“And it was an impressive display. But I think you’re scared to show it.”
“Great,” I said. “It’s always fun to be analyzed. Because I don’t get enough of that in my life.”
“I’m not Morgan,” he said, and for the first time, I thought I saw a little crack on the cool façade. “Or Randall. I’m not Vadoma. I’m not trying to control you.”
“Then what are you trying to do?”
He turned toward me. I didn’t move away. “I’m trying to understand my part in this. All my life, I’ve been told I would be this… this thing to you. That I would be by your side and act as your cornerstone.”
“I’m sorry,” I said. “But I had nothing to do with that.”
“I know,” he said. “And I don’t blame you. But you have to understand. Where your world was changed because of a destiny of dragons, mine was changed when the path I’d been set upon ended against a wall.”
“How did she know?”
“About me being your cornerstone?”
“Being a cornerstone, yes.”
He shrugged. “She said it was part of what she’d seen. In her visions.”
“And you took her word on that?”
He smiled at me, wide and handsome. “No, Sam. I took it on faith.”
“Sometimes faith steers you wrong.”
“Maybe. But it’ll still be there when I need it. Do you have faith, Sam?”
I thought of my mother and father.
Gary and Tiggy.
Kevin.
Morgan and Randall.
The King.
Justin.
Pete, my guard.
And Ryan. Of course I thought of Ryan.
“Yes,” I said. “I have faith. And they have faith in me.”
He was close. I didn’t know when that had happened. His hand was on mine, pressed against the wood. His eyes were dark, glittering in the starlight.
“I could have faith in you,” he said.
“You shouldn’t.” My magic burned.
“I could be that for you.”
“You won’t.”
“Sam.”