignment from the Companions at last? All month she'd been on edge, jumping at every beep, wondering when they would call. And now, here it was. But what did they want? A few details might be nice.
“Uh, guys?” she called out to her friends. “Come take a look at this.”
They gathered round and she pointed to her phone, then looked up at the three of them. “Do you really think it's them?” she asked.
Stu grinned. “Well, there's only one way to find out.”
Only one way to find out . . .
Suddenly Sophie's heart was pounding in her chest. Once she said the words, she realized, she'd be on her way. Whatever the quest might be—however much danger it might entail—there would be no turning back. And if she didn't succeed, she'd never see any of them again. She'd never see Stu again.
“I—I guess I should say the words,” she stammered, her voice quavering. She didn't like feeling like such a wimp. After all, her mom didn't shy away from her assignments. But still . . .
“Actually,” Stu corrected. “I think we should all say them.”
She stared at him in surprise. “W-what? But you're not . . . ?”
“Not Companions? So what? We still know a thing or two about saving the world!” Stu bragged. Lucas and Elaine nodded in agreement.
Sophie bit her lower lip. “Are you sure about this?” she asked the group. “After all, we have no idea where this assignment will take us.”
“All the more reason we should stick together,” declared Lucas. He grabbed Elaine's hand. She in turn grabbed Sophie's. And Sophie grabbed Stu's, smiling a little as he squeezed it tight. They were a team. And it felt good to know that no matter what was to come, no matter where they ended up or what they'd be asked to do, they'd be facing it all—together.
Suddenly she didn't feel so frightened anymore.
“Well, then, on the count of three,” she declared, grinning widely. “One . . . two . . . ”
About This
Series
You never forget your first kiss….
Thank you for taking the time to read this First Kiss Club Novel, The Camelot Code. I hope you enjoyed the time-traveling adventures of Sophie, Stu, Arthur and Guinevere. Book one of the First Kiss Club is Skater Boy.
If you would like to join the First Kiss Club and be the first to know when new books by Mari Mancusi are released, as well as be eligible for future contests, prizes and giveaways, please join Mari’s mailing list. There is so much more to come!
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About The Author
Mari Mancusi used to wish she could become a vampire back in high school. But she ended up in another blood sucking profession—journalism—instead. Today she works as a freelance TV producer and author of books for teens and adults. When not writing, Mari enjoys traveling, cooking, goth clubbing, watching cheesy horror movies, and her favorite guilty pleasure—videogames. A graduate of Boston University and a two time Emmy Award winner, she lives in Austin, Texas with her husband Jacob, daughter Avalon, and their dog Mesquite.