“The star dragon!” Vadoma crowed. “The gods have shown you how it shines.”
“Well fuck me silly,” Gary said. “This is some mystic hoodoo shit. I don’t deal in mystic hoodoo shit. I am a godsdamned unicorn. I am glitter and sunshine and motherfucking good feelings. Those stars better stay in the sky or I’m gonna get my rainbow on all up in this bitch.”
“Motherfucking rainbows,” Tiggy echoed.
I tore my gaze away from the stars and looked back toward Kevin. I didn’t flinch when Ryan found my hand, squeezing my fingers tightly.
“The desert dragon,” I said slowly, unsure of who I was talking to. I hoped Kevin was still in there somewhere, but I couldn’t be sure. Because the color of his eyes matched David’s Dragon above. I didn’t know if I was speaking to my friend or a god.
“He of the fire,” the dragon said. “Buried in the sand. He has felt your presence here, Sam of Wilds. His soul is bound to yours as one of the five. But he will fight it until he deems you worthy.”
You are not ready, a memory whispered in my mind.
“Am I worthy?” I asked. “Or will this all be for nothing?”
The dragon’s eyes narrowed. “That is not for me to decide. I have seen all possible paths, Sam of Wilds. I know of all possible endings for you. I do not choose sides.”
That made me angry. “So you’re nothing but a messenger. Fat lot of good that does me.”
The people of Mashallaha moaned around us.
“Um, Sam?” Gary hissed. “Let’s not try and piss off the really large dragon who seems to be possessed by a constellation. If you don’t mind.”
“The stars do not pass judgment, little one,” the dragon said as it took a rumbling step forward. He lowered his head until his face was only a few feet from my own. I felt his breath blowing against me, furnace hot and moist. “They stand and observe.”
“So you’ll watch and do nothing. The gods will watch and do nothing. What if the darkness comes? What if we’re consumed by it?”
“Then you weren’t meant to live at all,” the dragon said as if it were that simple.
“He spoke to me.”
The dragon said nothing.
“Did you know that? You must have. If you can see all paths. All possible outcomes. Myrin.”
“Myrin,” the dragon said. “The man in shadows.”
“Him,” I agreed. “He told me that you’ve shown him the same. That anything we’ve seen, he’s seen as well.”
“It’s the light,” he said. “And the dark. Two sides. Opposites. The balance must be maintained.”
“But he can’t get to the dragons,” I said. “Can he?”
And the star dragon hesitated. Then sighed. “Well shit,” he muttered, his voice suddenly less ominous. He still sounded like Kevin, but just off enough for me to know that it wasn’t our dragon. “You weren’t supposed to figure that out yet.”
I blinked at him. “What.”
“I think you’re being scolded by some stars that have possessed my ex-husband,” Gary whispered.
“That’s… not a sentence I ever expected to hear you say.”
“Yeah. You know, even for us, this is really weird.”
“I don’t even know why I ask questions anymore.”
“Hey, guys?” Ryan said. “Maybe save the banter for later. You know. When we’re not about to be eaten.”
“Stars don’t eat food,” the dragon said. “We’re stars.” It looked at me like Ryan was my fault. “Is he for real?”
“Um, I think so?”
“Right. Good job landing that one.”
“Hey!”
“Anyway,” the dragon said. Suddenly it leaned forward again, eyes glowing the brightest they’d been. “Get thee to the desert dragon. Test your will against his. The world is in your hands.”
Its shining eyes began to fade as the dragon reared back. “Wait a minute!” I shouted, taking a step forward. “You can’t just come in here all mysterious and then try and leave. Who does that? You want to know who does that? Assholes do that!”
It raised its head toward the sky and opened its mouth. At first nothing happened, and then David’s Dragon pulsed, and lightning shot from the open maw. It arced upward, splitting across the sky in a blinding flash.
Then it was over.
I opened my eyes, aftershocks dancing across my vision.
“Whoa,” Kevin said. He blinked and shook his head. “I felt everything. The power. The strength. And I can hear the desert dragon now. Do you know what this means? My body is a godsdamned vessel to the gods. Bow before meh, hoomanz. Dis is yer god spakin. I thou commandeth you to do whatever I say for all time! Eth!”
“Well, fuck,” I said succinctly.
Chapter 16: Sam Go Boom
IT WAS early morning. The others still slept, though they’d be waking soon as we had a walk ahead of us. I slipped out of the room, leaving Ryan asleep in our bed. He’d be sore when he woke up, given how hard I’d fucked him against the wall the night before. He’d been almost gagging for it, anxious to get to the makeup sex so we could put the fight behind us. His eyes had gone glassy when I’d pushed him to his knees and come all over his neck and chest. We felt better after, the both of us. Like we were on the same page again. That no matter what Vadoma had said, no matter what she’d announced to everyone else, he knew his place with me. And I’d whispered those words in his ear while I fucked him, telling him there was no one else, that there would be no one else, because he was mine and I was his.
He slept deeply.
I didn’t.
The morning air was cool. Light was beginning to dawn in the east. Desert birds called out from the trees quietly. There was barely any movement in Mashallaha as I left Vadoma’s and walked along the pathways, trying to find a hidden corner to have some privacy. I passed few others, and either they ignored me or eyed me warily as they hurried away. It didn’t matter. I didn’t care what they thought of me, not anymore. The color of my skin wasn’t good enough. I wasn’t going to do anything with Ruv. I’d gone against what their phuro had decreed. They were not pleased with me. They doubted me. I didn’t have anything to prove to them, but they’d see. When all was said and done.
Not that it mattered. I had other things on my mind.
I found a wooden path that led to a dock overlooking the lake. The water was clear, reflecting the fading night sky above. I sat on the edge of the dock, legs hanging over. My toes trailed along the surface, ripples expanding in steady beats.
I sighed and pulled the summoning crystal from my pocket. For the briefest of moments, I considered chucking it into the lake but knew I’d regret it at some point. Instead, I cupped it in my hands and thought of Morgan, Morgan, Morgan. There was a tug in my head, like a hook in my brain, and it pulled. A small light burst deep in the crystal like a shooting star.
Then, a single word.