by TJ Klune
My knees felt weak, and I placed a hand on top of the obelisk that marked the final resting place of my mentor. There was a warm pulse underneath my hand, though it might have been just my imagination. It felt real, but my heart was thundering in my chest and the blood was rushing in my ears, because I was so close.
To Morgan.
And to Ruv.
“Thank you for your report,” Ruv said coolly, his accent thick and melodious. “I hope that your words prove to be fact. For your sake. Myrin wouldn’t be pleased if something were to happen. Especially since Sam has returned from his… sojourn.”
“Sir, if I may.”
“Yes?”
“Is it…? Do you truly believe it? What was said? That he’s Sam of Dragons now? That he’s gathered the dragons of Verania at his side?”
“It doesn’t matter,” Ruv said flatly. “He’s been gone far too long. Verania has fallen to the Darks. To Myrin. It doesn’t matter who he is now or what he’s capable of. The King is in the dungeons, and the gods have abandoned the country. The Resistance will fail. Sam will fall. Myrin’s grace is absolute. He will rule Verania with an iron fist. And soon his reach will extend beyond the borders and the world fall to its knees in veneration.”
“Oh my gods,” I groaned. “Villains monologue even when they talk to each other? They are the absolute worst.”
“Who’s there?”
I slapped my hand over my mouth.
The hedges rustled, and before I could move, Ruv entered the clearing, eyeing me curiously.
He looked exactly as he had before, aside from the fact that he wore a robe similar to my own. His skin was dark, his long hair pulled back and tied off with a piece of rawhide. I could see the tattoos on his chest peeking out over the opened collar at his throat, and he wore earrings in the style of the gypsies, long and dangling, and I felt a rush of anger that he could still claim a culture that he’d helped to destroy and imprison. I tried to keep a neutral expression as I dropped my hand, but there was a moment that I almost took a step forward to choke the fucking life out of him.
But then the obelisk pulsed again, and it was warm and sweet, and I felt it down to my very bones. The rage reduced to a slow simmer, bubbling just underneath the surface. This wasn’t just about me. There were people hidden in the passageway who were counting on me. Now wasn’t the time for revenge.
“Who do we have here?” Ruv asked, cocking his head at me.
“I’m new,” I blurted out. “And I got lost. Don’t you hate it when that happens? I know I do.”
He smiled at me, and if I didn’t know who he was and what he was capable of, I would have thought it kind. “How about that.”
I nodded furiously. “Yes. Totally lost. Like, I was in the castle, and then I didn’t know where I was and got all turned around, and suddenly here I am. Just… standing here. With you.”
“Here you are,” he said, taking a step toward me. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.”
“Well, yeah. Just said I was new, so.”
He chuckled. “Right. You did. Forgive me. Your name?”
My throat clicked as I swallowed. I didn’t think Purity of the Blushing Virgins was going to fly here. So I said, “Bill,” because it was the only innocuous name I could think of.
“Bill.”
“Yes. That’s me. I’m Bill. Bill the… Dark. Horse. Yes! Bill the Dark Horse. That’s my wizarding name. Because I’m evil. Just like you. Curse you, heroes! I hate you so much!”
His smile was toothy. It reminded me of a dragon. “You’re an odd sort.”
I shrugged awkwardly. “Yep. That’s pretty much me and this entire situation. Ha ha. Awkward.”
“Do you know who I am?” he asked as he took another step toward me.
I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction. I shook my head, keeping my expression bland.
“Really. That’s… unexpected. Allow me to introduce myself. I’m Ruv.”
He extended a hand toward me.
I had a split second to decide whether I should shake the hand of a traitor or break his fingers and then kick him in the nuts.
I shook his hand.
It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. His hand was cool, his grip firm, and his thumb brushed against my knuckles. I had to remind myself that I had to let him go, that it probably wasn’t smart to attempt to dismember him here and now.
He held my hand for a beat longer than he should have and said, “You seem familiar to me. I wonder why that is?”
