Chapter Forty-Eight. When All Is Well
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
WHEN ALL IS WELL
FARREN
James and I make national news. That idea always scared me, but national attention includes some perks.
It seems caring for an endangered species means the Walsh Sanctuary doesn’t just receive funding, we get security and a law passed that states if anyone so much as touches a golden dragon without our permission the perpetrators will be sentenced to jail time.
For a girl who has been pretending to be invisible, being seen like this will take some getting used to.
Two weeks ago, James and I both went in for our Revers Academy scholarship application and got metal-tested by Mr. Moore.
Me for the first time in over a year, James for the first time this season.
I’m happy to say Cara’s father didn’t chuck metal at my head in hopes I’d catch it.
He did however wear his shock and awe plainly, stumbling over his words and himself as James and I completed each test. Moving gold, folding it upon itself, and then I maxed out the weight we had available.
“Well, that about covers it. You two … you’re … gold-crafters. I’ll have the paperwork—I mean, I’ll have to create the paperwork…” He shakes his head. “This is going to take a while to figure out.”
“Farren!” Cara calls as I’m leaving. She drops from her dragon and sprints to us.
“My dad called me when you two showed up.” She huffs. I don’t know exactly how angry she’s going to be. But I straighten, awaiting the blow so I can beg for forgiveness. “So, this was why?” she asks.
“Yes. I’m so sorry … I…”
She rushes me in a hug, squeezing me hard. “You lied.”
“I know—”
“I can’t believe you like James Murphy.”
I cough out a laugh. “That’s what you’re mad I lied about?”
“A little. I mean you and protecting dragons makes sense. The boy, not so much.”
“Excuse me,” James says, fake offended.
She releases me and steps toward him, thrusting out a hand. “You’re going to have to get used to me. You’re dating my best friend. I’m not letting her go again.”
I warm at my old moniker. It feels like slipping on a sweater after being cold for months.
James shakes Cara’s hand like they are making a deal. “I can share.”
“I’m not some piece of metal,” I argue.
James grins at Cara as he wraps his arms around me from behind. “Of course, you’re much more precious.”
Cara balks. “Okay, I stand corrected. I’m going to have to get used to you, Murphy. I’ve never seen you so smiley. It’s kind of freaking me out. I didn’t even know you had dimples.”
“Right! I thought the same thing,” I exclaim.
That only makes James squeeze me tighter.
Months later, James and I stand on the cliffs by the barn. Together we both hold matching envelopes with the Revers seal. My palms won’t stop sweating. Revers still needs to accept us after all, then we can talk scholarship. Funny how I always bypassed that part.
On the count of three we both rip through the envelope, paperwork aflutter.
“I got in,” James says, stunned. “Medical track.”
I scan until my eyes snag on the first word. Congratulations. “I did too—” I don’t even finish before James wraps me in his arms and whirls me in a circle. Then as if remembering he puts me down. “What about the scholarship?”
“I don’t know,” I laugh. “Someone grabbed me before I could look.”
He grins, dimples carved in happiness. “Oops.”
I pull out the page. “I didn’t get it.”
“What? Are they out of their minds?” He actually sounds indignant for me.
I poke at his papers. “What about you?”
He frowns as he tears out the form. “There’s no way. There’s—” His frown deepens.
“Did you not get it?” I shriek. I didn’t think dropping out of the running would mean it going to someone else, but it could have.
“No. I did. Someone made the biggest mistake alive.” He looks at me. “Farren.”
He’s so astonished, and I’m so relieved I start laughing.
“Are you laughing? This is not right.”
I hold up another paper. “I got a rider scholarship. Called the recruiter, Willa, last week. She was so happy I took her offer.”
Realization hits and his features soften. “For me.”
“For us,” I clarify.
“Farren—” he starts like he’s planning out a lecture, like he’ll pull up a report to indicate how I deserve the money more.
And as cute as that sounds, I don’t regret my decision.
For once not a single doubt floats into my brain.
I don’t want to compete with James Murphy. I just want to be with him.
“I want to make a deal,” I interrupt.
He eyes me.
“Help train me to race and I’ll—”
“Continue to be my girlfriend. You don’t have to do anything else, Walsh.”
I lift an eyebrow at him. “Feels like I’m getting the better end of that deal.”
He laughs. “Not a chance.”
I blush at the sentiment. That I am enough as is, with him. “This will be our easiest deal yet,” I confirm, sliding my arms around his neck.
He smirks at me. “I thought hating me was the easiest?”
“Well, you can see how I failed there. It was, in fact, excruciatingly difficult.”
He wraps his arms around my waist. “I’m glad I’m so irresistible to you.”
“Irresistible?” I huff and playfully pull away. “Who said the word irresistible?”
James tightens his grip around my waist, stopping my feeble attempt to escape. “Fine. Fine. I guess it’s just me then who finds you irresistible.”
My breath hitches at his sincerity. I don’t know why I fight confessing my feelings like this. I feel them and yet still I don’t express them. And for no good reason too. Therefore, I become as serious as James, quitting my halfhearted struggle in order to lean back in. “No, I do as well.”
“You do, what?” he prods.
I stare at him, really stare like he so often did in school. Stare to make sure he knows I share his sincerity. “I find you irresistible.”
“And?” James rubs the collar of the cream sweater I’m wearing. The one that used to be his and has since changed ownership.
“Nope.” I shake my head in protest. “I already paid for this sweater in full last week.”
He keeps smiling at me and I cave. What that smile can do to me. “And you look good shirtless. Even if you’ve lost your abs,” I add just to mess with him.
He blows out a breath. “What a fickle fan.”
“No, the opposite. I’m quite sure I’ll love you forever.”
“Quite sure, huh?” He beams and the hint of embarrassment I held in confessing that is so worth it. Everything about this moment radiates perfection. Especially when James leans forward and says, “I know I’ll love you forever,” right before he kisses me.
Though not so much when the hatchlings swoop down on us a moment later and shake off all the water that had collected on their scales.
Daphine’s teaching them to fish for themselves off the coast. Hort and Daphine are like older siblings helping us care for the babies.
And Oria and Electrum’s coats turn more golden by the week.
There’s still a heartbreaking ache for Nity.
An ache I don’t think will ever leave me.
But we have become a family, united because she existed, because she trusted us.
James gruffs at the hatchlings, a wave of a hand wanting them to get lost so he can kiss me more.
But Oria swoops in and nuzzles his shoulder anyway, breaking us apart, and Zilar nudges my calf for attention and soon we are laughing at their ridiculousness.
Parents in a sense, and maybe not terrible ones.
Jeffrey and Shelly come trudging up from the cottage and my parents walk from the barn.
All wanting to hear about the letter I still have clasped in my hand, wanting to hear my future.
A future as bright as gold. Still I ground myself to the present, in this moment.
For in this moment, I am fully myself with the people I love, all of us dealing with our dragons.
THE END