“I know,” Sam said lightly. “You told me once on top of a tower that you wished for me. I’ve never forgotten. Look.” He opened his hand, revealing the stone.

  “Sam go boom?” Tiggy asked, touching Sam’s hair as Kevin jostled Gary for a place in Sam’s lap.

  “Sam go boom,” Sam agreed. He looked up at the sky, tears streaking his face. I worried for a moment that something was wrong. Worried, that is, until I saw Sam smile. “Hold on. Things are about to get a little strange.”

  And with that, he closed his hand over the stone.

  “Ooh,” Kevin said. “I feel all tingly again!”

  Sam opened his hand once more, and in his palm, lay nothing but sparkling powder. Sam breathed in, and Sam breathed out, and then he threw the powder into the air. It arced in the sunlight, glittering as it fell back toward the earth. It struck Tiggy first, landing in his unruly hair. His entire body began to ripple before he expanded upward and outward, shooting up at least three feet, his clothes tearing before reforming as the half-giant choked out, “I…I remember. Tiggy a knight! Tiggy Knight of Brooms!” He pumped his fists as he jumped up and down.

  Gary was next, horn taking on an otherworldly glow as if it contained all the stars in the universe. His body stretched, mane and tail lengthening until he once again became the unicorn we’d known for years. He blinked slowly, lips pulled back over his teeth. “I’m me,” he whispered. He began to prance. “Hell fucking yes, I’m me again! Oh my gods, I am going to fuck the nearest thing I can find. I have a mighty need to find a warm hole to stick my entire face in!”

  I grimaced. “Maybe we should have left you as you were.”

  He turned on me, eyes ablaze. “You listen here, you oozing scab of a human being. I am a godsdamn unicorn, and I demand you treat me as such.”

  I grinned at him. “Missed you too, Gary.”

  He sniffed. “Of course you did. I’m the light of your life. Honestly, Justin, your obsession with me is unbecoming of a prince.”

  “Don’t need no mens!” Tiggy shouted as he hugged Gary so hard.

  “Yes, kitten,” Gary agreed, and I startled when I saw his eyes fill. “We don’t need no mens, but I’m happy to have you all the same.”

  We were all practically knocked flat as Kevin suddenly towered over all of us, the spikes along his back sharp and deadly. His red underbelly shook as he laughed. “That’s better,” he said. “I don’t like being so close to the ground. Gary! Yoo hoo, Gary. I have that warm hole you were looking for. Get ready, because by the time we’re finished, you’re gonna be permanently cross-eyed when I—Moms!” He growled as he dove between Leslie and Pat, the former cooing over him, the latter rolling her eyes but still smiling.

  Sam knelt down in front of Ryan as the last of the powder fell around him. Sam cupped his face, Ryan’s eyes wide. “I’m scared, Sam,” Ryan whispered.

  “I know,” Sam said quietly. “But you have me.” He lowered his hand, pressing it against Ryan’s chest as the remains of the Damning Stone settled in his hair. Ryan closed his eyes, and groaned when his youth melted away, the muscles in his arms and legs expanding, the curve of his jaw sharp, his hair bouncing as he grew. Sam stood as Nox, as Ryan Foxheart, as Ryan Haversford closed his eyes tightly, lips pursed. He opened one eye. “Did it work?” he asked, voice much deeper, though tinged with nervousness.

  Sam tackled him. Ryan grunted as they fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs and tongues that I absolutely did not need to see.

  I was about to tell them to cut the shit when a loud cry came from the direction of the castle. I raised my head to see a great many people running toward us, knights and lords, ladies and children, all led by my father and Morgan, Dad leading the charge. I ran toward him, and the relief I saw on his face was so breathtaking, I almost fell to my knees. Instead, I leapt the last six feet, crashing into him. His arms wrapped around me, his face in my neck as he spun me in circles. “My son,” he gasped. “My boy. You did it. You saved us.”

  “Had a bit of help,” I said, and laughed when he smacked a kiss against my cheek as he set me back down on the ground.

  “Did you?” he asked. “I knew you would. I’m sorry that I—”

  I shook my head. “No, it doesn’t matter. It was that…that thing. It wasn’t you.”

