Vera returns to the George and Pilgrims Hotel, where her parents, Allison and Martin, work as proprietors. She begins her shift serving breakfast. Although she has gone to the trouble to create a butter pat in the shape of a Stonehenge sculpture for the guests, Vera notes that the guests seem to immediately forget her, which happens to her often. She recalls brief periods at age 12 and in college when she was inexplicably popular, only for everyone to suddenly lose interest in her.

A man in a tweed waistcoat with a silver pocket-watch chain watches Vera from his table. When she serves him tea, he thanks her by name and says he remembers her. By the time she returns with his check, he has vanished.

Vera moves to housekeeping, taking over for Martin, who is dealing with cancer. While she cleans the notoriously haunted Room One, a television turns on, and wardrobe doors slam. She recalls seeing a ghost on the Tor during the previous Winter Solstice—a misty figure who dissolved at sunrise.

Later that afternoon, the man reappears in the empty pub, now wearing a hooded robe. He tells Vera that she is not who she thinks she is. Allison enters, drops a tray in shock, and asks the man if it’s already time. The man reveals that Vera was adopted; she was really born not 22 years ago but in the year 612. When Vera was mortally injured at age 20, the man saved her essence by reverting her to infancy and bringing her forward in time. In reality, she is married to a king and is irreplaceable to England’s future. Allison reveals Vera’s true name: Guinevere, the famous queen of Arthurian lore.

Vera struggles to accept the revelation. The man confirms that he is Merlin, the famous mage, though his appearance differs from the legendary image. Allison explains that Merlin proved his identity to her by performing magic and turning water into wine.

When a disbelieving Vera demands more proof, Merlin extinguishes the pub’s lights and creates a glowing orb containing an image of Vera as a grim-faced Guinevere in a medieval gown. Merlin explains that he needs Vera to return to her old timeline since Guinevere’s locked memories are the key to stopping a curse that’s draining magic from the kingdom. Vera still cannot accept that she’s Guinevere. Allison says that Merlin is telling the truth: As a toddler, Vera spoke in her sleep about the king and Merlin, mentioning Merlin’s water-balloon animals and a chambermaid named Matilda who braided her hair.

Vera asks if she can return to the present after helping him. Merlin confirms that she can, but only after completing her task and to a time after their departure. When she asks if he can heal Martin’s cancer, Merlin sadly refuses. His magic can work only in cases of mortal wounds, not with illnesses. Merlin warns that if Vera doesn’t come with him, the Arthurian kingdom’s fall will eventually erase her current timeline.

Allison tearfully insists that Vera must go since she’s not truly happy in her current life. Vera reflects on her crushing guilt over Vincent’s death—she stayed home the night of his car crash and believes that she could have saved him. Motivated by the possibility of escaping her guilt and finding redemption, Vera agrees to go.

Merlin explains to Vera that he kept her safe all these years by placing a spell on her that made her fly under the radar. This is why no one will notice Vera’s absence. Vera finally realizes the reason why she seemed “unnoticeable” all her life and feels angry at Merlin’s manipulation.

Merlin gives Vera a satchel containing a medieval dress and tells her that they must leave before the fast-approaching sunset. Unable to say goodbye to Martin in person, Vera goes upstairs to change. She recognizes the green gown from Merlin’s vision and decides to keep her modern underwear and bra. After recalling basic Arthurian legend—including Sir Lancelot’s affair with Guinevere and the villain Mordred—she packs a photograph of her parents, extra underwear, socks, sports bras, and her running shoes.

Back downstairs, Allison has Martin on the phone. Vera has an emotional, hurried goodbye call with her father, who tells her that she’s exactly who they need her to be and that she matters. Unable to bear any more, Vera ends the call before he can respond.

After a final embrace with Allison, Vera walks out of the hotel with Merlin without looking back.

Merlin leads Vera toward the White Spring Temple, explaining that it serves as a portal, which he refers to as “a magically stabilized wormhole” (31). He asks Vera about the contents of her satchel and tells her that she has to keep her modern items concealed from everyone except those who already know about her situation.

Merlin reveals that King Arthur knows her story, as does his closest confidant. Vera guesses that this has to be Lancelot, which Merlin confirms. Merlin seems annoyed at the mention of Lancelot and describes him as loud and foolish but fiercely loyal. Vera recalls to herself the legend of Lancelot’s affair with Guinevere and wonders if there’s any truth to it.

They reach the temple, where Merlin locks them inside. Vera briefly panics but decides to trust him. Merlin magically lights candles throughout the chamber. They climb into a large, three-tiered basin filled with frigid water. Merlin instructs Vera to submerge completely and remain underwater for the spell’s duration.

