Chapter 23

Chapter Twenty-Three

ARTHUR

I stood in front of the standing mirror and marveled at the ethereal creature gazing back at me. The sheer golden fabric clung to my body like a second skin, accentuating every curve and contour. It was a daring choice, far more revealing than anything I had worn before in Albion.

The golden runes painted across my skin glimmered in the candlelight, ancient symbols of power and protection, or so the servants had told me. They’d traced intricate patterns along my arms, my collarbone, and my exposed midriff. Each stroke of the brush had been a nearly ritualistic act, imbuing me with the blessings of the fae ancestors.

The Night of the Ancients had arrived, preceded by the Dawn of The Ancients. On this sacred day, the barrier between realms was thin, allowing the powerful magic that sustained the land to flow freely. I’d never heard of it before, but I was excited to see it firsthand.

My chestnut curls were wild and silky, untamed and free. Gone were the tight braids and rigid updos of my mortal life. The curls framed my face like a lion's mane, and made me feel a bit wild inside too. Like I could set the world on fire if I wanted to.

As I stared at my reflection, something moved in the corner of my eye. I turned to see the sheer curtains swaying, beckoning me to the open window. The cool twilit air breezed over me, smelling like jasmine and wet leaves.

I sank into the window seat, the velvet cushions soft and comfortable enough that I could easily fall asleep. Below, the Seelie Court sprawled out, lit by lanterns that flickered like magic. The palace was only the centerpiece of a sprawling royal city that stretched out for miles and miles into the horizon. Every home, every structure seemed to have grown up from the ground, twisting into shape.

I felt a strange sense of belonging here, like this place had wrapped itself around my heart already. Now that I knew who my mother was—that she was from the Seelie Court—it was almost like coming home.

My thoughts drifted to the visions Tatiana had shown me. How did nobody know about her? How were rumors not swirling about the fae mistress Uther had a child with? Camelot was swarming with gossip. Even the servants should have known something.

Morrigan. That was my mother’s name. Hearing it for the first time had nearly knocked the wind out of me. Half fae and half druid. So what did that make me? It was frustrating, the not knowing. I could still barely wrap my head around how drastically my life had changed since the moment I pulled Excalibur free. What I did know was that I wasn’t human.

Maybe Mordred was right to be angry. After all, she was Uther's firstborn daughter and the rightful heir to her father’s throne. It was the way of things in the human realm. Crowns were passed on through bloodlines, from oldest to youngest. But Mordred grew up in the shadow of a prophecy that snubbed her.

I couldn't help but wonder what my life would have been like if I had been raised in Camelot, if I had grown up alongside Mordred. Would we have been close, like true sisters? Or would the rivalry between us have festered, poisoning our relationship from the start?

As much as I wanted to resent Mordred for her bitterness, a part of me understood it. How could she not feel betrayed, knowing that her own father had chosen to overlook her? Knowing that her own father banished her from her kingdom, all because she chose to take matters into her own hands and fight for what she thought was rightfully hers?

The thought left a sour taste in my mouth, and I found myself questioning the fairness of it all. How was I any more deserving of the throne than my sister? I was just an orphaned thief with no accomplishments to her name. She was a princess with powerful magic. Maybe she should be queen instead of me. Maybe Camelot would be stronger for it.

The cool breeze caressed my skin, carrying with it the distant sounds of music and laughter from the celebrations below. I shivered, the thin fabric of my dress doing little to war with the chill.

Suddenly, a gust of wind blew out the candles and left me in darkness. I jumped up, hand reaching for my sword that lay across the large bed, as Merlin emerged from the shadows. Letting out a relieved breath, I set the sword back down and slowly took in his shirtless, muscular frame and dark, tousled hair that brushed his shoulders.

"Don't sneak up on me like that," I scolded, trying to ignore how my heart raced. "I could have skewered you."

A smirk played on his lips. He was dressed like a fae tonight, in loose linen trousers, feet bare, and painted with shimmering runes that matched the blue of his eyes.

Merlin moved closer, his gaze intense and darkening by the second. "You wouldn't skewer me. We both know you enjoy my surprises far too much for that."