  He studied me for a moment. Then, “I can see it in you, now. Look at you. You’ve found your fire again.”

  I grinned. “Let’s hope it sticks around this time. Can’t have something attack us anytime I need to get my ass in gear.”

  Morgan’s hand brushed along my back as he continued on. I glanced back to see him stop in front of Randall, hands shaking as he reached for him, touching every inch as if to make sure he was real. Randall rolled his eyes, but hugged Morgan just as hard.

  “Who did this?” Dad asked me as the crowd began to form around us. “Was it Ramos?”

  A dark lance of anger pierced my chest. “No,” I said. “It wasn’t. He was being used just like the rest of us. It was Keith.” I took a deep breath. “Acting on behalf of his cousin, Lady Tina.”

  “What?” Dad snarled, every inch a king. “How did she…” He shook his head. “There’s time for that later. Does she still breathe?”

  “Last I checked.” And because he needed to know, I added, “I don’t think the rest of my guard had anything to do with it. We’ll need to interrogate them, but I think they didn’t have any part in her plan.”

  Dad nodded grimly. “Good idea. Better to be safe than sorry. Take me to her, if you please.”

  We walked side by side, the crowd around us parting as they tittered, the word already spreading for who was to blame. I knew that rumors would run rampant, but we’d get ahead of them. There would be those who’d question how we didn’t suspect Lady Tina was going to betray us, but the truth would come out, eventually.

  Ryan stood with Gary and Tiggy, Kevin above them. Ryan snapped to attention, fist going across his chest as he bowed for my father. “My King,” he said as he stood upright once more. “I’m at your command.” He laughed when Dad hugged him. “Good to see you too, sir.”

  “Sam?” Dad asked as he pulled away.

  We turned in time to see a god grow before us, his massive body covering us all in shadows. As one, we began to walk toward him.

  Pat and Leslie parted as the Great White lifted his head, revealing Sam standing in front of him, hands curled into fists, knuckles white and bloodless. He tensed as he heard us approach but didn’t turn around.

  “Sam,” Dad said quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder. Sam jerked his head toward us, and for a moment, something black crossed his face before it melted away as he sagged. “Are you all right?”

  Sam nodded tightly. “I…” His face twisted. “I’m angry. So angry. I don’t know how to stop.” He wiped his eyes as Randall and Morgan joined us, the fairies buzzing about around our heads.

  “Myrin,” I said quietly. “The fear monster showed us Myrin.”

  Morgan’s hand went to his throat as Randall frowned. “What?”

  “It wasn’t real,” Sam said bitterly. “Just a manifestation of what I was scared of most.” He waved his hand at the remains of the monster. “Whatever that was, whatever Lady Tina summoned, it showed the darkest parts of us.”

  “He’s gone, Sam,” Ryan said, gathering Sam up in his arms. “You saw to that. It was just a nightmare.”

  “I know,” Sam said, voice muffled. “But I…” He shuddered. “I think I need some help. I can’t keep going on like this. I need to be free of him, once and for all.”

  “We’ll get you the help you need,” Randall muttered. “Hell, I think we could all do with some therapy about now.”

  Sam laughed wetly as he pulled away from Ryan. “Yeah. That’d be a good start.” He smiled as he looked at all of us. “But do you know what this means? We won because of the power of friendship!”

  “Hurray!” Tiggy crowed.

  “Oh my gods,” I mumbled as Dylan appeared beside me, taking my hand in his. “You’re so embarrassing.”

  “Sam.”

  We all turned to see the Great White staring at us with enormous eyes. Sam walked toward him as the dragon lowered his hand toward the ground. Sam touched his chin. “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you for coming once again when I needed you most, GW.”

  “I told you not to call me that,” he rumbled. “I’m pleased to see you as yourself once more. What would you like to do with her?”

  He lifted his head, and there, pinned to the ground under one of his claws, lay Lady Tina.

  She looked furious, her face splotchy and covered in sweat. She batted her hands against the claw to no avail, shrieking when she saw us standing above her. “I’ll kill you!” she screamed, spittle flying from her mouth. “I am Lady Tina DeSilva! I’ll kill all of you!”

