“Jah’ruud? Is that you?”
I do not move. I will not until I’m commanded. Instead I sulk like a child.
He paces the room. Then he goes to the door and looks outside. Apparently seeing nothing, he returns to the room and goes to the lamp, holding it up to his eye. The brush of his hand over the metal is enough to force me out into the air, and I materialize with a huff of irritation. “What is it you want?”
He turns and almost drops the lamp. “Oh, you are here! Did you do it? Did you see her?”
“I did.”
“Well, come on, what did you learn?”
I regard him suspiciously. “She is miserable,” I say eventually. If he has any decency in him he will care.
To my satisfaction, his face falls. “Because of me?”
“You and the situation she is in. She feels she must choose now between you and the dragon, and she does not know who to trust.”
“That’s easy! She can trust me.”
“Can she?”
“Yes!” He scrubs a hand over his face, turning and pacing to the window. “Of course she can. I’ll prove it to her.”
“You will have to. She is going to make you compete against Aurelion to win her hand.”
His expression is horrified. “Compete with a dragon? Good thing I have you, though I can’t say you’ve been much help to me yet.”
I scoff. “I got you here, didn’t I? You will get your wish. The dragon will see himself out if you just tell her who you really are.”
“You know I can’t do that.” He lets out a long exhale. “Gods, I’m going to get scorched.”
“Use your shadows to smother his flame.”
He blinks. “My what?”
I stare at him. Does he not know? “Your shadows, darkling. Call them. Use them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
I laugh. “You have to be joking! How do you think you got in and out of a buried city alive? Where do you think you got the magic to summon me from my prison?”
“Wait, slow down. Magic? You’re saying I’m magic? You need to explain.”
“I could do that…for a wish.”
He groans. “You are just impossible. I think I would be better off on my own.”
“Then set me free and lose her favor on your own!” I growl. I’m so annoyed my legs dissipate into smoke, and it swirls around me as I hover in front of him.
Kaelun throws up his hands. “OK, I know, alright? I get it. You didn’t choose this. I know.”
“You do not know. How could you?”
“Because I’m not a complete bastard—well, I mean I probably am. I have no idea who my father was, but I’m not awful. OK? I have a heart.”
I glare at him. I do not know what point he is trying to prove.
“Look, no promises, because there are no guarantees in life, right? But if she picks me, if I win her and still have a wish left, I’ll use it to free you.”
