A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania 2)

Sort of.

But hey, fuck it. It counted.

So I’d already done it once.

I could do it again.

“Why do you have that look on your face?” Ryan asked me suddenly.

“What look?” I asked.

“That scrunched-up, constipated look you get when you’re planning something that I usually end up not liking because it’s dangerous and or requires you—” He glanced at Tiggy before continuing in a low voice. “—sticking weird things in me because you think it’ll be kinky.”

Tiggy snorted, because of course he’d heard. He heard everything. But like a good giant, he let it go. Gary was such a bad influence.

“Well if I wasn’t thinking of sticking something in you, I am now,” I said. “Thanks for that. You couldn’t keep your sexy words until we were out of here? We’re on a quest, babe. We don’t have time right now to get down.”

“That’s not what I said.”

“Tiggy?”

“That’s what he said.”

Ryan glared at him. “We just fist-bumped. I thought we were cool!”

Tiggy squinted at him. “Just one time. Settle down, Knight Delicious Face.”

“He got you there, dude,” I said solemnly.

“I don’t know why I put up with any of you. It’s not like—” He broke off as he gave me a weird look.

“What?” I asked, looking down at myself. “Do I got something on me? Is it a fucking bug? I swear to the fucking gods, if it’s a gigantic bug, I am going to burn this whole place to the ground—”

“Not a bug,” Ryan said. “It’s, ah. Your eyes. They’re getting… brighter.”

“Like all red and shit?”

“Yeah.”

“Huh. Keep your hands to yourself. I know I’m irresistible to you right now, but now’s not the time, Ryan.”

“Bright, Sam,” Tiggy said quietly. “Feel it?” He reached over and tapped my forehead. “Here?”

I nodded. “It’s—I can’t understand it. It’s… like I’m underwater. I can hear something, but it’s muted, you know?”

“Is it hurting you?” Ryan asked, jaw tensing.

I shook my head. “No. It’s not. It’s just… strong.”

“You know where we’re going, don’t you?”

I didn’t even try to lie. “Yeah. How’d you know?”

“You’ve been leading us very deliberately. Like you knew.”

“It’s pulling me.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”