  “Noisy little thing, isn’t she?” Leslie asked as Pat growled at the pinned woman.

  “You want me to eat her?” Kevin asked, tongue flicking between his lips. “I can still be a humanitarian if you’d like. Already ate the corn lady, so it’s not a big deal.”

  For a moment, I thought Sam would agree. A black part of me hoped he would, that he’d tell Kevin or any of the other dragons to bite her fool head off. He certainly looked like he wanted to. But I was strangely relieved when he eventually shook his head. “No. We’re not…that’s not who we are. As much as I want to see her dead for all she’s done, we’re better than that.” He crouched down next to her as she struggled. “You tried, didn’t you? You tried. You tried to take from me again and again. Morgan. Ryan. My family. Why?”

  Joshua and Rosemary pushed their way through the crowd, Joshua pale, Rosemary’s hand going to her mouth as her eyes filled. Dad shook his head at them, and they watched, waiting for what would come next.

  “Because I hate you,” she snarled up at him. “I hate everything about you. You don’t deserve anything you’ve been given.”

  Sam sighed. “That’s not for you to decide. It never was.”

  “Kill me,” she whispered. “I know you want to. I can see it on your face. Do it. Do it. Show them who you really are.”

  “Nah,” Sam said easily. “You’re going to stand trial for your crimes against the crown. And if I have my way, you’ll live a very, very long life pooping in buckets in the dungeons.” He leaned forward, voice dropping. “And the toilet paper is single ply.”

  She bellowed her outrage as Sam pressed a hand against her forehead. She tried to bite him, but he was stronger than she ever was. A faint whisper of magic pulsed around us as Lady Tina’s face grew slack, her eyes closing, chest rising and falling.

  “There,” Sam whispered. “That should shut you up for a little while.” He stood up, his father and mother lunging forward and shielding him from the rest of us. Ryan joined them, the members of this little family whispering words of love and peace in Sam’s ears.

  “Knights,” Dad ordered. “Arrest Lady Tina. Put her in as many chains as you deem necessary.”

  The knights did as they were told, lifting Lady Tina from the ground as the Great White pulled away. The last I saw of her was the flash of her blonde hair as she was carted back toward the castle.

  “Weird day,” Dylan said.

  “Yeah,” I said. “This was a bit much, even for us.”

  He bumped my shoulder with his. “I can handle it, bro. In case you were wondering.”

  I swallowed thickly. “Yeah?”

  He nodded. “Yep. If this is the worst that can be thrown at us, I’m good with it.” He let my hand go, wrapping his arm around my shoulders. “I don’t scare off that easily.”

  I leaned into him, his chin resting on top of my head. “Good.”

  Ramos said, “You shattered the Damning Stone.”

  We all looked at him, but he only had eyes for Sam. Sam’s parents let him go, though they didn’t go far. Joshua glared at Ramos as if daring him to blame Sam for anything.

  “I did,” Sam said.

  “How?” Ramos asked. “I’m grateful. You…” He shook his head. “The sash was severed. My king and your prince should’ve died.”

  The crowd began to mutter.

  Sam shrugged. “Couldn’t have that, dude. Justin is my best friend. Dylan is his boo, and I’d never let them go.”

  “My what?” I demanded, outraged as Dylan chuckled in my ear. “You take that back right this second!”

  Sam snorted. “Oh, please. You’ve been infected by love.” He waggled his eyebrows at me. “Just think! We now get to have sleepovers where we get drunk on apple wine and talk about our men before we have a pillow fight.”

  “Dylan,” I said solemnly. “I’m sorry, but I have to break up with you because I’m not going to do that.”

  “Yeah, no,” Dylan said. “I’m on to you now, Roth. You’re stuck with me for a very long time.”

  Strangely, I couldn’t find a single thing wrong with that.

  “Thank you,” Ramos said. “I don’t know how you did it, but thank you. I can see now why they call you the most powerful wizard in an age.” He bowed toward Sam. For a moment, he was alone in his action.