I shrugged as I pulled my hand away. “I get that a lot. I have one of those faces, I guess.”
“We’ve never met?”
“No. Hence why we just shook hands in introduction.”
“That we did. Interesting. Tell me, Bill the Dark Horse. Why are you here?”
I squinted at him. “Like, in the castle? Or existentially. Because those are two very different things.”
He chuckled. “I like you. You’re different.”
That wasn’t the compliment he thought it was. “Thanks. I try.”
“You’re touching the marker. You have been since I found you.”
I hastily pulled my hand away from the obelisk. I felt cold at the loss of it. “Yeah, it’s….”
He waited.
I shook my head. “It’s nothing.”
“Oh, it’s not nothing,” Ruv said, moving so he stood on the other side of the obelisk. “I don’t think that word could ever be used to describe the man it represents. Morgan of Shadows was certainly more than nothing.”
Hearing my mentor’s name on his lips was almost enough to cause me to forget why I was here and who I was protecting. I wanted nothing more than to tear this man apart, to break him until he was begging for me to stop, and even then, I would say no, and he would—
I took a deep breath.
I let it out slowly.
“Morgan of Shadows,” I said. “I’ve heard of him.”
Ruv grimaced. “Of course you have. Everyone has. He’s a legend.” He looked down at the obelisk. “Well. He was a legend.”
“I suppose.”
Ruv traced a finger along the words carved into the black stone. “I knew him. Maybe not as well as others could claim to. But I stood before him. I looked him in the eye. And he had no idea who I was. Or what I was capable of.” He sighed and smiled ruefully at me. “Funny how that works. One of the most powerful people in all the world, and I was able to fool him. I was… scared. That day. Nervous, though I couldn’t show it. I had a part to play.”
I swallowed thickly, my hands in fists at my sides.
Ruv sighed as he shook his head. “It doesn’t matter now. Morgan is gone. Myrin saw to that, much like he’ll see to the rest of the world. I just… I understand people are scared. They often are of things they don’t understand. I don’t see why they can’t just give him a chance.”
I stared at him. “The man who took over their country and forced people from their homes and into prisons because of the color of their skin and the faith they belonged to and the class they were born into, and you want them to give him a chance?”
Ruv frowned. “You sound… liberal.”
My eyes widened. “Oh no. No, no, no. I mean. Muahahaha. Evil things. I’m so happy with all that has happened. Dropkick defenseless animals! Or whatever villains like us do. Electrocute the gay out of people? I don’t know. I’m new to this whole bad guy thing. I’m not very good at it yet.”
“There’s nothing wrong with being gay.”
I was very sweaty. It didn’t help that Ruv was absolutely correct. “Right! Right. I didn’t mean it like that. In fact, we should electrocute the straight out of people.”
“Interesting,” Ruv said, rubbing his beard thoughtfully. “I don’t know that Myrin has ever thought about that before. Perhaps I should bring that to his attention. You might just be good at the whole villain thing after all.”
I was the worst person alive. “Or! Maybe instead of e
lectrocuting anyone, we could just leave people alone and let them do whatever they wanted and be happy and let things go back to the way they were?”
Ruv waved a hand at me. “That doesn’t sound very villainous.” His eyes narrowed as he looked at me again. “In fact, it sounds treasonous. Where did you say you came from again?”
But before Ruv discovered that I couldn’t lie for shit, another Dark burst through the clearing, panting as he bent over, hands on his knees. “Sir,” he managed to get out. “Your presence is required. There’s been a breach.”
I felt instantly cold.
Ruv looked only mildly interested. “What kind of breach?”
“We’re unclear on that, sir. A sewer grate outside the City is missing, and there are footprints around it.”
“The Resistance is getting brave,” Ruv said, sounding amused. “Fascinating. Sam returns, and now this. He inspires them.”
