“We don’t know enough about those creatures to say for sure what else we could have done,” Kade continued, pulling back a bit to look up at him. “We just don’t. Maybe we can ask the witch. She might know. But for now, we did the best we could knowing what we know.”
“I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” Florian groaned, looking away. Going to talk to the witch was its own issue. More than anything, he needed to ask her about the spirit that he and Jerah had theorized; but bringing that up to Kade seemed impossible right now. Maybe he could try tomorrow.
He felt Kade sigh, loosening his hold around Florian’s waist, but he didn’t step away.
“Okay,” Kade said softly, reaching up to brush his hair out of his face. “We don’t have to talk about it.”
“Now what?” Florian asked. It was late in the afternoon now, around dinnertime, though he had no appetite.
“Well. I’m exhausted. So I’m going to sleep,” Kade answered, managing a slight smile. “You can do whatever you want, though.”
“I want to stay with you.”
“Then come here.”
Kade pulled him back, and together they settled into bed. Kade’s arm still draped over him where he laid on his side. True to his word, Kade fell asleep almost instantly; and his breathing slowed to a deep, steady rhythm against Florian’s back.
But Florian still felt restless. From where he was, he could see the Arrow on their bedside table. He looked at it for a long time, trying to push all his conflicted emotions down, deep enough that he couldn’t feel them anymore. It was all a jumbled mess in his head—his father, the witch, the panther woman, the Arrows and their inscriptions, and the Summer Queen were vying for his attention all at once. He had never wanted any of it.
The sun had gone down, and their room had grown dark, by the time he felt exhausted enough to close his eyes.
