Page 70 of To Charm a Dark Prince

“I certainly do not.” He huffed. “There are no ladies around.” When she groaned and slapped his chest, he laughed and pulled her tighter into a hug. “Oh come now, that was amusing.”

“Yeah, whatever.” She was laughing, despite herself.

“Was our time so insufferable to you?”

“No.” It was an honest reply. “It wasn’t. I’m just…everything is a lot right now. Like, a whole lot.” She shook her head. “And Mordred…”

“Wants you as well. I know. There is no small part of me that seethes with jealousy. But if you are to play his interest in you as an advantage against him, it would be wise.” He tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “And I will suffer in as much silence as I can manage.”

“You all need to get out more, that’s all I’m saying.” She smiled. It was flattering, maybe, that these two guys were interested in her. But she knew it wasn’t because she was special. It was because she wasshiny and new.

Or in Lancelot’s case, his only path to freedom.

And in Mordred’s case, his only hope for a friend that he could trust.

God, I fucking hate all of this.

“I should get back to bed in case Mordred checks in on me.” She gently nudged his arms away from her as she took a step back. “I don’t want him stabbing either of us because he finds us together.”

“Hm. Good point. And you look tired. Get some rest, my lady.” He took her hand and kissed the back of her knuckles. The gesture made her cheeks go warm. “And I will see you on the morrow.”

“G’night,” she replied, still faintly smiling at the chivalrous gesture. “Lance.”

He huffed a laugh again. “Lance. I do not know if I like that or not.”

Walking away, she called over her shoulder. “I could come up with worse, you know.”

“I’d prefer you didn’t.” He stayed on the balcony as she left.

It was with a faint smile that she went back to bed. He might be a smarmy bastard, but he had successfully cheered her up.

She had a plan. A plan that would lead to destroying the Crystal. Right?

Which was what she wanted to do.

Right?

TWENTY-ONE

“We’re ridinghimto town?” Gwen stared up at the enormous metal dragon that was sitting outside the gates of Mordred’s castle. She had been excited to go into the “city” and see what it was like—to see more of Avalon than just the little that she had experienced.

Butdragon.

The creature peered down at her with its glowing white eyes and let out a weird, raspyharumph.

“I—I mean—no offense, you’re really majestic and all, but—” She laughed nervously. “I just—horses would be fine.”

“It would take half the day to ride there, and a half day to ride back.” Mordred smirked at her obvious fear. “This will take less than an hour.”

“I…but…um.”

“It is quite astonishing to fly. This time, perhaps, you will be awake for the journey.” He was grinning now. He patted her on the shoulder with his clawed gauntlet. “I will not let you fall.”

“It’s not that I don’t believe you.” She chewed her lip. The last thing she wanted to do was have a panic attack while mid-air on a damn metal dragon. Again.

The point was simply—dragon.

“Go on, firefly. I promise this flight will not be nearly as terrifying as the last.” He nudged her gently forward.

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