I scoffed and crossed my arms over my chest, inadvertently pushing my breasts up higher. His eyes flickered down to my cleavage before meeting mine again. "You're far too confident for your own good. One of these days, it's going to get you into trouble."

"Perhaps." He stepped even nearer, close enough now that the heat radiating off his bare skin seeped through the light dress. "But I have a feeling you'll be there to bail me out when it does. Just like you always do, Wart."

I rolled my eyes, even as anticipation coiled low in my belly. "Maybe I’ve had a change of heart. Have you considered that?"

Merlin's hand came up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing over my bottom lip. I shivered at the contact. "I think deep down, you know you need me as much as I need you. This thing between us...I suppose it's inevitable."

I wanted to protest, to push him away and tell him he was wrong. But I couldn't. Not when every fiber of my being was drawn to him like a moth to a flame.

"Damn you," I whispered, my voice hoarse with desire. "Damn you for making me feel this way. You gave up your right to demand anything from me. It’s too late, Merlin. My feelings for my knights…They’re?—"

Something flashed in Merlin's eyes then, hot and hungry. "Fuck it all to hell, Arthur,” he said with a growl of frustration. “You can have your knights, as long as you remember who claimed you first.”

Merlin's lips crashed against mine, hot and demanding. I gasped into the kiss, my hands coming up to tangle in his hair as he pulled me flush against him. The hard planes of his body molded to my softer curves.

"I can't keep pretending," he growled against my mouth, nipping at my bottom lip. "I can't keep acting like I don't crave you every fucking second of every day. Like I don't need to be inside you more than I need my next breath."

A broken moan escaped me, echoing the ache between my thighs. I knew we shouldn't, that giving in to this desire would only complicate things further. But gods help me, I wanted him. I wanted him so badly I could barely think straight.

Merlin's hands slid down my sides to grip my hips, his fingers digging into my flesh through the thin fabric of my dress. He walked me backwards until my back hit the cool stone wall; the contrast made me shiver. Or maybe it was the way his eyes devoured me, dark with need and something far more dangerous.

"Tell me you don't want this," he demanded, his voice rough as gravel. "That you don't feel this thing between us, pulling us together like gravity. Tell me, and I'll stop."

I swallowed hard, my pulse hammering in my throat. Every inch of him felt hot and hard against me. The blue of his eyes burned into me, stripping away my reservations until all that remained was the primal hunger raging inside.

"I can't," I whispered, the admission ripped from somewhere deep down. "I can’t tell you to stop, because I don’t want you to."

A noise that was half growl, half groan rumbled from his chest. Then his mouth was on mine again, claiming me with a ferocity that left me weak. I clung to him, my nails raking down the powerful expanse of his back as he consumed me.

Merlin's hands roamed my body, mapping every curve like he was committing me to memory. He cupped my breasts through the thin fabric, thumbing my nipples until they pearled against his touch. I arched into him with a gasp, the ache between my thighs growing unbearable.

"I need you," he rasped against my throat, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin. "I need to be inside you…”

Merlin's hands slid down to grip my thighs, hoisting me up with a swift motion that had my back pressing harder into the stone wall. I wrapped my legs around his hips instinctively, the new position allowing me to feel the thick ridge of his arousal through his trousers. A broken moan fell from my lips as he ground against me, the friction delicious torture against my aching core.

"Fuck, Arthur," he groaned, his voice strained with barely restrained need. "Do you have any idea what you do to me? How badly I've wanted this?"

I could only whimper in response, my head falling back against the wall as his lips trailed hot, open-mouthed kisses down the column of my throat. His teeth grazed my collarbone, sending sparks of pleasure zinging through my veins.

Merlin's hand slid beneath the hem of my dress, the calloused pads of his fingers skimming up the sensitive skin of my inner thigh. Higher and higher he went until he reached the apex of my thighs and discovered my lack of undergarments.

"Gods," he choked out, his eyes slamming shut as his fingers delved into my slick heat. "You're dripping for me already, aren't you?"

I keened as he stroked me, teasing my clit slowly. Before I could respond, he was freeing himself from the confines of his trousers. He held me up with one arm, and I barely had a moment to beg him before he was notching himself at my entrance and thrusting deep in one smooth stroke.

