Gary had grinned.
We made quite the pair, my knight and me, and the people of Camp HaveHeart couldn’t help but stop and stare, like they were waiting for something. Yes, they were laughing and singing and dancing, but their gazes kept darting over to us—to me—and I didn’t know what they expected from me. It was a heady feeling, having such sway over them all, but it rankled more than it pleased. I never asked for any of this. Their sorrowful reverence, these dragons, Myrin, this destiny. I just wanted to live my life with my friends and my knight and be the best wizard I could be.
Things were different now. Nothing would be the same again.
No one tried to stop us as we moved through the crowd, and no one spoke to us. We received acknowledgment with a nod here or there, or a bow and a curtsey. I was relieved, because I was feeling a little overwhelmed, still not used to being surrounded by so many people. The lights were almost too bright, the people too loud. Ryan must have felt my unease, because he gripped my elbow a little tighter, digging his fingers into my skin and grounding me.
It was enough.
A long table sat facing away from the stage where the others were already waiting. Kevin lay on his stomach, front legs folded in front of him, wings at his sides, tail twitching with the beat of the music. Gary sat next to him, face inside a mug of wine, the fucking lush that he was. Tiggy was in a large chair next to him, head tilted back as he smiled up at the stars.
Mom and Dad were next. My mother looked beautiful in a long blue skirt, her feet bare, a sash tied around her waist. Her midriff was exposed, and she wore a puff-sleeved peasant blouse, looking more like a gypsy than I’d seen from her in a long time. She had large hoop earrings and a necklace made of large gold coins.
My father wore a sleeveless coat, the neck of which was lined with fur, like the people in the North wore. His arms were thick with muscle. A metal band that looked as if it would break apart if he but flexed even a little wrapped around one bicep.
Vadoma sat next to my father, but she was ignoring him in favor of whispering with Lady Tina. That couldn’t possibly end with anything but destruction, and I would have to find a way to separate them as quickly as possible.
Justin was next to Lady Tina, dressed down more than I had expected. He wasn’t wearing a crown (if he even had one still) or any kind of kingly robe. He wore a long-sleeved white shirt with a black jerkin over it, accentuating his chest and arms. His trousers were tight and his boots dusty. He looked regal but more of the people than he ever had before.
“I can see why you had sex with Justin,” I whispered to Ryan. “Dat ass, you know?”
Ryan tripped over his own feet.
“Whoa there. Walk much? Ha. Classic.”
“Why are you staring at the Prince’s ass?” he hissed at me.
“It’s right there. But have no fear. I like yours better.”
He rolled his eyes but muttered, “Damn right you do.”
There were two open chairs next to the Prince, which I assumed were meant for Ryan and myself. At the other end of the table stood Terry, his horn gleaming in the firelight. He smiled at the sight of Ryan, and I vowed to flirt aggressively with his father if we ever met.
“Our lives are really weird,” I said.
“Glad you’re just now figuring that out,” Ryan said, fake smile plastered on his face as he nodded at the people of Camp HaveHeart.
“Can we sit at the other end of the table? I don’t know that I want to be next to Terry. He creeps me out with the way he wants to put his face in your asshole.”
“Sam.”
“Oh please. Like you can’t see he has a massive crush on you.”
“He does not.”
“He’s looking at you right now like he wouldn’t mind if you flopped your dick on his mouth. I should know. I often look at you the same way.”
“That’s how he normally looks.”
“Uh-huh. Whose idea was it to ride him when you came into camp?”
“His. That doesn’t mean—”
“When have you ever known a unicorn to offer to let you ride them?”
“Gary. At Kevin’s keep. After the truth corn.”
“Well, yeah. Gary told me later that he wanted to hate-fuck you.”