The Dark’s eyes bulged. “S-S-Sam? Are you sure? Maybe he hasn’t even made it to the Resistance yet.”
“Are you scared of him?”
“Oh yes,” the Dark said. “Extremely. Most of us are.”
Ruv frowned. “And why is that?”
The Dark hesitated. Then, “It is said he can make your nipples explode with just a single thought.”
Ha! Flora Bora Slam, motherfucker!
“Bah,” Ruv scoffed. “I highly doubt he can do any such thing.”
I told myself that Ruv would be the first. And I would relish it.
He glanced back at me, staring for longer than should have been necessary. “You’ll do well here, I think. Just don’t let me catch you out here again. Do you understand me?”
I nodded.
He spun on his heels, robes flaring out like an asshole as he followed the Dark out of the clearing.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
And then screamed a little when he stuck his head back through the bushes. “I look forward to seeing you again,” he said, winking at me.
Then he was gone.
I waited another moment or two before turning back to the entrance to the passageway. “You can come out now,” I called quietly.
Ryan was first, bursting through the vines, a furious expression on his face. “Are you okay?” he demanded, pointing his drawn sword in all directions as though we were surrounded by villains. “Where is he? Let me at him. I swear to the gods, I will separate his head from his body and carve his heart from his chest and chop his mothercracking dick off—”
“So violent,” I whispered in awe.
“I assume the sewer grate in question was how you entered the City?” Randall asked Justin, who nodded. “That certainly explains the smell.”
I stared at him with wide eyes. “We smell?”
“I certainly didn’t want to say anything,” the King said, patting my shoulder. “But yes. You all do. And this is coming from someone who has spent the last six months in a dungeon.”
“You have terrible ideas,” I told Justin.
He rolled his eyes. “We got my father, didn’t we? I consider that a success, even if we do smell like shit.”
“—I’ll cut his traitorous tongue from his mouth, and feed his nose to a pod of angry selkies, and chop his fingers off one by one until he is begging me for mercy—”
“Can’t you just suck us through your hole now?” I asked Randall. “I mean, we can’t go out the way we came.”
“Lady Tina,” Justin reminded me.
“We could leave her. I mean, she’d understand, right? I’d understand if I was her.”
“You know,” Justin said, eyeing me with disdain, “if you weren’t with Ryan, I’d swear to the gods that you and Lady Tina actually liked each other.”
I gaped at him.
He shrugged.
“Hey, Justin?”
“Yes, Sam.”
“Do you remember all those times I called you my best friend 5eva?”
“Unfortunately.”
“I take them back,” I said savagely. “What, may I ask, the fuck.”
“Oh no. I’m so sad. Randall, you are not allowed to suck us through your magic hole until we have Lady Tina.”
“I blame you for everything,” Randall growled at me.
“—and then I’ll pay for a disease-ridden prostitute to rub their herpes on his toothbrush and will watch as he brushes his teeth—”
“Many things change,” the King said, leaning down to kiss the top of the obelisk. “But how they also stay the same. You would be amused and exasperated, old friend. Just as you always were.”
“Ryan,” I snapped. “Stop stabbing the ground! My mom planted that grass!”
“—and then I’ll roast him over an open spit until his skin cracks and his juices drip from his heated flesh—”
“If any of you call it sucking through my magic hole one more time, I’m going to leave you all here to die,” Randall threatened.
“This rescue mission will be stricken from all history books,” Justin said, crossing his arms over his chest.
“Amused and exasperated indeed,” the King said quietly.
THE TREK through the castle went better than expected. We only encountered a few Darks, and they paid us little attention as they scurried by. As we moved through the throne room, the King scowled, eyeing his throne longingly. Justin held on to his arm, pulling him along. He offered little resistance as we passed through the Great Doors, but didn’t seem to find the new banners hanging from the ceilings and walls very amusing.
“They’re so totalitarian,” he muttered. “Castle Lockes is meant for all. I truly do despise him.”
