“What about him?” I snapped, jerking my head toward Ryan. “Did you know it was him too, then?”
Everyone looked confused. “Sam,” Morgan said slowly. “Ryan wasn’t in the alley that day. How could I have known him?”
I laughed bitterly. “Of course he was there. He was—” And I stopped myself because holy fuck was I an asshole. I closed my eyes. “Shit.”
Because Ryan Foxheart wasn’t always Ryan Foxheart.
Once upon a time, Ryan Foxheart had been a teenage douchebag named Nox with a penchant for kicking my ass whenever he could. There were only a handful of people in this world who knew Ryan had come from the slums, and I had effectively just outed him. It wasn’t as if he was ashamed of it, it was just that in the history of the Veranian Knights, no one had ever risen to the position of Knight Commander after having come from the slums.
So imagine my surprise when, instead of being rightly furious with me, he squeezed my hand gently and said, “Sam.”
I opened my eyes, shame burning on my face. He didn’t look angry, just concerned. “I didn’t mean—” I managed to choke out.
But he was already shaking his head. “It doesn’t matter,” he said, and he meant it. “We’re in this together, yeah?”
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak.
“Then that’s how we’ll do it,” he said. He leaned forward and kissed my cheek, a lingering thing, warm and dry. When he pulled back, I could see the resolve in his eyes and knew immediately where this was going to go. “Together.”
“You don’t have to—” I tried.
“I was there,” he told Morgan. “The day in the alley. I was one of those turned to stone. I’m from the slums. Like Sam. Ryan Foxheart is a name I adopted for myself. My real name is Nox.”
“Well fuck me silly,” Gary said. “Did anybody else’s nipples just get hard?”
“Mine did,” Kevin said. “Wait. Do I even have nipples?”
“Nox?” Tiggy said. “Mean guy who hurt Sam?”
“Easy there, big guy,” I said. “It was a long time ago.”
Tiggy didn’t look very appeased at that. And so maybe Ryan took a step closer to me, like I would protect him if Tiggy decided he needed to be smashed.
“Nox?” Dad said. “That little shithead whose ass I was going to kick but Rose said I couldn’t because a grown man beating a child is never all right, even if said child is an asshole?”
“I think I did say most of that,” Mom said, sounding equally shocked. “But for the life of me, I can’t say why I would have stopped him now. Good thing he’s not a child anymore.”
Morgan sighed. “The two of you….” He shook his head. “The gods must really have a sense of humor.”
“It’s like a godsdamned romance novel,” Justin said. “Because of course that’s how Sam’s life works out.”
“I’ll lay down my sword,” Ryan said to the King. “I haven’t acted as a Knight of Verania should. I lied to get to where I am. And for that, I am not worthy of the title Knight Commander. Or even a knight at all. I will accept any punishment you see fit to bestow upon me.”
The King rolled his eyes. “You’ve got that martyr thing down, haven’t you? Do you really think I would’ve promoted you to the Castle Guard if I hadn’t known everything I could about you?”
Ryan looked shocked. “You knew?”
“I didn’t tell him a damn thing,” Justin said. “If that’s what you’re thinking.”
“Of course I did,” the King said. “I am pretty good at what I do, in case you haven’t noticed. Request to resign denied. You will stay in the position you’re in and you will like it until I say otherwise.”
Ryan bowed again. “Yes, my King.”
“Just don’t be a douchebag to Sam anymore.”
“Yes, my King.”
“And this isn’t something you felt you should have made known to me?” Morgan asked. “I could have vetted him further had you but asked.”
“Really?” I asked. “You’re gonna lecture him on secrets? You, of all people. Right now.”
“Oh snap,” Tiggy said.
Morgan flinched. Barely, but it was still there. “I didn’t know it was him, Sam. Not with you then. Though I suppose it does make a bit of sense. And whatever machinations you think me capable of, I assure you you’re wrong. Every decision I have made regarding you has been in your best interest.”
“Would you have told me?” I asked bitterly. “If your hand hadn’t been forced?”
“I had hoped I wouldn’t have to. It was my wish that you live your life free of the chains of destiny. If I had any say in it, you would be safely tucked away where nothing could ever touch you.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “All I ever wanted for you was for your happiness. It’s what a mentor does. We teach you all that we can in hopes that it will be enough.”
I understood what he was saying. But it wasn’t enough. “Did you know?” I asked the King.
“No, Sam,” he said softly. “I didn’t. But even if I had, I would have trusted Morgan to know what he was doing. He has been around far longer than you or I. And he has always loved you as if you were his own. If he kept things away from you, it was because he thought he was doing the right thing.”
“I don’t know about that,” Vadoma said. “Because it seems as if he has gone against what we discussed. Dilo. Never trust a wizard to do a woman’s job. For all you know, he was trying to keep you to himself.”
Morgan’s eyes flashed. “Now see here, lady of the desert. You think yourself immune as a visiting dignitary. I assure you that’s not the case.”
She chuckled dryly. “Bakla. Liar. You have withheld long-hidden truths from the chava. You think he’ll trust you now?”
“Regardless of what he did or didn’t do,” I said, “the fact remains I know him. I don’t know you. Why should I trust anything you say?”
“Blood,” she said.
I snorted. “Lady, look around you. The majority of the people here aren’t related to me, but this is still my family. And I don’t care just how thick the blood may be. If I think you’re going to touch one hair on their heads, I will do everything I can to stop you. And as it turns out, I can do quite a lot.”
Her eyes narrowed. “The knight. Do you care for him?”
“Yes.” More than she could ever know.
“Do you treasure him?”
“Yes.”
“Would you lay down your life for him?”
“Yes.”
“Would you let him go if it was for the greater good?”