Vera submerges but begins running out of air. When she tries to surface, Merlin’s hand firmly holds her down. As she nears unconsciousness, the water transforms into thick gel. She feels violently pulled downward as if by a vacuum. An unknown voice fills her mind with the words “Ishau mar domibaru” (38), and she loses consciousness.

Vera awakens in a grassy field at the base of the Glastonbury Tor in the 600s, completely dry despite being immersed in water. A fragment of unknown words lingers in her mouth but slips away when she tries to recall them. Merlin confirms that they have successfully traveled back in time and gives her a circlet crown with a moonstone.

As they walk toward Glastonbury, locals greet Vera with reverence, calling her “Your Majesty.” Merlin explains that she can understand and communicate in the local language due to magic, and he also suggests that she refrain from cursing since it’s not “appropriate for a lady of [her] status” (41). The High Street is a magical evening market with floating lanterns, colored fire, and public displays of magic. Vera is astonished by this vibrant seventh-century world.

At the edge of town, a handsome man with kind eyes waits at the stables. Vera assumes that he’s Arthur and feels an immediate surge of affection for him. When the man hugs Vera, she embraces him back. Merlin appears and angrily asks the man where Arthur is, revealing that the knight hugging Vera is Sir Lancelot. Merlin announces that he must ride ahead and tasks Lancelot with escorting Vera to the castle.

After Merlin leaves, Lancelot insists that they stop for a meal. He takes Vera to the market for hand pies and ale. When Vera asks Lancelot why magic has disappeared in her world, Lancelot confesses that no one knows. Merlin cannot access the 1,300-year block of time between the seventh and 20th centuries. Just then, a man named Garth enters the inn and reports that some young thieves have been spotted in the vicinity. Lancelot asks Vera if they can take a detour to intercept the boys, scare them straight, and offer them a better path. He promises Vera that he’ll keep her safe, and she believes him.

Vera and Lancelot jog to the stables, where he introduces her to her horse, Calimorfis, and explains his plan to lure the thieves by pretending to be injured. He straps his sword to Vera’s horse to appear unarmed.

They ride through the marshland until they hit a grove, where Vera hides while Lancelot lies in the road. Three shoeless boys approach him. When the smallest of the boys, named Dunstan, kicks the seemingly unconscious Lancelot and attempts to steal from him, Lancelot instantly disarms him. The tallest of the boys tries to flee toward Vera. On instinct, she rides out, draws Lancelot’s heavy sword, and blocks the boy’s escape. Lancelot offers the boys a choice: join the king’s army or face his guard. They agree to join the army and run back to town.

Lancelot enthusiastically praises Vera for her presence of mind, revealing that Guinevere was tactical as well and had once devised a key battle strategy. Lancelot and Vera discover a shared love for running, and Vera shows him her modern running shoes, which he declares the greatest invention of all time.

When Vera asks why Arthur didn’t meet her, Lancelot explains that Arthur had reservations about Merlin’s plan but assures her that Arthur doesn’t hate Guinevere. Hours later, Vera falls asleep on her horse. Lancelot holds her steady. In her sleep, she again hears the phrase “Ishau mar domibaru” (60).

Vera awakens to find Lancelot guiding their horses with a floating ball of magical light. Lancelot and Vera ride through a walled village up to Camelot, a beautiful castle of shining, pearl-colored stone. An annoyed Merlin greets them, noting that they’re two hours late.

Inside, Arthur finally makes an appearance. Vera notes that he’s tall and broad with dark hair and a cold, angry expression. Arthur’s eyes seem glassy from drinking. He stares at Vera without recognition, tells Merlin, “That’s not her” (65), and storms out. Lancelot follows him, promising Vera that he’ll meet her tomorrow.

Merlin leads Vera to her chambers, where Matilda, a beautiful, red-haired chambermaid in her early forties, awaits her. Matilda believes that Guinevere has been recovering at a monastery. In order to hide her modern undergarments, Vera declines Matilda’s help changing, making Matilda suspicious.

Alone, Vera explores the chamber. She discovers a wardrobe of Guinevere’s gowns, a functional sink with running water, and, surprisingly, books from her own time, including The Hobbit by J. R. R. Tolkien and Hamlet by William Shakespeare. A second wardrobe reveals that her chamber is part of a shared suite with Arthur.

Arthur enters the suite, startling Vera. He tells her that he will not hurt her and keeps his distance, collecting his clothes. Noticing The Hobbit in her hand, he explains that the books were brought here for her by Merlin. He shows her how to control the magical lights before leaving through an adjoining door and locking it. Feeling alone and afraid, Vera gets into bed and begins reading The Hobbit, imagining her father’s voice performing the characters’ dialogue. She falls asleep with this comforting memory.