Chapter Six
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WHEN EMORY OPENED HIS eyes the next day, his entire body was achy.
It had been a long time since he’d flown in a storm, and he could feel it even though he was in his human form.
It would take him a few days before he could walk without hobbling, and he wasn’t sure he could raise his arms higher than his shoulders.
He stretched and groaned, knowing it would be best for him to get out of bed. Staying under the covers wouldn’t help. His muscles would still be stiff, and he’d still be in pain. As much as he wanted nothing more than to roll over and go back to sleep, he couldn’t.
He had something to do today.
It was late enough that he knew that everyone would already have left the dining room.
The mages would be at work, and the dragons would be doing whatever they did when they had spare time.
He was pretty sure that at least a few of them were thinking about getting jobs, and it didn’t sound like a bad idea.
Emory didn’t need to work for a living, but he didn’t like not having anything to do with his days.
Maybe getting Graham to reveal what he’d been up to yesterday would distract him for a bit. He doubted it would last long, and once that was over, he’d be back to being slightly bored and doing stupid things just because he could shift into his dragon again, but for now, he could focus on Graham.
For some reason, that made him feel excited.
Maybe it was just because it was something different to do, or maybe there was more to it, although he didn’t know what that more could be.
He was just grateful to Graham for saving his life.
Anyone would be. That was the only reason he wanted to help Graham.
Maybe if he told himself that enough times, he’d believe it.
He groaned as he got out of bed and stretched again. He hoped that a hot shower would help, so he made his way to the bathroom. His thoughts never strayed far from Graham, though.
Right now, he was somewhere in the castle, or at least, Emory hoped so.
Graham might have run yesterday after dinner or this morning early.
Emory didn’t know if he’d taken his stuff out of Meyer’s car.
If he was smart, he’d have chosen someone else’s car to run away.
Hell, if he really was smart, he wouldn’t run away at all.
He didn’t have a reason to. Tyne might hate him, and that might be scary, but it wasn’t like the mage would do anything to him.
The other mages wouldn’t let him.
But if Graham was in trouble, maybe Emory could help. It could be a distraction and a way to thank him for saving his life. It could be a way for Emory to repay Graham for what he’d done for him.
Emory moved slowly when he left his bedroom after showering.
The castle was mostly silent, but he could hear someone vacuuming in the distance and music.
He wasn’t sure where to start. Should he go straight to Graham’s room and knock on his door?
That was probably where Graham was, unless he’d run away.
Emory hoped he hadn’t. He needed the opportunity to get the man to change his mind.
The only thing that came to mind was to be direct, so after stopping by the kitchen to grab something to eat, Emory made his way back upstairs. His legs were unhappy with him by the time he reached Graham’s door, but he ignored the weight in his limbs and knocked.
Initially, nothing happened. It was like time was suspended. The hallway was silent, and so was Graham. Eventually, though, the door creaked open. Graham peeked out, looking like he was afraid that someone had been sent to kill him.
Emory grinned and raised the tray he was carrying. “I wasn’t sent by Tyne to kill you, don’t worry.”
Graham rolled his eyes and opened his door wider. “He wouldn’t send anyone to kill me. He would do it himself. He looks like the kind of person who enjoys getting his hands a little dirty.”
“I agree, but I don’t think he’s as scary as he thinks he is. He’s just a grumpy asshole.”
Graham shook his head. “Maybe. What are you doing here?”
“I thought it was obvious. I brought food.”
“Why did you bring food?”
“Because I haven’t had time to eat yet. I just woke up.”
“I’ve had breakfast.”
“I’m surprised, but that’s fine. You can either eat with me or watch me.” Emory didn’t think that Graham would slam the door in his face, but he still pushed his way into the bedroom.
It looked very much like the bedroom he himself lived in.
They’d been guestrooms initially, so there wasn’t much of a personality to them, but there didn’t need to be.
It wasn’t like he and Graham were here to stay, or at least, they hadn’t been supposed to be here to stay.
Maybe that was going to change, although from the looks of it, Graham still hadn’t unpacked his stuff.
He’d brought the boxes in, but they were stacked against the wall by the door as if ready to be snuck out again.
Emory put the tray down on the dresser and turned to look at Graham. “Why?”
“Why not? Why should I stay?”
“Because I don’t think you have anywhere else to go,” Emory said honestly.
Graham winced. “That’s true. I was desperate enough to accept the mages help, but I shouldn’t have.”
“I don’t see why not. They wouldn’t have offered to help if they didn’t believe you deserve it.”
“We both know that’s not true. At least a few of them would offer help even Carlyle.”
Emory wouldn’t go that far, but Graham was kind of right. “They don’t want you to leave, though.”
“Tyne does.”
“He’s just one guy, and he’s kind of an asshole. Didn’t you notice the way he treated Meyer before things got better between them? Do you really care about what a man like that thinks?”
“What anyone thinks doesn’t matter. This isn’t my place. I’m not a mage or a dragon.”
“You’re not the only human who lives here, and don’t say that the others are being paid to stick around. Not all of them are, and they’d stay even if they weren’t.”
“But they have a reason to be here. Matthias is Parker’s best friend. I’m everyone’s enemy.”
Emory snorted. “No offense, but you’re not really an enemy.
And yes, I know that Tyne would say otherwise and that you worked with Carlyle, but that doesn’t make you an enemy.
It makes you foolish and too trusting, but I really don’t think you’re a bad person deep down, and you shouldn’t act like everyone believes that you are.
You’ve been offered this chance. Take it and ignore what anyone thinks of it.
