“I know,” I said. “And I know why you did it. I know who you did it for.” His mother, even though she had passed before she could ever see what he would become. “But I don’t—”
“It was the most important thing, Sam,” Ryan said, reaching up to cup my face. “Until you.”
And what the hell does one say in the face of that?
Nothing, apparently.
Because I was gaping at him again.
Also with a boner in my heart.
“I chose you, Sam,” he said quietly. “And I would do it again and again, over anything else. My duty and fealty is to the King of Verania. But my heart belongs to you.”
“Bastard,” I whispered.
He smiled softly, thumbs brushing my cheeks. “So I know why your mother did what she did. She made her choice, like I’ve made mine. Because I can’t imagine a world without you in it. And I hope I never have to. I would follow you anywhere.”
“I am going to kiss you so hard in a few seconds,” I warned him. “There’s going to be tongue and spit and everything.”
“Tongue and spit and everything,” he repeated.
“And you’re going to enjoy it.”
He shrugged. “Probably.”
And so I surged forward and kissed him, knocking him against the wall behind him. It was awkward and messy what with the tongue and spit and the fact that he was laughing, laughing, laughing at me, his smile pressed against mine, his grip firm on my face.
Eventually, I just rested my forehead on his, breathing him in, feeling the heat and weight of him against me, familiar and sweet.
“I’m worried,” he finally said.
“About?” I asked as I kissed his nose and cheek. The corner of his mouth.
“What if…?”
“What if what?”
He sighed, breath hot on my face. “What if she tries to take you away? To her clan?”
I snorted. “Not gonna happen.”
“We don’t know why she’s here.”
“No, we don’t. But I’m not leaving Castle Lockes. I’m not leaving my parents. Or the King. Or Gary and Tiggy. And I’m not leaving you. Ryan, there are things more important in this world than where I come from. And that’s where I’m going. With them and with you. You’re my cornerstone. If she says I have to go with her, if she tries to make me, she’s going to have a fight on her hands, because I won’t let anything tear us apart. I promise.”
“Yeah?” he said, arching against me, sounding rather breathless.
“Yeah,” I said.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” he said. “There’s going to be tongue and spit and everything.”
I grinned at him. “Fuck yeah. I’m totally down with that. This was hella romantic. Even if it smells like feet in here.”
He rolled his eyes but kissed the hell out of me anyway. So that was okay.
TWELVE MINUTES later, we stumbled through the Great Doors into the throne room, where everyone was waiting for us. I brushed my hands over my hair, trying to smooth it back down, knowing I couldn’t do a damn thing about how swollen my lips were or the stubble burn on my chin. If I looked anywhere near as debauched as Ryan did, then I was going to get so much shit.
“I said five minutes,” Morgan reminded me as we approached the throne where the King was seated. The throne itself was a massive thing, forged from black stone, inlaid with veins of silver and gold and quartz. It was ostentatious, like the heavy crown the King wore upon his head, and he preferred not to have anything to do with them at all. But for appearance’s sake, it was required every so often.
Like now.
“Did you?” I said to Morgan. “I could have sworn you said to let our young love fly free.”
“Sam got kissy face,” Tiggy whispered to Gary.
“Of course he does, kitten,” Gary said. “That’s what happens when you’re a slut.”
“You get that too.”
“Well, yes,” Gary said patiently. “Because I’m a slut.”
“Oh,” Tiggy said. “Tiggy no slut. I love my flower.”
“Of course you do. And one day, you’ll meet a nice boy or girl giant and there will probably be a lot of grunting and monosyllabic wordplay and then your flower will be shredded.”
“Or I can have more brooms,” Tiggy said.
“Or that,” Gary agreed. “Because all that matters is that you’re happy and that Sam’s a slut.”
