A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania 4)

“Oh my gods,” I whispered. “I knew I was irresistible! Justin, did you hear that? I could be your new stepfather and—nope. That was dangerously close to sounding like Kevin. Thanks, Your Highness, but I’m going to pass. Even if you are every daddy fantasy I’ve ever had.”

The King looked rather pleased at that.

“I’m so conflicted,” Ryan said through gritted teeth. “I mean, I know I have to protect him with my life, but I also want to challenge him to a duel.”

“We don’t have time for that,” I said, smacking him on the ass before I pushed on the door. “Everyone out so Randall can suck us through his—”

“I will leave you here,” Randall threatened.

They dutifully filed through the door out into the cool air, the night sky starting to fade in the east. I followed through and started to shut the door behind me—

“Sam.”

I stopped.

Took a breath.

Glanced back down the hallway.

Myrin stood there, looking coolly amused.

And I exploded.

The green and gold came rushing around me, the air rippling as my magic burst from my chest, crawling along my scars, which felt like they were burning. The rage that simmered boiled over, and all I could think about was destroying everything around me, bringing Castle Lockes down upon him. This was as close to him as I’d been since he took Morgan from me, and he need to pay. For everything.

“Ah,” he said, a smile curling his lips, and for a moment, he looked so much like his brother that my breath hitched. “You are stronger than you were before. I’m impressed. I didn’t expect that.”

There were surges of light in my head, blue and red and black and white, and they said no and Sam and run run run, and the oldest of them, the white, was the loudest of all, and he said, I promised you that I would help you I promised I promised I promised but not now not now Sam it can’t be now you will die and I can’t have that you need to run.

“Sam!”

A strong hand wrapped around my arm, a chest pressed against my back, breath hot and ragged near my ear.

I tried to pull away, because Myrin was right there and—

“No,” Randall whispered fiercely. “Not now. Not like this.”

A flicker of something crossed Myrin’s face at the sight of Randall at my side, and it almost looked like remorse, like pain, but it was gone before I could see it for what it was.

“Randall,” Myrin said. “I thought I’d felt… something. Pure. And bright. It was….” He shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. Not anymore.”

“No,” Randall said softly. “I don’t suppose it does. Not even I can save you now.”

The smile slid from Myrin’s face. “I never asked you to save me, dear heart.”

“I know. And I’ve never forgiven you for that. Or myself.”

Myrin flinched.

He flinched.

“Let me go,” I snarled at Randall, even as the dragon lights in my head pulsed as bright as they’d ever been.

“Sam!” a voice cried out behind us, and through the haze of green and gold, through the rage that roared through me, demanding revenge against this Dark wizard who had stolen Morgan away from me, I heard him. My cornerstone. He was calling for me, and he sounded terrified.

“This isn’t over,” I snapped at Myrin.

“No,” he said quietly. “I don’t expect it is.”