Page 267 of Kingdoms of Night

Gyges’ brows flared. “I see my new son-in-vine knows his charms.”

“I know it’s an ancient Thai amulet imbued with magicks that can make people fall in love.”

“Oh, it does more than that, my boy. It can make a person feel more merciful around the wearer when they are in negotiations.” Gyges moved around the couple, fairly skipping in his strides. “It sends a gentle wave of energy that helps to make others feel comfortable around you, comfortable enough so that they open up and tell you their secrets.”

Geraint followed her father’s steps, still never taking his eyes off the charm. Enid felt her heart sinking as her father reeled her new husband in. It would appear that this knight was just like all other men. There was greed in his heart that her father would feed on like it was the choicest of fertilizer.

“You can tell me your heart’s desire, my son. What do you want most?”

“I have all that I have ever desired.” Geraint squeezed Enid into his side.

Gyges’ gaze swung from the knight to his daughter and back to the amulet.

“I offer it to you as it is known to bring a spouse into domestic harmony. It can bend an unbiddable woman.” Gyges’ gaze connected with Enid. What was his game? “I want my daughter to find love.”

Enid almost snorted at that. Her father didn’t believe in love. Not truly. Lust and desire were his game.

Gyges held out the charm. The heart pulsed as though there was actual blood pumping through it. Enid felt her insides turn cold when Geraint reached out to seize the item.

“Thank you for that further information on this magical charm,” said Geraint. “You’ve placed it in good hands. And now, from my hands, I’ll place it where it ought to go: in the vault of Tintagel.”

The smile slid from Gyges’ face. His shrewd gaze turned to Enid, as though she had somehow tricked him. Enid had never seen this look before on her father’s face. It was the look of a man that had been bested.

“Shall we?” Geraint held his arm out to Enid.

Without a second thought, Enid took his arm. They walked away from her father, who had reset his features into the mischievous grin that had been there since Enid was a sprout. She turned her back on her father and faced the ancient Welwitschia tree that acted as a portal between worlds. Now that Enid knew there was a cousin to this tree in Camelot, the way would be both smoother and faster.

Gawain took up sentry behind them. Geraint kept his hand on Enid’s waist as he allowed her to guide him to the tree. Once at the arbor’s roots, Enid glanced up at her husband.

"Geraint?" Enid reached up to touch his chin. The hair she found there was just as soft as what she'd touched on his arms and chest earlier.

He turned to her. His bright eyes slowly focusing on her. For a moment, Enid got lost in their depths. They remained as open as they had a moment ago when he’d asked if she still wanted to leave with him. There had been doubt in his gaze, a dim to the sparkling glow of his eyes. Slowly, the embers sparked to life, and Enid forgot what she was going to say.

"I know you don't trust me," said Geraint.

Enid swallowed at that missive. Her carefully constructed mask slipped ever so slightly. For the first time in her life, she wished she had the ability to trust. But she doubted her roots were strong enough for such a foundation.

"I came for you when you called,” he said. “I will always answer your call, Enid."

She liked those words. She liked his voice. There was a part of her that wanted to trust what he was saying. Mainly, she just wanted him to continue talking to her in that soothing way.

She'd never had someone try to soothe her cares and worries. Her parents were far too busy fighting each other to pay her any mind. She found her petals starving for it.

"I will always protect you. Always."

There was that soothing tone again. It made Enid forget that it was her father's machinations that had shoved them together. It made her lose sight of the fact that she didn’t know what her father’s end game for the two of them was. What she did remember, what she was certain of, was that she'd rather be with this warrior with a soothing voice than in her father's treacherous garden. And so she took her husband’s hand and stepped onto the tree’s roots.

Gawain stepped up to the other side of her. She frowned at him, having also forgotten his presence. The dark-haired knight winked at her, but she felt no heat from the gesture.

Both men placed their hands on their swords. Both men boxed her in, as though she were precious and worth protecting. It was the oddest sensation Enid had ever felt.

She glanced back at her father. His calculating gaze was on the scene. His eyes flicked as though they were having difficulty coming up with the answer to this equation.

In a rare show of defiance, Enid let a grin slip in her father's presence. Whatever lay on the other side of the portal, it wouldn't go according to his plan, because he couldn't have planned for this. He couldn’t have planned that Geraint would have won against Vidar, taken Enid’s flower, and thus won her hand. He couldn’t have planned that the knight would agree to marry her just hours after. Gyges couldn’t have planned that Geraint would have no interest in keeping that love charm for himself.

Or could he?

Enid shoved down the doubt and turned back to face her husband. She twined her fingers with his, not missing the withering piece of vine still clinging to his wrist. He brought her hand up to his lips and pressed a kiss to her knuckles.

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