“Trust me. I’m Sam of Dragons. I got this.”
He scowled at me but let me pass.
Before I was out of reach, he took my hand. I looked back at him. “Don’t die,” he said seriously. “I just got you back, and I’ll be pissed if something happens to you.”
I squeezed his hand, and he let me go.
I stuck to the shadows on the last few steps. The thick vines that covered the hidden entrance still hung as they had before, and I wondered if that was enough to keep it from sight. Either that, or someone had discovered the passageway, and we were totally screwed.
I really hoped that wasn’t the case. I didn’t want to die wearing Dark wizard robes. They were terrible.
I reached the top of the staircase, and I didn’t see anyone. The voices were a little louder, and it seemed as if they were coming from beyond the small clearing. I pushed through the vines, quietly and carefully, out into the cool night air. I looked back, and the vines obstructed most of the entrance. The shadows did the rest. No one would see the passageway unless they inspected the vines closely.
There was something familiar about one of the voices, even if I couldn’t make out the words. I recognized the cadence to the speech, though I couldn’t quite place it. It was just out of reach, an itch I couldn’t scratch.
I took a step closer.
“—and we’re as secure as ever, sir,” the voice I didn’t recognize said. “There’s nothing to worry about. No one can get it into Castle Lockes without us knowing.”
“Is that right” was the response, and a dark chill raced down my spine.
My knees felt weak, and I placed a hand on top of the obelisk that marked the final resting place of my mentor. There was a warm pulse underneath my hand, though it might have been just my imagination. It felt real, but my heart was thundering in my chest and the blood was rushing in my ears, because I was so close.
To Morgan.
And to Ruv.
“Thank you for your report,” Ruv said coolly, his accent thick and melodious. “I hope that your words prove to be fact. For your sake. Myrin wouldn’t be pleased if something were to happen. Especially since Sam has returned from his… sojourn.”
“Sir, if I may.”
“Yes?”
“Is it…? Do you truly believe it? What was said? That he’s Sam of Dragons now? That he’s gathered the dragons of Verania at his side?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ruv said flatly. “He’s been gone far too long. Verania has fallen to the Darks. To Myrin. It doesn’t matter who he is now or what he’s capable of. The King is in the dungeons, and the gods have abandoned the country. The Resistance will fail. Sam will fall. Myrin’s grace is absolute. He will rule Verania with an iron fist. And soon his reach will extend beyond the borders and the world fall to its knees in veneration.”
“Oh my gods,” I groaned. “Villains monologue even when they talk to each other? They are the absolute worst.”
“Who’s there?”
I slapped my hand over my mouth.
The hedges rustled, and before I could move, Ruv entered the clearing, eyeing me curiously.
He looked exactly as he had before, aside from the fact that he wore a robe similar to my own. His skin was dark, his long hair pulled back and tied off with a piece of rawhide. I could see the tattoos on his chest peeking out over the opened collar at his throat, and he wore earrings in the style of the gypsies, long and dangling, and I felt a rush of anger that he could still claim a culture that he’d helped to destroy and imprison. I tried to keep a neutral expression as I dropped my hand, but there was a moment that I almost took a step forward to choke the fucking life out of him.
But then the obelisk pulsed again, and it was warm and sweet, and I felt it down to my very bones. The rage reduced to a slow simmer, bubbling just underneath the surface. This wasn’t just about me. There were people hidden in the passageway who were counting on me. Now wasn’t the time for revenge.
“Who do we have here?” Ruv asked, cocking his head at me.
“I’m new,” I blurted out. “And I got lost. Don’t you hate it when that happens? I know I do.”
He smiled at me, and if I didn’t know who he was and what he was capable of, I would have thought it kind. “How about that.”
I nodded furiously. “Yes. Totally lost. Like, I was in the castle, and then I didn’t know where I was and got all turned around, and suddenly here I am. Just… standing here. With you.”
“Here you are,” he said, taking a step toward me. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.”