Guinevere's Grail | ✓ [BOOK 2]

~ 2 ~

THEY WERE FROZEN FOR several seconds, eyes wide and fixated on Morgana. Giselle's heart felt like it might burst, she nearly couldn't believe it. Kit didn't move, but she finally budged and threw herself at her friend, hugging him as best she could with the awkward position.

She heard a chain rattle and pull taut, then Morgana let out a frustrated grunt. "I can't hug you back. I bet this was Kit's idea, that asshole."

He tried the same with his other hand, but then he took notice of something far from chains.

"Is that your hand, Kit?"

Giselle pulled away, letting Morgana get a clear look at the prince, who was so frozen he must've been carved in stone. His hand was still there, holding Morgana's like a vice.

To Giselle's surprise, Morgana didn't let go, either.

"Morgana," Kit breathed.

"You sure like to say my name like that a lot for a man who puts me in chains every chance you get," Morgana murmured. His voice was dry and coarse, but he wasn't struggling to speak.

Kit finally broke away from his trance. "I'm sorry, I know, I just... I still don't know what to think of you."

At last, Morgana pulled his hand away. "You still don't trust me."

Kit was quiet. "You stabbed me, after... you know. I just... no. I don't. I'm sorry."

The Unseelie laughed, turning his head so he was looking up at the ceiling. "I took Excalibur to the heart for you and you still don't trust me."

"Morgana--"

"You're right," he said. "You shouldn't trust me. You're getting smarter, Kit, finally. Maybe now you won't do stupid things like accepting gifts from Titania."

"That was one time."

"Yeah, but then you trusted me twice and I screwed you over," Morgana told him.

"You sound like you're proud of that."

He ignored the comment. "You're right not to trust me. I do wish these chains were a little longer, though."

Kit stepped away from the bed, and Giselle happily took his place. As much as she enjoyed their banter, she'd missed Morgana too much not to be with him.

"Hi," she whispered, sitting down next to him.

He turned his head to look at her, and his eyes softened like butter. "Hey," he said back. "Did you agree to these?"

She looked at his fists, raised up as far as the chains would permit. She cast her eyes downward, and Morgana turned his head back to face the ceiling with a sharp inhale.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't know what you were going to be like when you woke up, sometimes people get angry when things like this happen."

"No, it's okay." His throat bobbed, like he was holding something back. "It's not your fault you can't trust me. I know."

Giselle placed her fingertips on his cheek, turning his face back to her. He didn't resist. "I'm glad you're here. Please don't jump in front of Excalibur again, please."

Finally, she saw a real smile crack open over his face. Not a petty one, or a sad one, a real one.

"You can't tell me what to do."

She glared.

"I'm kidding, yes, fine. No more jumping in front of Excalibur. Noted." He held up a hand, and she knew right away what he wanted.