Page 33 of To Charm a Dark Prince

He took her hand and bowed to kiss her knuckles. “Sir Galahad, the Knight in Gold.” He had a kind voice. Soft. But there was strength in his grip and his fingers were calloused. She was pretty damn sure he could kick ass with the best of them. Even if he did look like a string bean. “What brings you to this wing of the keep?”

“Just wandering and exploring.” Her stomach audibly growled. She sighed. “And attempting to feed the beast.”

He laughed, his expression crinkling into a gentle smile. “Would you allow me the pleasure of escorting you to the kitchen?”

“Well, you’d be doing me a favor, so sure.” She smiled back at him. “Thanks.”

“Of course. It has been a very, very long time since we have entertained any manner of guests.” He began to walk, and she fell in step beside him. “You will have to forgive me if my manners are out of practice.”

“I have zero manners. Don’t worry about it.”

Chuckling, he clasped his hands behind his back. “It can be jarring to come from Earth to Avalon. Especially with how much time has passed between then and now. What year is it on Earth?”

“Twenty-twenty-three.”

He grunted. “Goodness. It does not feel as though that much time has passed. Sometimes, time here passes differently than in other realms. But that is not to blame here, I fear.”

“Realms? Plural? Mordred mentioned this world used to be a gate.”

“Indeed. Avalon exists in a space between many worlds. Earth is merely one of them. I myself hail from elsewhere.”

“Really? That’s awesome.Where’re you from?” It was amazing how less terrifying magic could be when it wasn’t trying to kill you or set you on fire.

“A world named Tir n’Aill. It is a land of the fae. I traveled from there to Earth to fight alongside King Arthur. When we came here to Avalon with him and the others, I stayed at Mordred’s side.” He shrugged as though that were no big deal at all.

“Fae. Like. Fairies?”

He smiled. “Yes. Fae as in ‘like’ fairies. This world was also rife with my kind before…” He trailed off, his expression falling.

“Before the Crystal?”

“Yes. Before the Crystal.” He shook his head. “Forgive me. I should not burden you with our tales of woe. You should not be a victim of our history.”

“I think I already am.” She pulled the fur cape around herself a little tighter. It was cozy and warm, and she was still chilly in the autumn air. She assumed it was autumn, anyway. She honestly had no clue.

“Yes, I suppose you are.” He didn’t look thrilled by the idea at all. He looked so damn sad that she almost wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay. She wanted to ask him more questions about the Crystal, but with how clearly upsetting it was to him, she opted not to.

Luckily, a change of subject happened pretty quickly. They reached a doorway in the depths of the castle. Keep. Whatever.

“Out, out,out!”a woman shrieked. A frying pan flew out of the doorway and smashed against the wall, clattering to the floor.

Gwen jumped almost a foot in the air, leaping backwards. An armored figure, looking a bit more haphazard than some of the ones she’d seen around the castle, ran out of the room a second later. That suit of armor looked like it was missing entire sections, and one of his arms was floating, detached from his body, in the space next to him.

Gwen hid behind Galahad as the armor ran away, clanking as it went past them.

A collection of armor and…kitchenware stepped out of the room. It was shaped like a woman wearing an apron. She was wielding a rolling pin like a weapon. It kind of reminded Gwen of her Aunt Lucy, who was rounder than she was tall. “And don’t come back, you broken half-wit!” the woman screamed after the armor that was running away. “Iswear.”

Galahad sighed. “Good morn, Maewenn. I have brought our visitor to see you.”

“Oh!” the armor-that-looked-like-Gwen’s-aunt squeaked. “It’s you, Galahad. And—oh, look at you, you poor thing. Come in, come in. You must bestarving.Missed breakfast, did you? Must have been so tired. I hope the prince didn’t keep you up all night yammering. He doesn’t talk frequently, but when he does? Come come, in in, let me rustle you up some food!”

“I—” Gwen didn’t get another word out before Maewenn grabbed her by the hand and was tugging her into the kitchen. She looked back at Galahad and mouthed the words “Help me.”

Chuckling, the tall knight bowed his head and turned on his heel to walk away. “Enjoy, Lady Gwendolyn.”

Why did she feel like she just got hazed? Oh, she was going to get him back for this.

Once she escaped the kitchen, anyway.

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