The Eternal Flame

There is another weapon. . . .

Tamwyn winced.

“You are a sorry excuse for a wizard,” the dragon continued, lowering his voice to a thunderous growl. “Yet I am glad you have somehow survived. For it will be a pleasure to kill you here and now.”

Tamwyn could tell that only a few seconds remained before a bolt of black lightning would destroy him, as well as any hope to save Avalon.

Had he climbed so high, traveled so far, and endured so much—just to die like this? His mind raced through all the possibilities of what he might do. And yet . . . he saw no way to escape. He lacked the magic to fight. He’d even lost the staff, his best weapon.

Wait. That isn’t my only weapon.

Even as the lightning flared within the dragon’s eye, just about to strike him, Tamwyn jumped to his feet. In the same instant, he tore his dagger from its sheath. The blade—forged by elven metalsmiths ages ago in the land of Lost Fincayra, infused with power that could serve only the true heir of Merlin, and destined for battle against the tyrant Rhita Gawr—shone with starlight, as well as a deeper light of its own.

With a shout that he knew might be his last, Tamwyn lunged. Just before the bolt of black lightning erupted, he plunged his dagger into the very center of the dragon’s eye.

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First published in the United States of America as
The Great Tree of Avalon: The Eternal Flame

by Philomel Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2006

Published as
The Eternal Flames
by Puffin Books, a division of Penguin Young Readers Group, 2011

Patricia Lee Gauch, editor

Text copyright © Thomas A. Barron, 2006

Illustrations copyright © David Elliot, 2006

Maps copyright © Thomas A. Barron, 2004, 2005, 2006

All rights reserved

THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS HAS CATALOGED THE PHILOMEL BOOKS EDITION AS FOLLOWS:

Barron, T. A. The Eternal Flame / T. A. Barron; with illustrations by David Elliot

p. cm.

Summary: Merlin’s grandson, Tamwyn, and his friends race to stop the warlord Rhita Gawr from destroying Avalon.

ISBN : 978-0-399-24213-7 (hc)

[1. Magic—Fiction. 2. Avalon (Legendary place) 3. Wizards—Fiction. 4. Fantasy.]

I. Title

PZ7.B27567 Ete 2006 [Fic]—dc22 2005058603

Puffin Books ISBN 978-0-14-241929-8

Design by Semadar Megged

Text set in ITC Galliard

Printed in the United States of America

Except in the United States of America, this book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out , or otherwise circulated without the publisher’s prior consent in any form of binding or cover other than that in which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed on the subsequent purchaser.

The publisher does not have any control over and does not assume any responsibility for author or third-party Web sites or their content.

To Mother Earth,
beleaguered yet bountiful

With special thanks to Denali Barron and Patricia Lee Gauch:
first to voyage to Avalon, first to reach the stars

Two Sparks, Two Flames, of Avalon

Listen to Creation’s morning,
Waking all around you.
Feel the spark of dawn within,
Breaking day has found you.

—High Priestess Rhiannon

Vengélano, power dark,
Fill this vessel with thy spark.
Let it wield Unmaking Knife:
Slashing, piercing, sowing strife.
Carving out the heart of life!

—Kulwych of the Pale Hands

A Half-Remembered Song

Fair Avalon, I cry farewell,
A death within me waking;
So many seasons did I dwell
In wondrous realms forsaking.
You are my home! My highest goal,
Kept firm beyond all shaking.
Your mist shall ever stir my soul,
A distant music making.

Prologue: The Unmaking Knife

Kulwych’s chortle, while no louder than the thin stream of water trickling down the cavern wall, was unmistakably mirthful. He rubbed his pale white hands together. In the throbbing light of the crystal beside him—the only light in this cavern far beneath the surface of Shadowroot—his scarred face glowed with anticipation.

“Soon,” he whispered to himself. “Mmmyesss, very soon.”

Spying a small beetle crawling across the dank stone wall, he reached up and snatched it. Slowly, he crushed its body between his thumb and forefinger, savoring each and every crack of its shell and gush of its organs.

“This is how I will deal with you, Deth Macoll.” He whispered the words with relish, imagining his long-awaited chance to kill the assassin. For he knew that Deth Macoll would soon return, seeking payment for the pure élano that he’d been sent to steal.