A Destiny of Dragons (Tales From Verania #2)(71)

Before I could get to Tiggy and Gary to hug it out, Kevin stopped me, leaning down until his large head was eye level with me. “I hope you know that I’ll still be there for you, champ,” he said gruffly. “Even if your mother and me are no longer together. Weekends, okay? And I don’t want you to worry if I get a new… friend. You’ll always be my number-one brave little sexy guy, okay?”

“Still not used to that at all,” I said.

“None of us are,” he said, tongue slithering out and brushing on my fingers.

“Oh, gross,” I muttered.

“Sam!” Gary cried. “Get over here and love me!”

“Sam!” Tiggy yelled. “We need love!”

And really, what else could I have done in the face of that? Nothing, I tell you.

I went. And just as soon as I got within grabbing distance, Tiggy’s large hand wrapped around my arm and jerked me into his chest, holding me tight. Gary was crying prettily against him, these precious little sniffs coming out his nose in periwinkle sparks that did little to Tiggy’s thick overshirt. “Sam,” Gary said wetly. “Is this what heartbreak feels like? Like I’ve left on nipple clamps for so long that I’m numb to everything only to have them taken off and slapped, sending pain shooting through my body like lava burning my insides?”

“That’s actually surprisingly accurate,” I said, reaching out to run my fingers through his mane.

“See what you’ve done?” Kevin yelled at the crowd. “Your hatred just tore the love of my life from my arms. How dare you, ladies and gentlemen. How dare you.”

The crowd murmured amongst themselves, taking a step back.

“What is happening?” Vadoma asked. “What is all this?”

“Par for the course,” Randall said. “This is actually quite tame for them. Unfortunately.”

“Nothing has been lit on fire yet,” Morgan said. “So I count this one as a win.”

“Pretty Gary,” Tiggy murmured. “There, there. There, there.”

“That bastard,” Gary said. “How could he end this on something as trivial as not giving me top billing when I obviously deserve it? I want to murder him and leave his bones out in the sun to dry—you know what, time out.” His eyes dried immediately, and he lifted his head from Tiggy’s chest. “Can we all agree to not talk shit about my ex? Especially since he’s part of Sam’s destiny. It’ll just make things awkward in the long run.”

“Agreed,” Tiggy said.

“I also agree,” I said. “I’d like to add an addendum. Can we never refer to me having a destiny ever again? Because that’s really lame and I hate it.”

“Struck down,” Gary said. “Because you do.”

“Strike it, motherfuckers,” Tiggy said.

“Godsdammit,” I said.

“Good,” Gary said. “So we’re in agreement. Rule number one thousand, two hundred, and twenty-seven of the Sam/Gary/Tiggy friendship has been ratified. No talking shit about Kevin because of Sam’s magical super destiny. Except for me, a little, because I’ve been the one spurned.”

“Aye,” Tiggy and I said, while I also added, “You bitch,” because of the principle of the matter.

“Good,” Gary said. “Okay, time in.” Tears burst from his eyes so bright and shiny that they almost looked like diamonds. “I am going to be alone forever,” he wailed into Tiggy’s chest.

“I never leave you,” Tiggy promised.

“Oh, my heart,” Kevin said, putting his clawed hands over his eyes. “What bright pain is this, taking my breath from me? O, tremble, sweet nothing, because that is what I have inside me now that my heart has been shattered: nothing. I have nothing.”

“This is what you want for the future of Verania?” Lady Tina demanded into her megaphone. “This is what you want for your future? These—these bumbling idiots are going to be what represents us as a country? What if the Darks come back? What if some group outside of Verania comes back? You think anyone will take us seriously? You think the Prince, the future King of Verania, will have any control over his own court with these ridiculous cretins getting in the way with their shenanigans? We need to banish them from Verania, then build a wall around the entire country so none of them could ever get back in!”

“A scathing and completely on point representation of the state of the court of Verania,” Vadoma said. “I like this girl.”

“Do you think the King would execute my grandma if I asked?” I said to Gary and Tiggy. “I mean, I get he said no to Lady Tina, but come on. Vadoma is so executable.”

“I could make it look like an accident,” Gary said. “I’ve done it four times before. Accidentally.”

“Tiggy smash her,” Tiggy said, squeezing us tighter.

“No,” I sighed. “I don’t want you guys to murder anyone. Lady Tina will probably just find some way to use it against us.”

“I’m glad you think that murder is bad because of how someone can use it against you,” Ryan said. “But if you three are done, I’d like to point out that the crowd is starting to get a little angry.”

“What?” I said, pulling away from Tiggy.