“Sam.”
And it was said with such relief that I had to blink the burn away. Not because of anything remotely close to anger, but because I felt the same. Relieved. Relieved to hear my mentor’s voice, even if it was just the one word. We’d been apart for longer periods of time. But we’d never gone this long without talking.
I was still mad at him. But for now, it was in the background.
“Hey,” I said roughly.
“It’s early.”
“Yeah, sorry.”
“No, it’s okay,” Morgan said. “I wasn’t asleep.”
“Why?”
He chuckled dryly. “I guess you can say I’ve got a lot on my mind.”
“Yeah. No, I get that.”
“How are you?”
“Um. Okay? I think. Vadoma announced in front of everyone that Ruv’s my cornerstone. So. You know. There’s that.”
“Is she still alive?”
I snorted.
“I’m actually being serious,” he said.
I gaped at the crystal. “I wouldn’t murder her for that.”
I could hear the smile in his voice. “I wasn’t talking about you.”
“Ryan didn’t kill her.”
“Did he want to?”
“Yeah, but I boned him so he wouldn’t go after his sword.”
Morgan sighed. “Of course you did.”
“Sharing is caring, Morgan. Not that you would know anything about that.” I winced as soon as the words came out. “Dammit. I’m sorry. That’s not what—”
“I deserve that,” he said. “Probably.”
“Maybe.”
“Why now?”
“What?”
“Why are you calling me now?”
“Oh. Um. The star dragon sort of possessed Kevin last night? And said stuff? And now we’re going after the desert dragon today and I don’t know what’s going to happen and I just… I just—”
“I’m glad to hear your voice too.”
I deflated. “Yeah?”
“Yes, Sam. Always.”
“I’m still angry with you,” I said. “Really, really angry. And it’s probably going to take a long time for me to get over it.”
“But you will.” It wasn’t a question.
“But I will.” Because I would.
“Good. You’ll do fine.”
“But what if I don’t? Morgan, I don’t even know what I’m doing. I’m going in blind to face a dragon I’ve never seen before and to what…? Gather it somehow? What does that even mean?”
“You’ve done it once before,” he reminded me.
“And if you’ll recall, I got knocked through a building for it!”
He scoffed. “I thought it was just a shed?”
“Semantics,” I growled at him.
“I’m afraid I don’t know what to tell you, Sam. We’ve never been in this position before because there has never been anyone quite like you.”
“Stupid prophecies,” I grumbled. “Why do they always have to be so vague?”
“Because you’ve been through so many prophecies before.”
“Har, har.”
“Sam.”
“What?”
“You know I believe in you, right?”
“Ugh. Really? That’s so lame.” I kicked at the water. “Yeah?”
“More than anyone else,” he said softly. “Because I know your heart, Sam of Wilds. I’ve seen the way it beats, how it’s been lightning-struck. And I know you’re angry with me, and you have every right to be, but one thing I need you to know above all else. I would have found you, prophecy or not, because you and I are tied. Always.”
“You’re a jerk,” I said with a sniff. “I’m going to give you such a hug when I get back.”
“Only you can make an act of affection sound like a threat.”
“It’s part of my charm.”
“You’re scared. It’s why you called.”
“Yeah,” I said, looking at the light in the horizon. “I’m scared.”
“You’ll do fine.”
“I know. I just needed to hear it. But if….”
“If?”
“If I’m not fine, will you… will you tell Mom and Dad I love them?”
He was quiet for a moment. Then, “Yes, Sam. I will. But you’ll be able to tell them yourself soon enough.”
“Okay. Um. Anything?” About Myrin was what I couldn’t say.
“No,” Morgan said. “Nothing.”
And I didn’t believe him.
“RUV KNOWS the way,” Vadoma said as we stood outside Mashallaha later that morning. The sun was at our backs, as we would be traveling farther into the desert. “He will guide you. Keep you safe. Take you to the desert dragon.”
“Yeah,” Ryan said. “Except I think I’ll do just fine keeping Sam safe.” I shot him a look that had him fumbling. “Or we’ll keep each other safe, that works too, which is exactly what I meant in the first place.”
“You could just stay here,” Vadoma suggested. “I don’t see the need for why a knight would have to go any farther. You stay here with Vadoma. I bake you cookies. You like cookies? Yes. You like cookies.” She glanced balefully at Gary. “You should also stay. But no cookies for you. You get hay from the barn. Because you’re an animal.”
“Hate you too, bitch,” Gary muttered under his breath.
“In fact, Ruv will guide Sam with the dragon,” Vadoma said. “And nothing more will happen, of course. Like coupling or gazing into each other’s eyes and realizing that they are meant to be.” She started swaying, covering her eyes with a gnarled hand. “Oooh, I am having a vision! A dire, dire vision. It says that you should listen to Vadoma! I am the drabarni, the seer. You will perish if you leave! Oooh.”
“Wow,” I said. “You’re just… terrible. Like… awful, man. What the hell. How are we even related?”
She dropped her hand and glared at me.
I shrugged. “Pretty much true. Not even sorry, dude.”
“Sam not go without us,” Tiggy said. “If I stay here, Tiggy smash everything.”
“He will too,” I said. “You ever hear of Lartin the Dark Leaf? Oh man. May he rest in pieces.”
“You mean rest in peace,” Ruv said.
I shook my head slowly. “No. I don’t. He was in literal pieces by the time Tiggy was done with him.”
Tiggy growled just to prove my point. It was awesome when Vadoma and Ruv both flinched.
“I, too, don’t want to stay here any longer,” Gary said to Vadoma, flipping his mane. “You dress immaculately, but everything else about you makes me wish I had my horn back so I could stab your face. No offense. Actually, I take that back. All the offense. Heaps of offense. Just all of it over your beady little eyes.”
“And everyone knows I have to go,” Kevin said. “Since this is essentially all about me. I mean, raise your hand if you’ve been possessed by a star dragon lately.” He raised his claws and looked around. “No? Anyone else? Oh, well, would you look at that. Just me! Kevin! The Beast from the East! Do you know how much gold I’m going to get for this? I anticipate a lot. Just so you all know.”