The Consumption of Magic (Tales From Verania 3)

“And since I gave you a boner,” he purred, tongue snaking out and scraping along my cheek, “I can think of at least six things we can do with it.”

“Ugh,” I moaned, trying to wipe the copious amount of dragon spit off my face. “It’s a heart boner, you dick. Not a real one.”

“Give me forty seconds. I can make it a real one.”

“Trial reconciliation,” I reminded him.

He sighed. “With my love. Yes, you’re right. I cannot do anything to jeopardize that. Good thinking. But if your mother and I choose to end it, you’ll be the first one I come to for comfort. And by comfort, I mean—”

“I know what you mean,” I said hastily.

He nodded. “Good. Good, glad you know.” Then, “Okay, but just so we’re clear, comfort means really dirty sex. Like, really gross. As in I’ll do things to you that will make you so uncomfortable, you won’t know whether to spread your legs or get a restraining order.”

“I already know which one I’m leaning toward,” I assured him. I reached out and ran my hand along the top of his snout. “You didn’t have to offer that.”

He shrugged as if it was nothing, but I could see the way his eyes darted to the side. “I’d do anything for you, Sam. You’re my friend.”

“I know,” I said. “Which is why I can’t let you do that.” I twisted in his grip until I was looking back at the Great White. “You can’t have his hoard. I won’t let you take it from him.”

“Sam—”

“No,” I told him. “That’s not how this works. You shouldn’t have to give up anything. Not one single thing. Not to him. Not to anyone.”

“Curious,” the Great White said. “You are both but children, barely having learned to crawl, but there is loyalty between you that extends so much further than one would think. I wonder if the gods could have predicted this. Tell me, youngling, why would you be willing to sacrifice your hoard for this… this human?”

“Because he would do the same for me,” Kevin said, rain sluicing down his snout.

“We’re bros,” I told the Great White. “That’s what bros do for each other.”

“He’s also my stepson who I would just destroy if he—”

“Dude.”

“Oh. Right. There’s a time and place for everything. My bad.”

“So not what I meant.”

“It’s cool. We can just talk about this later.”

“Gods, seriously.”

“My word, Sam, stop trying to argue my way into your pants. It’s unbecoming in front of present company.” He looked back at the Great White. “Sorry about this. You know how Sam gets. Oh, that’s right. You don’t know how Sam gets. Are you in for a rude awakening.”

“Heart boner gone,” I muttered.

“I have no need of your hoard,” the Great White said as he shifted, knocking down another section of the forest with his tail. “There is only one thing that I require.”

I had a feeling I didn’t want the answer. “And what is that?”

The Great White raised his head until he loomed over us. Lightning flashed behind him, electricity crawling through the dark clouds. I blinked against the rain. “I will make you the wizard you n

eed to be. By the time I am done with you, your training will be complete. There will be no need of the Trials. You will ascend from an apprentice to a full-fledged wizard, and in doing so, will have the power and strength needed to harness all of the dragons of Verania. Only then will you be able to defeat the man in shadows.”

“But Morgan is—”

“Morgan is your mentor,” he said. “But he is also the brother of the villain you must defeat. The same villain that has marked you for consumption.”

A chill rolled down my spine. “How do you know about that?”