“You are an idiot.”
“So you’ve said. Thanks for that. Really keeps the ol’ self-esteem in check. Overblown ego? Not when Randall’s around—”
“I’m coming with you.”
I blinked. “What?”
“If you’re going now, I am coming with you.”
“Uh, no offense—”
“Really, have you ever meant that in your life?”
“—but can you even make it in the snow for very long? I mean, you’re super old, dude. I don’t want you to accidentally keel over and die. I would have to leave your body wherever it fell, and then, hundreds of years from now, mountain climbers would find you perfectly preserved and would wonder what religious purposes your e
yebrows served.”
“Your concern is touching. But I think I’ll be able to handle myself just fine. Besides, how were you planning on locating the creatures?”
“Hey! I have a plan. It’s a good plan too.”
He scoffed. “Were you just going to go outside and start yelling HEY DRAGON to see where it led?”
“Exactly. Wait. I mean no, of course not. Why, that would just be ridiculous.”
He rolled his eyes. “I weep for all our futures.”
“It’ll be okay,” I said. “Probably.”
“Did it ever occur to you that I know where they are?”
“Um. Yes?”
“Gods.”
“You don’t have to sound so exasperated. Geez.”
“Wait here,” he ordered. “There’s a few things I need to gather before we leave. It won’t be but a moment.”
I sighed. “If you slow me down, I will leave you behind.”
“I don’t think that’ll be a problem.”
“Bullshit,” I muttered.
“HOW,” I gasped, lungs burning, “in the name of all that’s holy, are you human?”
We were on a path cut into the side of the mountain, steep and dusted with snow. It’d been a sharp incline for a while now, and my legs felt like they were ready to fall off.
Randall, of course, looked as if he wasn’t affected in the slightest.
I despised every single part of his being.
The sky was beginning to lighten, and flurries were swirling around us. We’d been at it for a good few hours, and Castle Freesias had long since passed from view. I expected to have Randall lead at a slow pace where I’d need to refrain from trying to pass him every few seconds.
That, unfortunately, didn’t happen.
I probably should have realized I was in trouble when he’d come back down the stairs with a walking stick.