The Once and Future Queen
Lafferty Paula
Hodder & Stoughton
After the sudden death of her boyfriend, Vera is content to fade into the background, washing sheets and cleaning bathrooms in a Glastonbury hotel. But when a mysterious guest reveals himself as Merlin and whisks her back to seventh-century Camelot, everything changes.
He insists she's not just Vera, she's Guinevere, and only she can undo the curse draining the kingdom's magic and save Camelot from the will of a power-hungry mage. There's just one problem : Vera remembers nothing of her past life. And with Camelot teetering on the edge of collapse, time is running out.
As Merlin works to restore her memories, Vera uncovers a tangled history of betrayal, power, and heartbreak. Why does King Arthur recoil at her presence ? What truly happened the night the curse was cast ? And why does every answer feel like it's tearing her in two ?
In a kingdom built on legend, Vera must decide who she is-before the past destroys the future.