The stairways were empty as we descended into the castle’s depths, tracing our path back toward Lady Tina. I held out a small hope that she’d run away or been captured, or she’d simply been erased from existence, but that proved false when we rounded the corner and found her waiting where we’d left her.
Her eyes widened when she saw us, and specifically the King. “Where have you been?” she hissed at us. “There’s movement in the castle.”
“How astute your observational skills are,” I retorted.
“Who is this strange-looking man?” the King asked.
“Lady Tina,” Justin said.
The King’s lips twitched.
Randall groaned. “Sam.”
“What? I didn’t do anything! Oh. Wait. I did, but still. I think the punishment fits the crime.”
“Ha!” Lady Tina cried. “I knew you did this to me on purpose.”
“You’re damn right I did,” I said gleefully. “And if we’re lucky, maybe I’ll forget how to change you back, and you’ll forever be stuck as if one of your parents was actually a weasel.”
“At least he didn’t turn your nose into a penis,” Randall told her.
“Now Randall,” the King said. “That sounded dangerously close to fondly reminiscing.”
“I regret ever coming to rescue you,” Randall said.
“Can we move?” Justin snapped. “Now?”
Ryan was already at the door, ear pressed against the wood. “I don’t think the group of men Sam was going to slut around with and caused to run to church have come back yet.”
Randall and the King slowly turned to look at me.
I rolled my eyes. “It’s not like it sounds. Well. Actually. It is like it sounds, but I wasn’t actually going to do it. You know how Ryan gets when people want to put things in me.”
“Literally everything wants to sleep with him,” he muttered, pushing open the door a crack to peek through. “For once, I’d like to meet someone who doesn’t want have sex with my boyfriend.”
“I don’t,” Lady Tina said.
“I don’t,” Justin said.
“I don’t,” Randall said.
“I would,” the King said.
Everyone turned to gape at him.
He just shrugged. “What? He’s adorable. If I was thirty years younger—”
“Dad!”
“Oh my gods,” I whispered. “I knew I was irresistible! Justin, did you hear that? I could be your new stepfather and—nope. That was dangerously close to sounding like Kevin. Thanks, Your Highness, but I’m going to pass. Even if you are every daddy fantasy I’ve ever had.”
The King looked rather pleased at that.
“I’m so conflicted,” Ryan said through gritted teeth. “I mean, I know I have to protect him with my life, but I also want to challenge him to a duel.”
“We don’t have time for that,” I said, smacking him on the ass before I pushed on the door. “Everyone out so Randall can suck us through his—”
“I will leave you here,” Randall threatened.
They dutifully filed through the door out into the cool air, the night sky starting to fade in the east. I followed through and started to shut the door behind me—
“Sam.”
I stopped.
Took a breath.
Glanced back down the hallway.
Myrin stood there, looking coolly amused.
And I exploded.
The green and gold came rushing around me, the air rippling as my magic burst from my chest, crawling along my scars, which felt like they were burning. The rage that simmered boiled over, and all I could think about was destroying everything around me, bringing Castle Lockes down upon him. This was as close to him as I’d been since he took Morgan from me, and he need to pay. For everything.
“Ah,” he said, a smile curling his lips, and for a moment, he looked so much like his brother that my breath hitched. “You are stronger than you were before. I’m impressed. I didn’t expect that.”
There were surges of light in my head, blue and red and black and white, and they said no and Sam and run run run, and the oldest of them, the white, was the loudest of all, and he said, I promised you that I would help you I promised I promised I promised but not now not now Sam it can’t be now you will die and I can’t have that you need to run.
“Sam!”
A strong hand wrapped around my arm, a chest pressed against my back, breath hot and ragged near my ear.
I tried to pull away, because Myrin was right there and—
“No,” Randall whispered fiercely. “Not now. Not like this.”
A flicker of something crossed Myrin’s face at the sight of Randall at my side, and it almost looked like remorse, like pain, but it was gone before I could see it for what it was.