Page 70 of The Sword & the Stone

As we descended the narrow, winding staircase, the air grew thick with the heady scent of damp earth and blooming flowers. The weathered stone steps were slick with moss, drooping with the indentations of thousands of feet that had stomped up and down over the years.

At the bottom of the stairs, we emerged into a large, circular room that had once served as the tower's main hall. But now, nature had reclaimed the space, transforming it into a wild, enchanted grotto.

Alush tapestry of ivy and flowering vines almost entirely obscured the crumbling stone walls. Delicate blossoms in shades of white, lavender, and pale blue peeked out from between the glossy green leaves, their petals shimmering with droplets of evening dew.

The floor was a plush carpet of emerald moss, soft and springy beneath my bare feet. Tiny wildflowers in vibrant hues of yellow, pink, and violet dotted the velvety expanse, their faces turned up towards the gentle light that filtered in through the cracks in the domed ceiling.

In the center of the room, where I imagine a great strategy table would have once stood, now grew a small, but beautiful tree, still in its fledgeling stages. The others moved to join us,their steps nearly silent on the plush carpet of moss. Galahad carried a bottle of faerie wine, the dark liquid sloshing gently in the cut-crystal decanter.

Galahad grinned as he uncorked the bottle with a flourish. "A vintage from Queen Titania's private reserve." He took a deep swig before passing the bottle to Percival, who followed suit with a satisfied groan.

"Stealing from the queen, Gal? How delightfully wicked of you." Percy’s dark eyes were glossed over with drink, and for once, a lazy smile played on his lips. It was the most at ease I’d ever seen the dark fae.

I accepted the bottle from Percy, the crystal cool and smooth against my palm. I took a long pull, savoring the rich, complex flavors that burst across my tongue—ripe summer berries and a hint of something smoky.

Tristan conjured several softly glowing orbs of silver light that hovered in the air around us, casting the grotto in an ethereal shimmer. The play of light and shadow across the stone walls was mesmerizing, the vines seeming to dance and sway.

As I passed the bottle to Tristan, a sudden burst of shimmering golden light filled the grotto, causing the delicate blossoms to tremble and the hovering orbs to flicker. Merlin stepped out of the swirling golden mists. He caught the flying bottle of corked wine that Tristan tossed, and with a roguish grin, he sauntered towards us, his movements fluid and graceful as a panther.

"Starting the party without me?" Merlin quipped, his voice a low, seductive purr. "I'm wounded, Wart."

I glanced between Merlin and Tristan, narrowing my eyes at the seer. “You saw him coming, didn’t you?”

Tristan smiled lazily and shrugged. “Perhaps.”

Merlin took a deep pull from the bottle before passing it on, his eyes scanning my body, catching on the bare thigh peekingout from the obscene slit in my dress. "Can you blame me for not wanting to miss out on all the fun?"

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't stop the grin that tugged at my lips. "And what makes you think there’s any fun to be had?"

Merlin's smile turned wicked, his gaze hot and heavy as it raked over me. "Oh, I don't know. A beautiful, powerful woman...six deadly, devastatingly handsome males who worship at her feet...hidden away in a grotto where no one will find us. I'd say the possibilities are endless, wouldn't you?"

“Worship, hm?” I tilted my head to the side. "Careful, Merlin. That sounds dangerously close to a promise and a challenge."

Gawain leaned back on his elbows as he fixed me with a heated gaze. "I think we all know who could make our queen scream the loudest."

"Is that so, Gawain? Because I seem to recall having Arthur writhing beneath me not too long ago, begging for more," Percy said smugly.

My cheeks flushed hot at the memory, a thrill of desire zinging down my spine. The wine had lowered my inhibitions, and the simmering tension between the six males was like an aphrodisiac, making my blood sing with need.

Galahad leaned forward, his eyes glinting with mischief. "Ah, but making a woman scream is about more than just brute strength and stamina. It takes finesse, skill...the ability to play her body like an instrument until she's singing your name to the heavens."

Tristan hummed thoughtfully, his gaze distant, as if seeing something beyond the here and now. He leaned against the stone wall, idly twirling an icy lock of hair around his finger. "I could have her shattering with pleasure without even laying a hand on her. The mind is the most powerful erogenous zone, after all."

Lancelot scoffed. "Pretty words and parlor tricks are all well and good, but when it comes down to it, a woman wants to be thoroughly, utterly claimed. Possessed. Taken to the very limits of her endurance until she's hoarse from screaming."

My eyes bounced rapidly between each man in the room. I was suddenly very aware of every part of my body, and the amount of skin that was exposed to their wandering eyes. A fluttering heat built up inside of me.

"You're all talk," Merlin said, his voice a low, sensual purr. "But let's see who can actually back it up. I propose a little wager."

I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening as six pairs of heated eyes turned to me, glittering with challenge and anticipation. The air was thick with the heady scent of arousal and magic; the tension crackling like a living thing.

Merlin stood, his movements fluid and predatory. He circled me slowly, his fingers trailing lightly over my bare shoulders, down the exposed line of my spine. I shivered, goosebumps erupting in the wake of his touch.

"The rules are simple," he murmured. "We each get a turn to pleasure our queen, using whatever methods we deem fit. And Arthur decides who made her come the hardest, the most intensely...who wrung the most exquisite ecstasy from her beautiful body."

My body went weak, a gush of wetness flooding my core. I could barely think straight through the haze. The prospect of being the center of attention, the object of desire for these six incredible males, made my head spin.

Galahad groaned, his fists curling tightly. "I'm in. This is going to be fun."

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