A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania 4)

Gary preened, puffing his chest out. “Right? I can’t wait to see what else I can do with this rainbow.”

“Like what, my love?” Kevin asked, keenly interested.

“I’m so glad you asked,” Gary said, prancing over to him. “Have you ever been to a bakery that had rainbow sprinkles on their pastries?”

“Ooh,” Kevin growled. “And what pastries would the sprinkles be on?”

“All of them,” Gary purred.

“Gods,” I said, trying hard not to

gag. “It didn’t take long for him to ruin his horn for me forever.”

“I blame you for most of this,” Ryan said, looking green.

“Stop! All of you!”

We turned just in time to see a Dark wizard pop out from behind Kevin at the entrance to the alley. He looked a little worse for wear, what with the fact that his eyebrows appeared to have been singed off.

“Huh,” I said. “One must have escaped. That sucks.”

“Aha!” he cried. “I have bested Sam of Dragons! I will be the supreme Dark wizard. If only my father could see me now. You see, he never respected—”

And that’s when Gary stabbed him in the chest with his horn, pinning him against the wall. “You just bought a one-way ticket to Gore City, bitch,” he snarled.

Everyone clapped except for me. “My catchphrases are so much better,” I muttered. “That was just stupid.”

“Sam.”

As Gary began to bitch and moan about Dark wizard gunk on his horn, I turned to Randall. He looked tense and wary. “I….”

“Is it done?”

I didn’t know quite what to say. “He’s… the Star Dragon. He—consumed him. Myrin was….”

Randall nodded tightly. “And you’re all right?”

“I’m fine.”

And then Randall hugged me.

I was so surprised, I didn’t know quite what to do. My arms were at my sides and I couldn’t even think, much less reciprocate.

“Are you going to make this even more awkward?” he muttered against my shoulder.

“Uh. No. No, I’m not.”

And I brought my arms up and hugged him back.

It was good.

The best, really.

“Thank you,” he whispered. “For doing what you had to. For doing what I could not.”

I swallowed past the lump in my throat. “I’m sorry. For not being able—I couldn’t—”

“I know,” he said. “But it was never about that. He made his choices. I’m just happy that you’re all right. Did he say anything else?”