Mom and Dad stood off next to Justin’s smaller throne. Mom looked rather stricken, Dad’s arm still firmly around her, holding her close. I squeezed Ryan’s hand before letting it go and walking over to them. Mom’s dark eyes were trained on me, watching every step I took. She made the smallest of sounds as I hugged her, like she was surprised. Her arms came up and around my back, clutching tightly. She was strong, this woman I adored, even if she only came up to my chin. She was the fiercest of people, who loved with her whole heart. She was kind and good and never had a cross word for anyone. I couldn’t stand the look on her face.
“We’re going to be okay,” I murmured as my dad rubbed a hand up and down her back. “I promise.”
She sighed and nodded against my chest. I held on for a moment longer before pulling away. She had steel in her eyes when she looked back up at me. “She’s good,” she said. “She’s a good phuro. A firm hand when she needs to be, the softest of touches when she doesn’t. But that was long ago. I do not know who she is now or why she’s come here. She is my mamia, but you are my son. I don’t know what she wants, but if it’s not something you’re willing to give, then don’t. Do you understand?”
I nodded, unsure of what else to say.
She gave a small smile. “I know you do.”
I kissed her forehead and took my place next to Morgan on the right side of the King, Ryan on my other side, with Gary and Tiggy a step or two down the raised dais where the throne sat.
“Sam,” Gary hissed up at me. “Sam.”
“What?”
“Hi.”
“Hi, Gary.”
“I’ve decided on my pose when I meet the queen of the gypsies.”
“That’s nice, Gary.”
“Yeah. Just thought you should know.”
“Kind of serious here, Gary.”
“Is it? Is that why you all look so dour?”
“Probably, Gary. Family business and all that.”
“Ah. That’s a good reason.”
“Exactly.”
“Why are you still talking to me, Sam? This is serious. I can’t believe that you’d—”
And that’s when the window near the dais burst open and a dragon stuck his head inside.
“My love!” Kevin cried. “You are safe because I have saved you!”
“It’s like it never ends,” Justin muttered, sinking down in his seat.
“This is how you know you’re having fun,” the King said, patting his hand.
“Saved me from what?” Gary asked, prancing over to Kevin, tail swishing back and forth.
“And he calls me a slut,” I said to Ryan. “Look at him. Tail all up in the air like he wants everyone to see his business.”
“There are things I can’t unsee when you say them aloud,” Ryan said with a grimace. “Why would you do that to me?”
“The most ferocious of creatures,” Kevin said, preening under the attention. “They snapped and they snarled. They had wings and teeth the size of my face! They came here with the sole intention of stealing my loves away from me, but I rose against them in battle with a mighty roar. They squeaked when they saw just how big my… wingspan was.” He scrunched up his face and raised his voice, in approximation of exactly what, I had no idea. “Oh no! It is the fearsome Beast from the East! We didn’t know he was here! Retreat, retreat!” His voice lowered to his usual grumble. “But did I allow them to flee? Of course not. I said, ‘You came here to steal the most magnificent of creatures who climbs upon my junk and take said creature away from me? How dare you.’ And then I said, ?
??You have made a mistake this day, one that will echo into eternity.’”
“Oh my gods,” Gary said. “I’m swooning. Sam. Sam, are you hearing this?”
“I don’t know if that’s exactly what happened,” I said slowly.
Gary snapped his head toward me and glared. “Shut up. Just because my man went out and took on an entire army of evil while yours just stood there posing with his sword—”
“Hey! I don’t pose—”
“—doesn’t give you the right to try and emasculate our savior.”
“Yeah,” Kevin said. “Don’t immaculate me. And he’s exactly right. There was an entire army of evil that I vanquished so no one could take Gary away from me. They also might have wanted Sam and Justin and Ryan too, but I told them there was too much sexual tension there that I was waiting to see if it would combust into a ménage of sexual thrusting, just this wild and crazy orgiastic—sorry, what was that?”
“No one said anything,” I said. “They never do when you get gross.”
