“What? I don’t know what you’re—oh.”
There was an alley off to our right. In the grand scheme of things, it wasn’t much. It was wide enough to fit, say, a group of teenage douchebags chasing a boy who’d taken back a bag of cloth stolen from an elderly woman. It led to a dead end, a large wall connected to some run-down apartments on the next street over.
Overhead, thunder rippled through the sky. Moments later, lightning flashed.
“This is where….”
“Yeah,” Ryan said. “It is.”
“Look at us now,” I said, grinning wildly at him. “Who’d have thought we’d be running for our lives from a crazed supervillain while you held my hand because you love me so much.”
He kissed me. There, in the rain.
I gave it my all because he deserved nothing less.
“Hey,” he said as he pulled away. “Remember when you asked me to marry you?”
I shrugged. “I suppose.”
“Maybe we should do that. When this is all done.”
“You gonna stand up in front of everyone with me?”
“Yeah.”
“Gonna tell me you want to be with me forever?”
“Forever, Sam.”
“At the last minute, are you gonna tell someone else you love them?”
He scowled at me. “Why would you even say that, oh my gods—”
“You’ve already done it once, Foxheart, don’t even with me right now—”
“I told you I loved you. You were the one—”
“If you’re going to break my heart, just make sure it’s not with Lady Tina. Or Terry. Because Terry wants to ride you just as much as you’ve already ridden him—”
“I hate you so much right now. You know what? Wedding off.”
I touched his cheek. “Yeah. Yes. Ryan. I’ll marry you.”
The smile he gave was blinding. “We’re going to be so happy, just you wait and—”
“How lovely.”
Ryan whirled around, shoving me behind him, gripping his sword tightly.
I peered over his shoulder.
Myrin stood a little farther down the road. The rain fell around him, but it didn’t fall on him. It was as if he was surrounded by a dome of sorts, the raindrops splashing onto a hardened invisible surface, trails dripping down around him. He was smiling at us, a
soft thing that I’d seen time and time again on his brother’s face.
It hit me then.
Just how angry I was.