I was surer about that. “Yes. He will.”
“And where do we go next?”
“North. The mountains.”
“Randall. Castle Freesias. The mated dragons.”
“Yeah.”
“And that’s the most pressing concern?”
I have awoken, O human child. In this forest deep, in the dark of the wild. And I have seen what is in your heart. Take heed of my warning: you are not ready.
All of you will not survive until the end. There will be loss, Sam. And it will burn like nothing has ever burned before. You must remember to keep in the light, even when the dark begins to curl around your feet.
I blinked away the burn.
And then I opened my mouth and lied.
“Yes. That, and I need to talk to Morgan.”
“Good,” he said. “Then we have a plan.”
I laughed wetly. He had to have noticed.
He did, of course. “Hey.” He lifted his head off mine, put a couple of fingers under my chin until I could look up at him. “What is it?”
I shrugged. “Just… tired. Really, really tired.”
“You sure?”
I nodded. “Been a long few weeks, I guess.”
“You can tell me anything, Sam. You know that, right?”
I looked into his bright eyes.
And believed him.
“I know.”
“All right,” he said, sounding regretful. “I distinctly remember a promise of butt sex, but if you’re too tired, maybe we should just get you to bed.”
I felt lighter because of him. Freer. “That’s how you play it?”
He had a wicked smile on his face. “That’s how I play it. What are you gonna do about it?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Is that a challenge, Sir Knight?”
“It would be, Wizard. Think you can handle it?”
I leaned forward, the weight of the world pushed away, at least for now. I had more important things to focus on. When I spoke, my voice was low and rough. “Tell you what we’re going to do,” I said, watching as the breath hitched in his chest, because he knew that voice. His pupils dilated and his tongue darted out as he licked his lips. “We’re gonna head back to our room. You’re gonna get undressed. And then you’ll be on your knees while I’m still fully clothed. You’re gonna take my cock out. You’re gonna suck me off. And if you’re good, if you can get me nice and wet, I promise I’ll eat your ass until you’re crying. Then, and only then, will I fuck you. How’s that sound?”
“Yeah,” he said hoarsely. “That. Please. Let’s do that. That sounds good.”
“Then get up and get moving.”
He did, pulling me up. In his hurry, he almost ended up knocking us into the water but caught us before we went in. I was laughing at him, and he was laughing at me, and there, under the stars, I reminded myself that stone crumbled, and that even if it didn’t, I would shatter it until there was nothing left.