"Oh gods!" I cried out, my head falling back and my eyes closing as he filled me so completely. The stretch and burn as my body yielded to his was exquisite, pleasure and pain blurring together until I couldn't tell where one ended and the other began.

Merlin stilled for a moment, his forehead pressing to mine as we both adjusted to the intensity. When his eyes met mine, they were glowing a vivid blue.

Then he began to move, withdrawing almost completely before slamming back in with a force that had me seeing stars. Again and again he drove into me, hard and fast, the sounds echoing obscenely through the room.

He shifted the angle of his hips, striking a soft spot deep inside that made stars explode behind my eyelids. A high, keening cry tore from my throat and my back bowed, pressing my breasts against his chest.

His mouth found my neck, teeth sinking into the sensitive flesh hard enough to leave a mark. The sharp sting only heightened my pleasure, sending me hurtling closer to the edge.

Merlin abruptly pulled back, still buried deep inside me, and carried me across the room. We tumbled onto the large, plush bed in a tangle of sweat-covered limbs, never breaking our connection. The cool silk sheets were a shock against my flushed skin as Merlin loomed over me, caging me in with his powerful arms.

His eyes burned into mine, the vivid blue nearly eclipsed by blown pupils. The runes painted across his chest shimmered, casting an ethereal glow over his features. In that moment, he looked every inch the powerful sorcerer—raw, primal, and untamed.

"You're mine," he growled, punctuating the words with a deep, purposeful thrust that had me arching off the bed. "Say it, Arthur. Say you belong to me."

I moaned, my nails digging into his shoulders as I wrapped my legs tighter around his waist. The new angle allowed him to sink even deeper, filling me so completely that it made my head swim.

I looked up at Merlin through my lashes, a wicked grin spreading across my face even as he drove into me with punishing force. The runes painted across my skin suddenly flared to life, shining golden, reflecting off of Merlin’s skin.

"No, Merlin," I purred. He cocked his head as he slowed his thrusts, but I only dug my nails into him harder. " You belong to me ."

Quick as a flash, before he could react, I surged up and flipped us over. Merlin landed on his back with a surprised grunt, his eyes wide and dark with need as I straddled him. His hardness throbbed inside me, stretching me deliciously as I slowly rolled my hips.

"Fuck…" he groaned, his hands gripping my waist hard enough to bruise. But I relished the slight pain, the way it mixed with the intense pleasure building at my core.

I leaned down, my hair cascading around us like a curtain of molten chestnut and gold curls. My breasts brushed against his chest, the peaked nipples visible through the sheer fabric. Merlin's gaze was riveted, his throat working as he swallowed hard.

Merlin let out a strangled groan, his grip on my waist tightening as his hips bucked up involuntarily. "I always knew you were going to be the fucking death of me."

"But what a way to go, hmm?" I teased, slowly lifting myself until only the tip of him remained inside me. Then I slammed back down, taking him to the hilt in one smooth motion.

Merlin cursed as his hands roamed my body, skimming up my sides to cup my breasts. He plucked at my nipples through the thin fabric. The sensation sent jolts of heat straight to my core. I arched into his touch, my head falling back as I lost myself to the building pleasure.

"That's it," he rasped, his voice strained with the effort of holding back. "Take what you need from me. Use me for your pleasure, my queen."

His words only spurred me on, and I redoubled my efforts, rolling my hips in such a way that my clit rubbed against his pelvis. The coil in my belly wound tighter and tighter, my inner walls fluttering around his thick length as I chased my impending climax.

Merlin must have sensed how close I was, because his hand snaked between our sweat-slicked bodies to find my clit. He rubbed tight, purposeful circles around the sensitive nub, the calluses on his fingers providing the most exquisite friction.

"Come for me, Arthur," he commanded, his voice rough and on the brink of a growl.

With a sharp cry, I shattered around him, my inner walls clamping down on his length as wave after wave of ecstasy crashed over me. Merlin groaned, his fingers digging into my hips as he thrust up into me erratically, chasing his own release.

Suddenly, a burst of blinding golden light exploded from my body, filling the room with an otherworldly glow. The runes adorning my skin shimmered and pulsed, as if alive with ancient magic. Merlin's eyes went wide, his grip on me tightening as his own release overtook him.

