Page 121 of MidKnight
“Staff of life,” my scholar argued as he pulled on trousers.
“Mouse,” Blue contributed to the male anatomy argument.
Tickle-tail. Fireplace poker. Stallion.Quinn sent us all mental images to accompany his penis-names.
“Shaft of delight,” Declan laughed. “Thepeacemaker.”
Everyone groaned at that pun.
I rolled my eyes. It looked like the giddiness was back in full force. Good. We needed the humor to fortify us. Because I had a feeling the days ahead would be dark.
“I’ll let you boys argue about the proper names for your cocks while I go make a grown-up plan with Cerena.” I pulled on a dead soldier’s pants and boots as they continued to toss out every term they’d ever learned. There were far too many. Men spend entirely too much time thinking about their own dicks.
I found Cerena outside the cave. But no Donaloo and no dragon.
I walked over and stood beside her as she watched the pine trees stomp back to their homes in the forest and rebury their roots in the soil.
“Where’s our wizard?” I asked.
“Said he had to take care of something. Took off with the dragon and some kid.”
We stared at the trees until I heard the jostling and joking of my knights behind me.
I rolled my eyes at Cerena and said, “Here they come, the hope of the realm.”
When they reached the cave entrance and spotted us, they all moved forward. All except Quinn, who froze, stock-still, staring at Cerena and myself.
Are you okay?
Quinn rubbed his face. He squinted at us.
The other knights noticed and turned to watch him.
Slowly Quinn’s eyes widened. He thought at all of us:I can’t tell what Cerena’s thinking.
I turned to Cerena. “Did you use a spell to protect your thoughts?”
“No. Why?”
“Did Donaloo?”
“I don’t think so.”
I turned back to Quinn.Maybe … after coming back to life … maybe your powers are just a bit slower?
Quinn shook his head; his breathing came more rapidly.
“Declan, can you multiply something for me?” I asked, thinking that maybe my other knight might struggle a bit and that would help Quinn relax.
He’s just too tense, I thought.
Declan raised his hand at a shield held by a dead Rasle soldier.
Nothing happened.
His light blue eyes met mine in a panic.
My heart started to beat faster. I turned to Ryan. I ran a fingernail over one of my old scars, scratching myself. “Ryan, heal my scratch.”
