Justin was whispering something, but it wasn’t meant for me, so I didn’t focus on his words. The hand around the back of his head squeezed, and I was filled with this great, warm relief that I could be here to see this.
But then the King said, “He’s here?”
Justin nodded and turned to look at me. He waved, beckoning me over.
I swallowed thickly but did what he’d asked. He was my Prince, after all.
Good King Anthony of Verania stood tall and proud inside his jail cell in the dungeons of Castle Lockes. He wore tattered trousers and a coarse, stained shirt that hung loosely on his thin frame. He’d always been a bear of a man, thick and strong. He was now a shadow of his former self, shoulders bony and knees knobby, but his eyes sparkled with that fire he’d
always had burning inside him, and his mustache was still a thing of beauty, massive and luxuriant.
I loved my King very much.
He grinned at me. “Well, now. Look who’s returned. Welcome, Sam. You’ve been greatly missed.”
I burst into tears.
“Oh boy,” Justin muttered.
“It’s been a very long day,” Ryan said, coming to stand beside me. “And an even longer year.” He brought his hand up in a fist across his chest and bowed low. “My King.”
“And that would be the Knight Commander,” the King said, smile widening. “Formal even in the middle of a rescue. I respect that.”
“You can recognize us?” Ryan asked, sounding astonished.
“Of course I can. I’m your King. I would know you anywhere.”
“Either that or he heard me saying your names when you arrived,” Randall said. “Sam of Wilds, you stop your sniveling right this second. We don’t have time for tears now. Be a man.”
“I’m n-not Sam of W-W-Wilds,” I sobbed. “I’m a w-w-wizard now.”
Randall and the King stared at me.
I wiped snot from my nose as my breath hitched in my chest. It was not my proudest moment.
“What was that?” Randall asked faintly.
“He’s a full-fledged wizard,” Ryan said proudly. “Sam of Dragons.”
Randall couldn’t have looked more shocked.
“Fascinating,” the King said. “This is a cause for celebration. But perhaps it can wait until we’ve escaped? Randall struck both Darks upside the head. I don’t know how much longer they’ll be out.”
I was still crying when I kicked both of the unconscious Darks in the face.
Justin stared at me. “That was… I don’t know what that was. Ryan, the key?”
“You have the master key?” Randall asked. “That’ll certainly make things easier. Neither of these two had it on them, and I couldn’t risk Myrin being alerted to my presence.”
Ryan nodded, stepped forward, and unlocked the door to the cell. Because I was magnanimous, I let Justin hug his father first. I wiped my face and waited my turn.
It was as glorious as I expected it to be.
Ryan seemed surprised when the King pulled him in too, but eagerly wrapped his arms around him.
Even Randall got in on that action, though he grumbled about it.
“All these cells are empty?” Justin asked, sounding confused. “I expected there to be more down here.”