Page 47 of The Sword & the Stone

I nodded, too awed to speak. It was like a veil had been lifted from my eyes, revealing a world suffused with shimmering energy. I kept this going for hours, pulling and pushing my magic to and from the sword. Merlin said the trick to honing your magic was ultimately through familiarity and repetition.

As the sun began to dip below the horizon, painting the sky in vivid hues of orange and pink, we finally stumbled on the perfect spot to make camp. Nestled in a small clearing beside a bubbling stream, the site was sheltered by towering oaks and flanked by a mossy embankment that would provide a natural barrier against the chill of the night air.

I let out a sigh of relief as I shrugged off my pack, feeling the weight of the day's journey lift from my shoulders. The knights wasted no time in setting up camp, falling into a well-practiced routine. Gawain and Galahad set about gathering firewood, their easy banter and laughter echoing through the trees as they worked. Lancelot sparked their kindling, and soon the area was glowing with warmth.

Tristan and Percival patrolled the surrounding area, whispering under their breath, no doubt setting up wards. Tendrils of shadow surrounded Percival, and I watched, mouth agape, as he sent out those shadows into the darkening woods, searching for potential threats. My cheeks heated with thememory of how those tendrils felt as they skimmed my naked body while Percival fucked me slowly.

As if sensing my eyes on him, he turned. I held his dark stare, heat simmering between us like a furnace. There wasn’t a single part of me that regretted what we did. I’d do it again in a heartbeat if given the chance. I only hoped we were given the chance again, when all was said and done.

Merlin knelt beside the stream, filling our water skins and murmuring softly under his breath. The water seemed to shimmer and dance around his fingers, responding to his whispered incantations. He glanced up, catching my gaze, and a small smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"Come here," he said, beckoning me over. "I want to show you something."

Curious, I made my way to his side, kneeling down on the soft, damp earth.

Merlin took my hand, guiding it to hover just above the surface of the stream. "Close your eyes," he murmured, his breath warm against my ear. "Reach out with your magic. Feel the water, and the life that flows through it."

I did as he instructed, letting my awareness expand until I could sense the pulsing energy of the stream. It was like a living thing, vibrant and dynamic, filled with swirling currents and eddies. As I focused, I became aware of tiny motes of light drifting just beneath the surface, glowing softly in the gathering dusk.

"What are they?" I whispered, not wanting to disturb the delicate balance of the moment.

"Wisps. Tiny spirits of the water, drawn to the purity of the stream. They're a sign that the water is safe to drink."

He released my hand, and I watched in amazement as he cupped his palms, dipping them into the cool, clear water. As he lifted his hands, the wisps swirled around his fingers, their lightcasting a soft, silvery glow on his skin. He brought his cupped hands to his lips and drank deeply, then offered them to me.

I hesitated for a moment, then leaned forward, pressing my lips to his palms. The water was crisp and refreshing, with a subtle sweetness that danced on my tongue. As I drank, I felt a tingling coolness fill my body, like I was being infused with the very essence of the stream.

"Magic isn't just for grand gestures," Merlin said, watching me with a thoughtful expression. "It's in the little things too, like purifying the water we drink, or easing the aches and pains of a long day's journey."

He reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from my face. The tender gesture caught me off guard, sending a flutter through my chest. I searched Merlin's eyes, trying to reconcile this gentle, attentive version of him with the cold, distant man who had been avoiding me all day.

Just a few hours ago, he'd snapped at me when I asked him a question about my magic, his blue eyes flashing with irritation."If you paid attention, you wouldn't need to ask,"he'd growled, stalking ahead to walk with Lancelot.

I'd felt the sting of his words like a slap, my temper flaring in response. I'd spent the rest of the day stewing in my resentment, determined to ignore him just as thoroughly as he was ignoring me.

But now, kneeling beside the stream, with the wisps dancing around us and the soft glow of the sunset painting his face in shades of gold, I felt my anger melting away, replaced by a swelling confusion.

"Merlin…What happened to us?”

Where were the two best friends who would leap into fires for each other? Where were the mischievous thieves who swindled their way through bar tabs only to hide out until sunrise, laughing and telling stories on the roofs of Camelot?

Merlin's expression softened, a flicker of sadness passing through his eyes. He sighed, looking down at our joined hands. "Everything changed when you pulled that sword from the stone. You're not just a street urchin anymore. You’re notjustWart, and I'm notjustyour partner in crime anymore. I'm your advisor, your protector. I have to be the one to guide you, to make sure you're ready. Even if it means pushing you away sometimes."

I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. "But why does it have to be like that? Why can't we still be friends the way we were before?"

Merlin's hand tightened around mine, his thumb brushing over my knuckles in a feather-light caress. "Because my feelings for you have grown far beyond friendship. And I see the way your knights look at you. Even Lancelot. It’s only a matter of time until you fall for one of them. Or maybe all of them, who knows?"

Part of me wanted to deny it, to insist that nothing had changed between us. But deep down, I knew he was right. The bond we shared had always been intense, but now, with the weight of my destiny pressing down on me and the undeniable attraction simmering between me and my knights, it had become something else entirely.

"Merlin," I whispered, my voice trembling. "I don't want to lose you. You're my best friend, my rock. I need you by my side, now more than ever."

He closed his eyes, a pained expression crossing his face. "I'll always be by your side, Wart. But I can't be what you need me to be. Not anymore."

“But what if I want you to be? Back at the castle, when you kissed me, when we…” I paused, my face flaming with the memory of his tongue between my thighs, licking and sucking while I writhed in pleasure.

A thought occurred to me then. A dark thought. One that had jealousy spreading through my veins and my fingers shaking as I looked into Merlin’s eyes. “Tell me it’s not because of Mordred…”

If he still loved her, I didn’t know what I would do. I didn’t think my heart could handle the agony.

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