Page 17 of The Sword & the Stone

Hearing it out loud sent a wave of dizziness through me, and I was glad I was sitting.

Merlin's eyes flashed with anger, and for a moment, I thought I saw a hint of gold in their blue depths. "I would never betray Arthur. I promised to protect and serve her until my last fucking breath."

I held up my hand, silencing the knights before an argument could erupt. "Merlin’s right. He’s been by my side since we were children, scraping by in that orphanage together. I trust him with my life." I looked at each of the knights in turn, holding their gazes. "You’ve sworn an oath to protect me, and I’m grateful for that, but Merlin has made that same vow, even if it wasn’t in front of a court or king. Merlin's magic has saved my life more times than I can count."

I took a deep breath and looked at each of the knights in turn. "You five share a bond of brotherhood, built over years of serving Camelot together. You trust each other completely and would lay down your lives for one another without a second thought. Merlin and I share that same bond. We might not have been knighted together, but we've faced challenges that could break lesser men."

I thought back to our childhood in the orphanage, remembering those long nights when we huddled together for warmth and the days we spent scavenging for scraps of food. "When the other children shunned him for his strange dreams and visions, I was there for him. I fought them off and was punished for it every time."

A smile crept onto my face at the memory. "And when I was sick with the sweating sickness, it was Merlin who stayed by my side day and night, feeding me broth and slowly healing me with what little magic he knew."

Lancelot's eyes searched mine, his brow furrowed as he wrestled with his thoughts. The sunlight glinted off his golden hair, casting a halo around his head. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, his broad shoulders sagging slightly. "We’ll trust your judgment then, but know that I will be watching the sorcerer closely. If he makes one wrong move, if he even hints at betraying you, I will not hesitate to strike him down."

Merlin inclined his head, a small smile playing at the corner of his lips. "I would expect nothing less from the queen's most loyal knight.”

Lancelot's jaw clenched, but he simply nodded stiffly before turning his horse back towards the path. The other knights followed suit, falling into formation around me once more.

A gust of wind rustled through the trees, carrying with it a cold whisper that chilled me to my bones. I glanced over my shoulder, peering into the shadowy depths of the forest, half-expecting to see glowing eyes or glistening fangs peering back at me. But there was nothing. Just the gentle sway of branches and the distant call of a raven.

Merlin flew ahead, his griffin's wings beating a steady rhythm against the sky. Every so often, he would swoop down low, his eyes scanning the forest floor for any signs of danger. I found myself watching him, admiring the way his body moved in perfect sync with the creature beneath him.

As if sensing my gaze, Merlin glanced back over his shoulder, his blue eyes locking with mine. A slow, wicked smile spread across his face, and I felt heat bloom in my cheeks. Memories of last night flooded my mind—the brush of his fingers on my skin. I shivered, my thighs clenching involuntarily around the saddle.

I tore my gaze away from Merlin, trying to focus on the path ahead. But my mind kept wandering, replaying every heated glance, every brush of skin on skin. It was maddening, the way he could unravel me with just a look. This change in dynamic between us was all so new. We’d had years to cross that threshold. Why had we waited until the day my life changed forever?

Galahad rode up beside me, his eyes sparkling with mischief. "You seem distracted, my lady," he said, his voice light and teasing.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I said, fighting a smile. "I was just...lost in thought."

Galahad raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "Of course. I’m sure your thoughts werepurelyinnocent and not at all related to a certain dark-haired sorcerer who can’t seem to stop staring at you like he wants to eat you."

"Careful," I warned playfully. "Or I might just have to challenge you to a duel to defend my own honor."

Galahad let out a hearty laugh, the sound echoing through the trees. "I would be honored to face you in combat,” he said, giving me an exaggerated bow from atop his horse. "But I’m afraid I wouldn’t stand a chance against your legendary sword." His eyes bounced to Excalibur at my hip.

I couldn’t ignore the damn thing if I tried. Even sheathed, the blade called to me. It felt like a gentle hum of magic brushing against my thigh every so often, as if the sword wanted to remind me it was there.

“Maybe it would help if I knew how to use it,” I muttered, almost to myself, but he heard. I knew how to fight when I needed to, but my training was nowhere near what I needed if I was going to be crowned queen once this quest was completed.

“From what I hear, you handled your own before pulling the sword free.” Galahad looked me over deliberately slow. “Rumors have been swirling about you all night in Camelot, I’m afraid. The tiny woman who nearly killed two mercenaries.” I scrunched up my nose at the memory of trying to scramble away from those awful men. Galahad laughed, and the deep rumble of it warmed me a little. “Maybe we can carve out some time between camps to teach you a thing or two about swordplay, hm?”

I felt a flush of excitement at Galahad's offer. The prospect of learning how to wield Excalibur properly from the fae knights themselves was thrilling. "I'd like that very much. Thank you, Galahad."

He grinned, the sun catching on his fiery hair. "It would be my pleasure. We can't have our queen going into battle unprepared now, can we?"

Battle.Was this my life now?

As we rode on, the air grew cooler, mist curling between the ancient trees. The back of my neck prickled, and I glanced around warily. These woods were different than the ones surrounding the city of Camelot—wilder, more untamed. I could feel the ancient magic thrumming in the earth, taste it on my tongue with each breath.

We came to a small clearing, and Lancelot held up a hand, signaling for us to halt. He swung down from his saddle in one smooth motion, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword as he scanned the tree line. "We'll make camp here for the night.”

I looked around in confusion, watching as Merlin and his griffin circled above. “Why so soon? We still have daylight hours left.”

“The wilds are a dangerous place. Before we go any further, we’ll need to ward you,” Lancelot said, and then nodded at Galahad. “Maybe you can use the few hours we have before the sun sets to begin her training. The gods know she needs it.”

I scowled, but I had nothing to say to that, because unfortunately, he was right. As the knights set about unpacking bedrolls and kindling for a fire, Merlin landed his griffin at the edge of a tiny clearing. He slid from its back and murmured something in its ear before it took off again, disappearing into the darkening sky.

Merlin strode over to me, his cloak billowing behind him. He stopped inches away, close enough that the heat radiating off hisbody caressed me. "Before we go any further, there's something I need to do."

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