Triaa and Cread could only stare at him while my mouth hung open. 30 times over a life of 26 years? And 5 times over half a year? I squeezed his arm again, holding on until Vinz laid a hand on mine.

“Too tight, Amara,” he said, a small grin on his face. With a quick sorry, I removed my hands from his and placed them at my side.

“Why did you not tell us this, Vincent?” Cread asked, a hand covering Vinz’s shoulder.

“Because if I did,” Vinz began before closing his mouth and opening up once again, “you would know I was a warlock. You would know I was not the wizard of Light you searched for in that inn we get in. You would have had rejected my request to join, as many others did before”.

I could only turn away, Cread turning his eyes toward the ground.

“Kid,” Triaa began, “if you would have told us about that pact before-“

“No!”, Vinz cried, shocking Triaa into silence. “If I told you, any of you, you would sent me away alone, or worse, try to kill me, which you almost did!”

I could not meet his face, my neck warm once again from shame. He was right; if he told us when we met or in our first weeks of journey, Cread or I would have surely sent him on his way. And when he showed us the truth, fear gnawed at me and rage overtook Cread. We were told warlocks were dangerous, demonic, unwavered in the ulterior. And yet…

I stepped forward Vinz and wrapped my arms around him, holding him tight as my brown hair met his. He froze in shock, but eventually he relaxed and held my shoulders with his hands.

Vinz, you have saved us countless times, from Jargon’s Reach to Greater Mane to right now where you stood in front of a dragon’s breath to save us. You taught us how to cook your island’s meals, how to sing your tales, and even taught me, an unteachable magician, basic magick. Vinz, you are a selfless mage, more than any wizard I’ve ever met. I’m sorry I ever doubted you for who you are, I’m so sorry I ever did”.

A weight wrapped my shoulders, a large hand cupping Vinz’s head. I peered upward toward Cread’s face, his brown eyes slightly glassy. “I’m sorry too, Vincent. I never should have attacked you after I saw your magick that saved us. My teachings taught me to hate every warlock I met, but you have taught me far more kindness than I have ever known.

A light sigh was heard from behind me as Triaa’s arms wrapped around us. “Well, I knew something was off about you from the start when you left a scar on my once clear arm. But I like you and the scars now, so I forgive you”.

We all laughed heartily as our embrace loosened, leaving only Vinz and I with each hand on the other’s wrists

“Thank you all. Truly. I couldn’t imagine a party without anyone of you” Vinz said with a grin. I smiled as I squeezed his arms one last time. Letting go, I began to look around the area for any path. Vinz came to my side, his hands to his eyes as he peered with me. With a point, he revealed a trail that went deep into the brush of trees with a small light of a lamp glittering in the background.

“Shall we head there, Amara?”

“Oh shall we head there, Vinz,” I responded with a bright smile. Vinz chuckled as we began walking forward, Cread and Triaa following behind. As he stepped past the corpse of the dragon, I left a small imprint on a scale. With a light rise from Vinz’s fingers, the imprint glowed and let the dragon levitate in stride with the two of us. Taking a look at the laughter between my three party members, I felt a sense of warmth, now not from shame, but of true and utter companionship.