Page 47 of To Bind a Dark Heart

“How do you figure?”

“Well, either Grinn gets his way, and he splits us up, and takes his power back, in which case there’s a giant fucking war and I’ll probably die, or Mordred decides I’m too much trouble and kills me when he kills Grinn.” She shook her head. “Either way, I’m probably dead.”

“Probably.”

She glared at him.

“You said it, not me!” He threw up his hands in frustration. “You’reprobablydead. But like I said, maybe instead of throwing the rock, I swallow it whole. Nothing’s decided. So, here’s my advice—be unpredictable.”

Rubbing her hands over her face, she decided that while talking to the wizard was fun and all, it was also going to give her a headache.

“Are we there yet?” Doc shouted up to Lancelot. “My ass is cramping up!”

Yeah. Definitely going to give her a headache.

* * *

Mordred was pacing in his study when Galahad found him. Glancing over at the tall knight, he accepted the inevitability of what would follow. “Zoe sends her love. She and Gwendolyn have met.”

Galahad paused, his wizened face caught in a look of surprise. “How do you know this?”

Pulling the necklace out from under his linen shirt, Mordred showed it to the Knight in Gold before putting it back.

“Ah.” The knight sighed. “You are spying on her in her dreams.”

“Hardly spying, I have made myself very well known.” He smirked.

“Have you told her that you are invading her mind?”

“Not in so many words. She must know.” Mordred shrugged.

“I would not assume that,” Galahad replied. “She is not of this world, remember.”

“I suppose you are right.” But part of Mordred was enjoying the game—the fantasy of it all. That in their dreams, at least, they could be together without the weight of the real world crushing down upon them. He stopped by a window to look out at the field of grass and the forest beyond. Like Galahad, he now had another reason to watch for the arrival of others. Part of him expected an army to step from the glade at any point.

Part of him hoped for a young woman to emerge instead.

“How is the Gossamer Lady?” Galahad was clearly fighting back the hope in his heart, though it escaped into his tone regardless. “It seems many have been to visit her, yet I cannot.”

“She healed Gwendolyn of a wound. I have told Gwen that Zoe is welcome here as my guest whenever she likes—though, as you said, Gwen might not believe I was anything more than a figment of her mind.” Sadly, Mordred figured he should likely explain to his firefly what was truly happening. Galahad was right that he should not have assumed she would know—she was from a realm without magic and mystery, after all. “I will explain it to her next time we sleep, in hopes she can convince Zoe to come here.”

“Thank you, my prince.”

“It is not for you.” He smiled teasingly over at the knight. “I cannot deal with you moping about the keep like the ghost of some lonely sailor lost at sea.”

Galahad chuckled. “Yes. I suppose that is fair.”

“Perhaps—” Mordred was about to sayall will be well.He should have known not to let hope claw its way into his heart. He should have known better. The world had taught him that lesson again and again. Yet it seemed he would never learn.

The necklace began to burn. Hissing in pain, he tore it from his neck. He watched as the heat from the crystal caused his gauntlets to glow as though he had put them into a forge.

“What is it?” Galahad stepped closer.

“Something is wrong. Something has happened.” Mordred felt a sudden terror and helplessness grip him. “Gwendolyn is in danger.”

THIRTEEN

Gwen fell back in the line to walk beside the demon. For several minutes, he did his best to ignore her existence. She waited, not really knowing how to start what she wanted to say anyway.

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