“He will be,” I said. “I’m not ready. There is still so much I need to learn.”
“I believe in you, Sam,” the King said, taking my hand in his. “I always have. And I always will.”
My heart was very full, and I couldn’t find the words to tell him so.
A PAGE delivered a sealed note.
It was brief.
The script was flowery, written in pink ink.
I’ll find a way to make this right.
Lady Tina DeSilva
“YOU’RE PLANNING something,” Justin said, staring at me suspiciously.
I shrugged. “I’m always planning something.”
“What are you going to do?”
I looked away. “Would you….”
“What is it?”
“If something were to happen to me, would you—just. Could you keep an eye on Ryan? For me?”
“Sam,” he said slowly. “Nothing’s going to happen to you.”
I smiled at him. It felt thin and brittle. “Yeah. I know.”
He hugged me then. Out of nowhere. It was a fierce thing, his arms around me tight and strong, his chin on my shoulder.
It took me a moment, but eventually I hugged him back.
“Dude,” I whispered. “Best. Hug. Ever.”
“Shut up, Sam,” he muttered near my ear. “Yeah. I’ll keep an eye on him. But you’d better not do anything stupid, you hear me?”
“Because we’re best friends 5eva?”
For a moment, I didn’t think he’d respond. But then he said, “Fine, yes, best friends 5eva, gods, I will never say that again.”
I loved my Prince.
I STOOD in the empty labs.
They echoed with the ghosts and memories of my mentor.
The greatest wizard who had ever lived.
I wiped my eyes.
I didn’t have time to mourn.
Not now.
I took what I needed, filling a small pack. It wasn’t much. I didn’t think it needed to be.