Merriman closes his eyes briefly, concealing whatever expression might have been visible in them.

'The Mayday massacre.' It comes out as more of a sigh than anything else. 'Not present in every version of the tale, but one of the more defining moments in many of them. If that is the story he knows, then I am not so surprised that he would not think highly of Arthur's advisor -- or indeed, of Arthur himself.'

He really does want to hope that the difference in the stories will be enough to prevent the summoning. But there is a voice in the back of his mind that will not be silenced, cold and dry and sounding very like his own.

You were fortunate then. And yet for all that...you will not be so fortunate now.