Especially ignore what Tyne thinks of it. He’s a dick.”
Graham shook his head. “But people are uncomfortable with my presence here. I was trying to make things easier for everyone, including you.” He hesitated.
“I don’t want to remind you of Carlyle. I don’t want you to think of him every time you see me.
I know I’ll always be associated with him in your mind, and I don’t like it, but I understand. ”
“I didn’t ask you to leave. Hell, I didn’t even ask you to leave me alone.
” He’d told Tyne that he wasn’t planning on becoming Graham’s best friend, and he wasn’t, but at the same time, that didn’t mean he wanted the man to leave.
“Look, I don’t know much about your life before Carlyle and all of this mess happened, so maybe I’m wrong, but to me, it feels like you’re always doing things for everyone else.
You stayed with Carlyle for your brother.
You’re leaving here because you think it’s what me and the other mages and dragons want. What do you want?”
“It doesn’t matter.”
It was sad, really. It felt like Graham truly believed that he didn’t matter, and Emory wanted him to realize that wasn’t the case.
“It does. You matter, Graham. I don’t associate you with Carlyle.
I don’t think of him every time I look at you.
I realize that things have been awkward between us, but I know that you have nothing to do with what Carlyle did.
I’m not going to hold his actions against you.
I’m not going to be afraid that you’re going to be like him.
” Emory already knew that Graham wasn’t.
For one, he was human. He wouldn’t be able to steal Emory’s dragon. He didn’t have the magic to do it.
But also, Carlyle had never been as caring with Emory as Graham had been when Emory had been wounded. He’d kept checking in on him, even days after the fight. It was like he wanted to reassure himself that Emory was okay, like he cared about him.
Maybe this made him a foolish man, but Emory didn’t want to lose that.
* * * *
GRAHAM HAD NO IDEA what was going on. He didn’t know why Emory was in his room with food. He didn’t understand what was going through Emory’s mind, but he wished he did.
He wouldn’t say the man had been avoiding him, but he also hadn’t gone out of his way to be friendly to him, and Graham had understood. Why would he, considering everything that had happened and everything Graham had done?
But he’d just told Graham that he didn’t associate him with Carlyle. He didn’t hate him. He didn’t blame him for most of what had happened.
What had changed? Was it just because Graham had helped Emory a second time yesterday?
And why was Emory so focused on the fact that Graham had been leaving?
Even though he seemed sincere when he said that he didn’t think of Carlyle when he looked at Graham, Graham had a hard time believing that he’d want him to stay.
Why should he? They weren’t friends, and no matter what Emory said, Carlyle would always hang between them.
That was why Graham had expected Emory to hate him.
He didn’t. In fact, it seemed like the opposite. He cared way too much for someone who shouldn’t.
“I’m not like Carlyle, and I don’t want to be,” he said.
“But I also don’t think that I belong here.
I wanted to show all of you that I’m nothing like Carlyle and that I could do something good, but I don’t know if that’s possible, and even if it is, what use would it be?
” He hesitated. He didn’t want Emory to know he’d been eavesdropping, but maybe he’d understand better.
“I heard you and Tyne talking in the gym yesterday. I wasn’t spying on you. I was just walking past.”
Emory grimaced. “Is that the reason you decided to leave? The conversation you heard?”
“I already knew I didn’t belong here. Hearing the two of you talk about me just confirmed that.
I’m not angry.” He was hurt, but he understood.
Frankly, the mages and their dragons had already given him too much.
Most people wouldn’t have let him inside the castle, let alone allowed him to stay here for as long as he had.
Emory raked a hand through his hair. “Okay, look. Tyne is his own person, and he’s a little weird.
I wouldn’t be offended by anything he says.
As for me, well, I was talking to Tyne. It was awkward.
I don’t think he likes me any more than he likes you, and I wouldn’t be surprised to find out that he wants both of us out of the castle, but I’m not going to give him the satisfaction.
He’s not in the majority here. In fact, he’s in the minority.
The other mages seem happy enough to have you here, as do the dragons, including Tyne’s dragon.
He told me a bit about what happened to him, so I understand better why he’s as bitter as he is, but I don’t get why he takes it out on people.
What he thinks doesn’t matter. You and I have every right to be here, and unless you actually want to leave, I think you should stay. ”
Graham had no idea what to say to that, but his mouth didn’t seem to have that problem. “I’d stay for you.”
Emory blinked, and Graham wondered if he’d try to stop him if he attempted to jump out the window. He was tempted to rush that way just to check.
“Why?” Emory asked. “Because what Carlyle did to you was horrible. It was different from what he did to me, but that doesn’t make it any less awful, and I think I remind you of him.”
“You don’t,” Graham quickly said. “I like you. It would’ve been easy for you to hate me after what happened, but you don’t.”
“That’s good,” Emory said with a smile. “But you shouldn’t stay for me. You should stay for yourself, because it’s the best thing you can do. But I don’t want you to leave.”
“I don’t understand why not.”
“Do you have to?”
Graham considered that. He supposed he didn’t. He wasn’t sure why he liked Emory so much, but he didn’t think that the why mattered. It was just how he felt, and apparently, Emory wanted him to stay and didn’t have a reason for that—or maybe he didn’t want Graham to know that reason.
But he gave Graham hope. If Emory of all people didn’t hate him, there was a chance that he could find his place in life. He didn’t know if it would be with the mages and Emory, but maybe he didn’t have to find out right now. Maybe he could give himself more time and actually try this time.
Maybe he didn’t have to be alone, after all.