Page 194 of Vameer

“Hear what?” The druid sounds way too sober.

“I don’t know,” I whisper.

“The magic,” Volik whispers too.

“What does it sound like?” I lean forward, still hugging Rune.

“Sounds like a dense beehive.”

“Dense?” I ask, not understanding.

“Da. Kind of like…” Volik hums and purrs at the same time. “A normal druid.” He pauses. Being dramatic.

I snicker.

Dread sighs.

Volik starts over. “A normal druid.”

I snicker again.

Dread shakes his head.

“A norm⁠—”

“Quit saying normal like that.” I drop back against the tree, chest shaking, on the verge of one of those uncontrollable laughs.

“Fine,” Volik heaves out. “A regular druid.” I snort. But Volik keeps talking. “Sounds like a single bee inside a box. But this druid does not sound like that. He sounds like a dense beehive. Lots of bees in a box.”

We both turn to look at Dread.

He stares back.

“Well?” I ask.

“Well, what?” He lifts his hands and drops them to his lap. “You didn’t ask a question. And I’m not made of fucking bees. So…”

I grin, imagining if he was.

“So.” Volik doesn’t let it go. “I want to know how powerful you are.”

I nod, agreeing with my brother.

What I saw him do was beyond rare. And I already knew it would take a lot of power. But… I hear it now.

I hear the bees.

“Can you release them?” I tilt my head as I listen to the compressed buzzing magic that’s seeping out of the druid. “Can you open the beehive?”

He pinches the bridge of his nose. “Would you idiots quit talking like I’m full of bees.”

“No.” Volik leans forward. “Release them, Druid. Let the bees fly.”

That itch to laugh forever scratches at my throat. “Come on, Dreaded One.” He snaps his attention to me. “We are friends now.”

“And friends show friends their bees.” Volik is leaning so far forward he has his elbows on the ground.

The start of a laugh bubbles in my chest. “Sit back.” I swipe a hand in his direction. And my gravito presses against Volik’s chest, making him sit up.