“Oh, I could have sworn I heard either you or Ryan or Justin agree with me on the erotic tension thrumming between the three of you.” He stared at us.
We stared back.
“Nothing? Well. I guess my ears deceived—Justin, your mouth is moving. Are you asking if I want to watch you have sexual relations with your former lover and his new lover? No? That’s not what you were saying if that look means anything. Okay. Where was I? Ah yes!” His eyes narrowed and he bared his fangs. “There I was, protecting all of Castle Lockes from sexual deviants who wanted nothing more than to take what was mine away from me. But I destroyed them all with my love for Dragoncorn. They fled from whence they came, back into the dark abyss, and once again, the world was saved thanks to Kevin. No, please, I absolutely don’t need a life-sized statue of me made of gold erected in the city center so that others may bask upon me. And if I can’t convince you otherwise, I will promise not to steal it to hoard, even if I should have it because it looks like me and is shiny and probably has eyes made of rubies. Hold the applause. I shan’t need it.”
We held our applause. Just barely.
“My hero,” Gary sighed. “You are going to get so much muffin tonight.”
“Ooh,” Kevin said. “An appropriate reward for my valor. What kind of muffin?”
“Banana nut,” Gary purred.
Kevin gasped. “My favorite.”
“You don’t want to eat his banana nut muffin,” I whispered to Morgan. “It actually means—”
“I know what it means,” Morgan snapped. “You gave me a list of their entire bakery. In all the years I’ve lived, I have never read such depravity.”
“Did you read the part about their scones and—”
“And that’s where I think this should end,” Morgan said firmly. “Because the gods only know how much longer this will go on if I don’t shut you up now.”
He had a point. “The gypsies are on their way in,” I told Kevin. “We need to be ready.”
The ridge above Kevin’s eyes furrowed. “Gypsies? Aren’t they mostly peaceable people?”
“Mostly.”
“So we’re not under attack.”
“Not that we know of.”
“And you just let me tell that mostly false but true story of how I defended everyone because of my amazingness.”
“Pretty much.”
Gary was nickering near his ear, and Kevin’s eyes rolled back in his head. “I am gonna get so laid tonight. Thank you, Sam. I’ll take you out to toss the ball around later and you can tell me about the project for science class that you’re doing. We’ll get you first place yet, just you wait and see. No boy of mine is gonna get a damn participation ribbon. Those things are only given to first-place losers.”
“Remember what you said in the foot-smelling closet?” I asked Ryan. He nodded. “You can’t take it back now.”
“Already did,” he assured me. “You’re on your own with this one. Hell, I might see if I can go with the gypsies.”
And before I could come up with the appropriately devastating retort, the Great Doors opened and the announcer walked into the throne room. “Your Majesty,” he said. “The phuro of the Bari Lavuta Clan requests an audience. Vadoma Tshilaba extends her greetings of peace from her people to those in the City of Lockes. She wishes to see the faces of her daughter and grandson.”
The King looked from me to my mother, then back toward the Great Doors. “The phuro may enter in the spirit of peace.”
The announcer nodded and went back through the Great Doors.
“Sam,” Morgan said quietly. “You must listen to me. Are you listening?”
I glanced over at him to find him watching the doors. “Yes.”
“Whatever Vadoma says, you must know that having you by my side has been one of the greatest joys in my long life. That I wouldn’t have changed it for anything. Do you understand?”
A chill went down my spine. “What are you—”
“Do you understand?”
No. No I didn’t. “Morgan.”
“There is much I haven’t told you,” he said, finally looking at me. There were lines around his eyes and mouth. He looked tired, more so than I’d ever seen him. Like he was an old man. He was an old man, close to three centuries, but he never looked it. He smiled tightly. “All I ever wanted was to keep you safe and whole.”
“You have. Why are you—”
The Great Doors groaned as they parted, the Castle Guards pushing against them.
At first, nothing else happened.
