“Maybe nothing will ever change for us,” he said. “But don’t you want to be around just in case it does?”

“Just that maybe … maybe you don’t want to change the story, because you don’t know what a different ending holds.”

“Will nodded toward Hadrian. “Look at the swords he’s carrying. A man wearing one—maybe he knows how to use it, maybe not. A man carries two—he probably don’t know nothing about swords, but he wants you to think he does. But a man carrying three swords—that’s a lot of weight. No one’s gonna haul that much steel around unless he makes a living using them.”

“You belong with us," he said quietly. "Nothing's going to change that.”

“I’m your best buddy, and you don’t want me to die from a giant case of blue balls?”“I don’t think that’s fatal,” Aggie said.“Have you ever had blue balls?” Eric asked.She grinned and flipped her gaze to the ceiling. “Well…”“They’re not just for Smurfs.”

“I guess I don’t know what I want.”“I do. I want you.”“I know, but—”“Nothing will ever change that. No matter what you hear. No matter what happens.”