The Lightning-Struck Heart (Tales From Verania 1)

“I should have fought harder to go in your place.”

“Nah,” I said. “You know I would have found some way to get involved. I’m awesome like that.”

“Awesome. Right.”

“Morgan?”

“Yes, little one?”

“You were right.”

“Oh?”

“To be worried about my heart.”

A sigh. “I know.”

“I just thought….” I took a breath. “I thought I’d control it better. It fucking hurts.”

“You said he felt the same?”

“No,” I said. “The coercion forced him to say he was attracted to me. Nothing more. And it’s not like it matters. He swore an oath. To Justin.”

“What? What kind of oath?”

“One that they both agreed to for mutual benefit. It’s none of my business, anyway. Or any of ours. It’s between them. You know what a knight’s oath means. Especially when made in fealty to a king-in-waiting.” It meant that only Justin could release Ryan from his oath. And that was never going to happen.

“This fucking sucks,” Morgan said.

I couldn’t help it. I laughed. “You sound way too much like me.”

“Well, it does.”

“Yeah.”

“It’s a good idea. Not traveling back with them.”

“Sure,” I said. “I have all the ideas.”

“I’ll get in touch with Randall.”

“He’s going to be pissed.”

“He’ll get over it. I want you to come straight home, Sam. No detours. No deviations.”

“Yeah, I’ll get right on that.”

“Sam.”

“Are we going to talk about the lightning thing?” I asked quickly. “Or….”

He sighed. “Lightning, Sam. Really?”

“Right? That’s what I said. While I was running for my life.”

“The Darks aren’t going to forget.”

“Eh. I can take them. Apparently.”