Page 2 of Storm In The Sky

“It would have been easier if it had been one of them.”

“Well, instead, it’s one of the most powerful mages I can remember being told about. My parents used him as a cautionary tale when I was a kid. You know, I still can’t believe you’re one of the people who defeated him. You’re famous.”

Winter didn’t want Samuel to see him as famous. He wanted him to see him as his friend and possibly more.

This situation was a fucking mess, and Winter wanted out. It wasn’t that easy. It wasn’t just Carlyle, but also the fact that Winter might be fully bonded to Keylon. He couldn’t remember a thing, and he hadn’t dared ask, but the thought made him want to scream.

How could he be fully bonded to someone he didn’t remember? As far as he was concerned, he’d never met Keylon before arriving at the castle. He had no memories of him or of anyone else who lived at the castle.

But he had plenty of memories of Samuel. Samuel and his family had welcomed Winter when he’d been utterly alone, and they’d become his people over the years. Samuel was Winter’sbest friend, which was why Winter wasn’t leaving without him. He already knew he wouldn’t be able to convince Samuel, though. Samuel had a stubborn streak a mile wide, and he only did what he wanted, which was never what Winter wanted.

“I’m not saying you have to like the situation,” Samuel said as he got up from the couch.

Winter didn’t look at him, not even when he felt Samuel’s hand on his back. He leaned into the touch, telling his heart to slow down. Samuel was only a friend, maybe a brother. That was it.

“I hate this,” Winter whispered. “I never wanted to be a shield. I especially didn’t want to be a shield to someone I don’t know.”

That wasn’t quite true. Winter did want to be a shield, but only to Samuel. He’d never dared bring it up, but he’d told himself that once Samuel was ready for a shield, he’d tell him.

Now, he couldn’t. What if he was fully bonded to Keylon? They’d have to break the bond first, and Winter wasn’t sure Keylon would want to do that. He couldn’t force the mage to do anything, no matter how desperately he wanted not to be bonded to him.

It was a moot point, anyway. Samuel hadn’t said anything about wanting a shield, and the last time Winter had mentioned it, he’d thrown a shoe at his head. Samuel was convinced he was strong enough to defend himself, and maybe he was, but if Jarvis and the other mages here hadn’t been, surely Samuel needed to be defended.

“If these guys don’t defeat Carlyle, the man will become a problem for all the clans, including ours,” Samuel said gently. “I know you don’t want that to happen.”

Winter’s shoulders slumped. “I don’t.” Winter might not remember anything about his previous life, but he did remember this one. He had Samuel and the clan. Samuel’s family was like his own family, and he didn’t want anything to happen tothem. That meant he’d have to fight, and the only way to do that was to stay here with the mages. Carlyle would come for them eventually. He already had, and he’d captured one of the dragons.

There was no way out for Winter.

* * * *

Keylon wanted to cry, but he needed to be strong. His situation was dire, but not as dire as Dallin’s. At least Keylon knew that his dragon was all right. Winter was in the castle, moping around in one of the bedrooms, probably ranting to his friend about how evil Keylon was or something like that.

But Dallin’s dragon wasn’t here. Carlyle had taken Sol, and they still couldn’t locate either of them. Thinking about what Carlyle could be doing to Sol made Keylon want to throw up, but he plastered a serene expression on his face and focused on Dallin.

“I’m sure Ansley will find him eventually,” he said to his friend.

Dallin was reading something, but he looked up and set down his book. He was curled up in one of the armchairs in the library, looking smaller than Keylon could ever remember seeing him.

“I know. I have faith in Ansley and in all of us.” Dallin’s voice was soft.

Keylon hated that he was hurting. More than friends, they were like brothers. They’d lived together for decades, trying to find their dragons and supporting each other. Now, only Dallin’s dragon was missing.

That didn’t mean everything was going great for the mages whohadfound their dragons. Jarvis, Ansley, and Penley were walking on clouds because they’d reunited with their shields and were happy as clams, but the same couldn’t be said for Keylon and Tyne. Tyne had been avoiding his dragon like the plague andgot angry every time he saw his face, while Keylon was moping around just as much as Winter.

What the fuck did Winter expect him to do? They were mage and shield. They were fully bonded—not that Winter had asked about that—and they were supposed to work together. They were supposed to be in love and be together, but instead, Winter spent all of his time with his little friend.

“And things will get better between you and Winter,” Dallin continued. “You’ll see.”

Keylon’s eyes burned, but he told himself he didn’t want to cry. Dallin had other things to focus on. It wasn’t his job to take care of Keylon.

It was no one’s job, not even Winter’s, apparently.

“I don’t know,” Keylon said. “He sounds pretty convinced that he wants nothing to do with me.”

“You have to put yourself in his shoes. He doesn’t remember anything, including you. It has to be incredibly hard to deal with something like that, especially when he was told he’d have to stay to fight Carlyle. I wouldn’t want to fight Carlyle either if I were in Winter’s place. Hell,Idon’t want to fight him, but I know I’ll have to. I’m resigned, but he probably feels he has a way out since he hasn’t been involved until now.”

Keylon sighed. “I do understand, and I do realize he doesn’t remember anything. It doesn’t make it any easier to accept or deal with.” He bit his lower lip. “What if he decides he wants to break our bond?”

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