He wasn’t wrong.Tyne wanted to run, but he told himself he wasn’t going anywhere.He couldn’t afford to.If he wanted a chance with Meyer, he needed to take it now.“Us,” he confirmed.“I don’t love Peyton anymore.I’m not saying I loveyou, but I know I could if we had time.At the very least, I want to try.”
“Even though I’ll always remind you of Peyton?”
“You might remind me of him, but like you said, you’re not him.I need to let go of what he did.I saw you with Amber, and I’m not worried.You won’t go back to her.”
“I won’t,” Meyer confirmed.“I’m not going anywhere unless you kick me out.”
Tyne chuckled.“You’re going to have to wait a long time if you expect me to kick you out.”
Meyer’s smile was crooked and beautiful.“How about forever?Does that sound like a long time?I’ll stay here forever as long as you want me here.”
It was too much, but at the same time, it wasn’t nearly enough.Tyne had to resist the urge to run but also the urge to lean over and pull Meyer into his arms.This wasn’t the right moment for him to be emotional.
“Forever sounds good,” he murmured anyway.“But I want to date you.I want to make things right because I know how difficult I was.”
“I don’t think you’d be yourself if you weren’t difficult.I’m not saying it didn’t hurt, but we’re past that.I don’t need you to continue apologizing.”
“What do you need, then?”
“For us to win this fight.For you to ask me on an official date.”
Meyer was braver than Tyne because he reached over and took Tyne’s hand.He linked their fingers together and squeezed, making Tyne’s stomach churn in the best of ways.
Tyne wanted more.He wanted more of Meyer and his touch, more of the future they could share.He wanted more time.
“That’s what I’ll do, then,” Tyne said as he raised Meyer’s hand and kissed the back of it.“Once we’re back and Carlyle is gone, I’ll ask you on an official date.”
He couldn’t consider the possibility that he wouldn’t be here to do so or that Meyer wouldn’t be here to answer.
Chapter Eleven
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MEYER STEPPED THROUGHthe portal.Like everyone else, he was dressed in black, which made him feel like he was in a bad spy movie.He wished he could have shifted before walking through the portal, but it would’ve meant that Jarvis had to open a massive one, and no one wanted him to overwork himself before the fight.
Tyne was right behind Meyer.Meyer turned to glare at him because he should have waited until the dragons confirmed the area was clear, but Tyne ignored him.He bumped their shoulders together and looked around, squinting as if he expected to be able to see the spells Carlyle had left in the area.
Meyer wished that was how things worked.Instead, they were going to have to wait until the spells were triggered and be surprised, which wasn’t something anyone wanted to deal with.If Meyer had his way, he would have left Tyne behind until he was sure that all the spells had been triggered.He and the other dragons would have shifted and stomped around for a bit.
Unfortunately, Carlyle probably would’ve noticed them doing that.They needed to reach him before he could protect himself, which meant being stealthy.And having six dragons—seven counting Emory—walking around would be anything but that.
“What now?”Meyer asked in a whisper.
Tyne rubbed his hands together.“Now, we find the spells.”
“Everyone ready?”Ansley asked as he stumbled through the portal.
Parker looked like he was about to have a heart attack.He grabbed Ansley’s arm and kept him on his feet, but Ansley ignored him.
Meyer had seen the mages work magic before.Hell, he’d watched Jarvis open the portal just minutes ago.He was still impressed every time the mages did their job.He had magic, but only the kind of magic that helped him turn into a dragon.It would never compare to what the mages could do, and that was okay.Meyer wasn’t here to be a mage.It was here toprotecthis mage.
Ansley’s magic washed over the area.Meyer’s eyes widened when he saw objects light up.They were purple beacons in the night, and while he wasn’t sure what that meant, he could take a guess.
Ansley grinned.“I might not have been able to locate Carlyle, but I can locate his spells.”
The mages spread out.The dragons stuck with them, each of them focused on their own mage.Emory was alone, though, and he looked like he was ready to bolt and find Carlyle on his own.He took a step forward, tripped on something, and a loud alarm began to glare.
Tyne swore.“There goes the element of surprise.”
