“For what?”
“The whole catchphrase and awesome entrance thing. I’m not going to waste it just because Kevin is an asshole.”
“I heard that!”
“You were meant to,” I called back.
“Why is the ground shaking?” Wan asked. “And why does it sound like trees are breaking?”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. “Just be ready to do your line.”
“I think I’m going to go,” Wan said, eyes wide.
“Oh, come on,” I said. “Don’t be like that.”
“No, it’s okay,” he said. “I’m sorry I wasted your time. Please don’t hurt me.”
I rolled my eyes. “You Darks are a bunch of pussies,” I said, and he snarled at me.
“You really want to mess with the powers of the Dark?” he growled.
“Wow,” I said. “That was actually ominous and cool. I’m into this. Okay.” I popped my neck and took a stance. I glared at him, curling my lip. “You may be the Dark, but I am the apprentice to Morgan of Shadows. I am Sam of Wilds, and I will kick your fucking ass.” And then a breeze came and my clothes started billowing. It was amazing.
“I suppose we can do this,” Wan said, raising his hands.
“Yeah,” I said. “Well, I’ve got a dragon. Dammit! That didn’t sound right. What the fuck, Wan? You had one job. Heh. Or you had wan job. Awesome.”
Then Kevin, Gary, and Tiggy came up from behind me and Wan screamed in such a way that he totally lost all his goatee cool points. He turned and ran farther into the Dark Woods. I shook my head.
“What was that all about?” Gary asked.
“You guys need to work on your timing,” I said. “Never again. I had the perfect setup with a cool line and a whole lot of epicness going on with the billowing, and you all just killed it.”
I stalked away from them, muttering about how the help was never prepared when I needed them to be.
THE TWENTY-FIFTH day sucked because I missed Ryan something awful. Gary and Tiggy held me close as Kevin kept watch.
My heart was hurting.
THE TWENTY-SIXTH day I was angry.
THE TWENTY-SIXTH night, I was hurt and angry and made a really stupid decision.
THE THIRTIETH day found me back in Meridian City.
I left Gary, Tiggy, and Kevin on the outskirts. We’d passed through Old Clearing, and sure enough, the missing people had returned, telling stories of being kidnapped by a ruthless cult and fed more corn than they’d ever eaten in their lives. Of course, once they saw Kevin, they started shrieking, sure he was back to eat them this time. He assured them he would never do such a thing, that it went against his code (and his stomach), but this only proceeded to freak everyone out more, because dragons weren’t supposed to talk.
We left Old Clearing rather quickly after that.
Not a huge loss, really.
But I made sure we stopped in Meridian City. Gary had asked me if I was sure, as if he knew what my plan was. Instead of answering, I told him I wouldn’t be long.
“Sure,” he’d said sadly.
And that’s how I found myself once again standing in front of the Tilted Cross, Mama’s medallion in my hand, smiling quietly at the bouncer at the front. It wasn’t the same one as last time, but that was okay. He saw the medallion, nodded once, and opened the door for me.
There was a beautiful woman at the front desk, one that’d I’d never seen before. But she knew who I was from the way her eyes widened slightly before she smiled wickedly.