"Fuuuck!" he roared, his back arching off the bed as he spilled himself deep inside me. His face contorted in agonized bliss, the chords of his neck straining as he lost himself to the pleasure.

I collapsed on top of him, my body still trembling. Merlin's arms came around me, holding me close as we both struggled to catch our breath. His hips still moved very slowly, easing me through the pleasure. The golden light slowly faded, replaced by a sudden flickering of newly lit candles at the wave of Merlin’s hand.

When I emerged from the bathing chambers ten minutes later, skin flushed and glowing from the surge of magic, Merlin was waiting for me. He lounged on the bed, propped up on an elbow, the very picture of seductive indolence. A lazy, self-satisfied smirk curled his lips as his eyes roamed appreciatively over my body, once again clean, as if nothing had happened.

My golden runes that had blazed so brightly had faded back to a pretty shimmer, as if the magic was temporarily sated. We were already running late for the feasts and needed to make an appearance as soon as possible. As a royal guest, I didn't want to be seen as disrespectful or inconsiderate.

We slipped out of my chambers and into the torch-lit corridor. Merlin fell into step beside me, his fingertips grazing the small of my back in a possessive gesture that made me grin wickedly. I wasn’t lying when I told him he was mine.

As we descended the long, twisting staircase to the palace courtyard, the distant sounds of music and laughter grew louder. The Night of the Ancients celebration was already in full swing, and the thrum of magic was in the air.

At the palace gates, my five knights stood waiting for me. Dressed in the same fae fashion as Merlin, only their runes were painted in colors that matched their eyes or hair. I shucked in a sharp breath as I ran my eyes over them. So different from the courtly knights of the round table I’d gotten to know in Albion. Here, they were fae down to the core. There was something feral about my men tonight.

I nearly choked on a laugh. My men…Is that what they were now? I supposed I could claim them all the way I claimed Merlin. It would be simple, really. Their attraction to me was like a physical tether between us. All five of them wanted me, There was no denying that.

Galahad was the first to step forward, his eyes smoldering with barely restrained desire as he bowed deeply. "My Queen," he murmured, his voice low and husky. "You look fucking ravishing tonight."

I felt Merlin stiffen beside me, his hand tightening possessively on my waist. But before he could say anything, Gawain chimed in with a roguish grin. "Careful, Gal. You don't want to incur the wrath of our queen’s lover. Something tells me he wouldn’t mind the challenge though."

Tristan and Lancelot exchanged an amused glance, while Gawain merely quirked an eyebrow, his gray eyes glinting with mischief. The tension between the knights and Merlin was palpable.

I watched with growing amusement as Merlin stepped forward, a dangerous glint in his eye as he faced off against Gawain. The fae knight merely grinned, completely unfazed by the powerful sorcerer's glare.

"Is that a challenge, Sir Gawain?" Merlin asked, his voice deceptively calm. "Because if it is, I'm more than happy to oblige." His lips twitched into a smirk, and it was all I could do to contain an eye roll.

“Your male posturing is adorable,” I said, taking a step between them. “But we’re being rude to our hosts. Can we get on with the night without you pulling out your cocks to measure?”

Gawain, never one to miss an opportunity, quipped with a roguish wink, "Obviously, I have the largest cock. No need to measure."

Tristan smacked him on the back of the head, the silver-haired knight's eyes dancing with amusement. "Keep dreaming, Gawain. We all know it's not the size that counts, but how you use it to please her."

Gawain shoved Tristan back and laughed. “Spoken like a man with an inferiority complex, hm?”

The tension broke like a spell, the knights' laughter ringing out into the night air. Even Merlin cracked a smile, shaking his head.

Percy finally stepped forward from the shadows that constantly swirled around him, his dark eyes fixed on me with an intensity that made my breath catch. The memory of his cock buried deep inside me made my whole body tingle.

"Let’s get moving. I’m tired of standing around while there’s wine to fucking drink. I, for one, am more than ready to show off who she belongs to."

A shiver of pleasure shot through me at his words, causing Merlin to tense beside me again. But I quickly raised my hand, giving them all a sharp stare. "No man will ever own me. But , I will gladly let it be known that the six of you have been claimed. At least for tonight."