A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania #2)(40)

“If you think about it,” Randall said, “it’s hardly surprising that would be your background.”

“Hey! That was surprisingly effective in breaking me down emotionally. Nice job. Also, you bastard.”

Randall looked rather pleased with himself.

“What does Ruv have to do with any of this?” Ryan asked. “Because I really feel that we should be talking about him more. Like, what kind of a name is Ruv? And how I’m obviously more muscular than he is, as everyone can probably tell. Also, does he not know how to put on shoes? I know how to put on shoes.”

“And you do it very well,” I said, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. “In fact, no one puts on shoes like you do.”

“Damn right,” he mumbled, blushing slightly under the praise.

“I assume it’s for the same reason she didn’t want your mother to marry your father,” Morgan said. “Gypsies don’t take to outsiders kindly, and as evidenced by their willingness to shun their loved ones, they like marriages outside of the clan even less. I imagine Ruv is meant to entice Sam back into the fold.”

“I’m not going into anyone’s folds except for Ryan’s,” I said.

“Yes!” Ryan said. Then, “Wait. What?”

“And so because a crazy woman came up to you in the middle of the night and put her fortune-teller nonsense all over you,” I said, “you agreed to exchange me for two goats and a pig when the time came. What the fuck, Morgan?”

“I don’t think that’s a fair exchange,” Randall said. “Too much goat for such a measly return.”

Morgan sighed. “I didn’t agree to anything, Sam.”

“She seems to think you did. For all we know, she’s going to try and enact some ancient gypsy law to try and claim I’m already betrothed to Ruv and must let him take me carnally under the light of the half-moon in a field of fireflies. I won’t do it, Morgan. I really won’t!”

“Is that true?” Ryan growled. “Is he going to be carnally taken surrounded by fireflies? You know Sam hates fireflies!”

“They’re literally bugs that glow,” I exclaimed. “Why does no one else see the problem here?”

“And I’m the only one that gets to carnally take anything from him,” Ryan said.

“You’re mostly a bottom, though,” I said thoughtfully. “So I suppose it’s mostly me carnally taking.”

Ryan choked and started stuttering.

“This is what you woke me up for?” Randall asked Morgan.

“If I have to deal with this, then so do you,” Morgan said.

“And all because Morgan agreed to this!” I said.

“I didn’t.”

I glared at him.

He stared right back.

“Fine,” I said, conceding. “I believe you. Mostly.”

He rolled his eyes. “How fortunate for us all.”

“But don’t think you’re off the hook yet for lying to me all this time,” I said, pointing my finger at him. “Because we’re gonna have some words. You can count on that.”

“I look forward to it with bated breath,” Morgan said, a smile twitching on his face.

“Good. So. Why is she here? Why now? And I will remind everyone in this room that no one is allowed to use the word destiny at any point. Ever. Or a euphemism for it either. Vocation. Calling. Purpose. None of it, because that’s stupid and I hate it, and you should all hate it too. If you persist, I won’t be held responsible for my actions.”

I didn’t miss the look exchanged between Morgan and Randall. Neither did Ryan, as he stiffened beside me. He was a warm line of comfort at my side, and even though our hands were slightly sweaty, there was no way I was going to let him go.

“There have been… whispers,” Morgan finally said.

“Whispers,” I repeated. “That’s what you’re going with.”

“My gods,” Randall said. “Remind me to give you more credit for everything, Morgan. I don’t know how you haven’t murdered him by now.”

“Rumors, mostly,” Morgan said. “Of a man. Superseding all ranks of the Darks.”

I was confused. “The Darks don’t have ranks,” I said. “Isn’t that kind of what makes them the Darks? They’re scattershot.”

“They seemed rather united in coming after you,” Randall pointed out. Which, okay. That was fair. But the ones that had were either vanquished or imprisoned, spread out all over Verania.

“Like Lartin, then?” I said. “Is that who he is?”

“We don’t know,” Morgan said. “No one does. Again, Sam, this could all be nothing.”

I watched him closely. “But you don’t think it’s nothing.”

“I think,” Morgan said slowly, “that Vadoma wouldn’t be here if she didn’t think it was important.”

“Do you trust her?”

“No,” Morgan said. “But that doesn’t mean I don’t believe her.”

“And why should we believe her?” Ryan asked. “Why should we be doing anything she wants us to do?”

“When she touched Sam,” Morgan said, “against the wall, he said he had a vision.”