A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania 4)

How the rage was threatening to pull me down.

I was mired in it, and I didn’t want to fight it anymore.

I snarled at him over Ryan’s shoulder, trying to get by. But Ryan had a hand wrapped around my wrist, holding me in place while he faced Myrin. Rain slid down the blade of his sword, and I wanted nothing more than to take us away to a place where Myrin would never get to lay eyes on my cornerstone ever again.

“You’ve fought valiantly, Sam,” Myrin said. “I think, in the end, you should be proud of what you’ve achieved. It wasn’t enough, but you’ve done things that I did not expect.”

“Not another step,” Ryan snapped at him.

“Or what?” Myrin said, staying right where he was. “What exactly will you do? You’re a knight and nothing more. You don’t stand a chance against someone like me.”

“Maybe,” Ryan agreed. “But I’m not just a knight.”

“No?”

Ryan shook his head. “No. I’m Ryan Foxheart, Knight Commander of the King’s Guard. And I’m the cornerstone of Sam of Dragons.”

And my brave and foolish knight charged the Dark wizard Myrin.

I didn’t have time to stop him. One moment he was holding me behind him, and the next he was running full tilt at Myrin, sword at his side, the tip of the blade sparking as it dragged along the ground. Water splashed up with the four steps he took before he leapt at Myrin, both hands on his sword as he raised it high over his head to bring it down and—

Myrin raised his arm, crossing it over his chest.

Then he swung it out in a flat arc.

Ryan grunted as he was hurled back down the alley, crashing into the far wall. I heard his armor smashing into stone. His sword fell out of reach. He slid down the wall in the alleyway where everything had begun.

It was quiet after that.

He didn’t move.

“No,” I whispered to the rain.

I ignored Myrin.

I ran down the alley.

I slid to my knees, skin tearing further. I barely felt the pain.

“Ryan?” I said, running my hands along his chest plate. “Ryan? I need you to get up. Ryan, you need to get up, you need to get up.”

He didn’t move. I couldn’t even tell if he was breathing.

I—

“Sam.”

I glanced over my shoulder.

Myrin stood at the entrance to the alley.

“You,” I said.

He cocked his head.

“You did this.”

“Oh, Sam. If you really think about it, this—and everything that has happened—is on you. I gave you a chance. Back in Mashallaha. I told you then that if you didn’t join me, I would take everything from you. You can’t possibly be surprised that I’d do exactly as I’ve said. Morgan. Ryan. And when I’m done with you, I will go for the others. Your friends. Your family. That insufferable unicorn. They will fall, just as you will.”