Then I felt a prickle along the back of my neck, like the softest of whispers, as if something was reaching out for me. It felt familiar, as if I’d somehow known it before.
A man came first, barefoot, each step deliberate and soft. He was shirtless, the shadows from the flickering candlelight crawling along his muscular torso. His trousers were tight at the waist but billowed along his thighs and legs. His arms were heavily tattooed, colorful lines etched into his skin seemingly without pattern. A gold band was wrapped around his right bicep. His skin was darker than my mother’s, his black hair pulled back and tied in short ponytail. His eyes were dusky, with what looked to be black coal smudged around them.
Dude was hot.
“Um,” Gary whispered. “Can I have him, please? For science.”
“I would also like to partake in said science,” Kevin whispered back. “If the science we are speaking of involves an experiment where I cover him in my dragon juice.”
And what made matters worse was that even in the presence of the King of Verania, the King’s Wizard, even the Prince, this man never once looked away from me as he approached.
“Uh-oh,” Gary said.
“Why uh-oh?” Tiggy asked.
“We’re probably about to see unnecessary displays of testosterone,” Gary said. “And it’s going to be glorious.”
I wondered what the hell they were talking about until Ryan muttered, “He could have at least put on more clothes before coming in. And why can’t he walk like a normal person? Is he trying to have sex with the air? Who does that?”
Oh boy.
The man stopped a respectable distance away from the dais. He cocked his head at me, that unnerving stare unwavering. Now that he was closer, I could see just how young he was, probably around my age. I felt off-center at that watchful gaze. It only lasted a moment before he dropped to his knees. Gary let out a slightly pained noise at the sight, but I ignored him.
The man leaned forward, hunched over, arms extended out in front of him. His hands touched the ground, palms flat on the floor as he bowed down. The muscles in his back rippled as he held the pose for almost a full minute. There was that prickle of familiarity again, something that teased along my senses, just out of reach.
The throne room was silent. I thought to speak first, but it wasn’t my place. The King would know when it was time.
The man finally pushed himself back up to his feet in one fluid and
slow motion. “My Good King,” he said, voice raspy. It was almost startling to hear. “It is an honor to stand before you.” He had an accent much like my mother’s, musical and light, except far thicker, like his tongue curled around each word deliberately.
“The honor is mine,” the King said, bowing his head. “It has been far too long for your people to stand in Castle Lockes.”
The man grinned suddenly, wide and blinding. “I’m sure there were reasons for that, don’t you think? Certain… circumstances.” His gaze flickered to me before returning to the King. “But no matter. My name is Ruv. I am the Wolf of Bari Lavuta.”
“The Wolf?” the King asked, glancing at my mother.
“It means he’s the enforcer of the phuro,” Mom said quietly. “The Wolf is to her what the Castle Guard is to you. He protects her at all costs. With his life if called upon.”
Ruv snapped his attention away from me and looked upon my mother. His smile took on a softer edge at the sight of her. “Dika Tshilaba,” he said, bowing in her direction. “I have heard many wonderful things about you.”
“Is that right?” Mom said. “How strange. I’d thought my name would have been banished for all days given the path I followed.”
“A good path too,” my dad said, puffing out his chest. “The best path, even.”
“Perhaps you’re not as lost to them as you think,” Ruv said. “The paths we take may lead us from home, but they always return us to where we started in the end.”
He turned back toward the King but kept glancing at me, like he was assessing. I didn’t know what he saw when he looked at me, and I tried not to squirm under his watchful gaze. Ryan must have seen it too, because he inched closer in what was I’m sure an attempt for subtlety but probably missed the mark by a good distance.
“I’m not going to whip it out and demand he suck it,” I whispered to him.
“Thank the gods for small favors,” he whispered back.
“Hey! I’m not small, you asshole.”
“I didn’t say you were. And why would you even be thinking of whipping it out?”
“Maybe because you look like you’re going to piss on me just to mark your—”
“Ahem,” Morgan said pointedly.