Emry boiled with fury. At that moment, Arthur looked in her direction and caught her staring. He raised his goblet with a wide grin, as if to toast her humiliation.

Emry didn’t toast back.

Oh, this was a disaster. She’d meant to lay low, not torment the crown prince and his guard.

Emry ate the rest of her meal without noticing. She was too busy sneaking glances toward the royal banquet table, where King Uther bent Arthur’s ear for the rest of supper.

Whatever they were discussing must have been serious, because the prince’s grin was gone, replaced by a deep frown. He didn’t even glance over as the Lady Elaine deliberately upset her goblet of wine and dabbed at the front of her low-necked gown with a borrowed handkerchief, even though a few men old enough to be the girl’s father certainly looked interested.

After supper, Emry loitered in the hallway. A gaggle of court ladies lingered as well, obviously keen to throw themselves at the prince. One of them caught Emry staring and giggled.

That was the last thing she needed.

Suddenly, she had an idea. “I do hope you’re not waiting for the prince,” Emry said, inspired. “He left with the Lady Elaine.”

The blonde looked positively scandalized. “That witch!” she declared, and clapped her hand over her mouth. “Excuse me.”

Emry tried not to grin as the girls hastened away, skirts rustling. So her guess had been right about Elaine, who hadn’t been able to take her eyes off the prince for most of supper.

Finally, Arthur strolled around the corner, hands thrust in his pockets. He frowned, confused, as though he’d been expecting the court ladies. Then his expression brightened.

“Ah, Merlin,” he said. “So we meet again.”

“So we do, Your Royal Highness,” Emry murmured with a bow.

“What’s this?” Arthur asked, bemused. “Only an hour ago, you demanded I drop everything to help with your apprentice duties. I wonder what’s changed?”

Emry glared. “You should have said something,” she accused, unable to help herself.

“And ruin such a delightful misunderstanding?” The prince’s eyes glittered with amusement, and his golden circlet glinted in the torchlight.

“You mocked me,” said Emry.

“I would never,” Arthur protested, putting a hand to his chest. “I assisted you. Very selflessly, I might add. If memory serves, you were the one who mocked me.”

Emry’s jaw dropped.

“You may apologize, if it would make you feel better,” Arthur went on. “For insulting my personality, and my cock.”

Emry spluttered, wishing more than anything that she’d never made the joke in the first place. Arthur raised an eyebrow, as though daring her to make it worse, or else atone for what she’d said. She wasn’t sure which was the better option, but she had best choose one, and fast.