  But then I did the same, because he needed to see just how much he meant to all of us. Dylan followed suit. And then Ryan did the same. Gary. Tiggy. Kevin. Joshua and Rosemary. Pat and Leslie. The Great White. Randall. Morgan, with a quiet smile. The crowd that had amassed behind us began to bow silently, along with the fairies as they buzzed above us.

  My father took a step forward as Sam’s lips trembled, eyes wet. Dad brought his fist across his chest and bowed before Sam. “You honor us,” Dad said toward the ground. “I’m so very pleased with you, Sam of Dragons. Thank you for all that you have done. Verania owes you a debt that I will spend the rest of my life making sure is repaid.”

  Sam tilted his face toward the sun and smiled.

  CHAPTER 19

  Wherein King Dylan Gets that Good, Good Prince Dick

  THREE NIGHTS LATER, I found myself in my room at my desk. Dylan sat behind me on my bed, back against the headboard, long legs crossed as he flipped through one of my books. I tried to ignore him, but I could feel his gaze on me every now and then, heated yet soft. This was the first time we’d been alone since the battle at the training fields, and I was more nervous than I cared to admit. If all went the way it was supposed to, at midnight, the ritual would end and the sash could be removed. For some odd reason, I wasn’t looking forward to it as much as I’d thought I was. We needed to talk about what came next, whatever that would be.

  Whatever magic had fallen over the City of Lockes had been broken with the destruction of the fear monster. Thankfully, the damage to the city had been minimal, mostly coming from people attempting to flee. We’d been fortunate that there’d been no loss of life, and only minor injuries, the worst of which was a broken rib on a man who had fallen over a trash bin.

  None of us had seen Lady Tina since she’d been chained in the dungeons, though the dungeons guards had told my father and me that she was quite incensed, ranting and raving that she’d have her revenge before someone had finally seen fit to muzzle her. The other members of my personal guard had been shocked to learn of her betrayal, Deidre promptly bursting into tears during her interrogation. I was satisfied that none of them had known about what Lady Tina’s plans were. I had assured all of them that they could remain in their positions, warning each one that if I even got a whiff of something off, my response would be swift and severe.

  I laid down my pen, stretching out the cramp in my hand. I’d been at it for a couple of hours, documenting everything that had happened. Dad said it was important our history be written down for all the generations who came after us, in the hope that those who followed in our footsteps would know of what we’d done and learn from any mistakes we had made.

  Luckily, Sam had decided not to give me too much shit over Lady Tina’s actions. And by that, I mean he only brought it up fifteen times a day. It could’ve been worse, so I’d take what I could get. In the end, he wasn’t wrong.

  “You couldn’t have known,” he told me at dinner the night before, watching as Ryan and Dylan goaded each other on to see how many cherry tomatoes they could fit into their mouths at one time. I couldn’t believe those idiots were ours.

  “I should have,” I muttered bitterly. “If I’d listened to you after Myrin, none of this would’ve happened.”

  “Maybe,” Sam said. “But you wanted to believe in the good in her. I can’t blame you for that.” He paused, considering. “Well, not too much, anyway.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  “You’re welcome.” He looked at me. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Trust me. Been there, done that. It’ll tear you down, if you let it. We’re better than that.”

  I closed my eyes, not trusting myself to meet his gaze. “How can you even stand to look at me?”

  I felt his hand on mine, squeezing gently. “Because I love you,” he said, and I opened my eyes to find him smiling at me. “I know that’s hard for you to hear, but I mean every—”

  “I love you too.”

  He blinked. “Whoa.”

  I sighed. “Yeah. I’m not proud of it.”

  “You just…threw that out there. Give me some warning next time. Gods, Justin.” He didn’t pull his hand away, and I turned my own over so our palms pressed together, fingers intertwining. “Thanks, though. I think I needed that.”

  “Don’t get used to it,” I muttered, fighting a smile.

  “I wouldn’t dream of it,” he said. He looked over at Dylan and Ryan, expression softening. “What are you going to do now?”

  “I don’t know,” I admitted. Dylan laughed loudly, and I never wanted it to stop. The sound echoed off the stone walls and ceiling, and my heart stumbled in my chest. “I’m not…” I shook my head.

  “What?” Sam asked.

  I lowered my voice. “It’s not…what you and Ryan have.”