“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.
“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.”