Nadia gasped, her hands flying up to her mouth. “Oh my god, Florian!” she exclaimed, freeing one hand to reach for him and pull him into a hug again. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry. That’s awful. That’s horrible!”
“Yeah,” he said faintly, returning the hug. What else could he do?
“Was he sick?” she asked. All the lingering frustration was gone from her voice now, only sympathy and surprise remaining. “Is that why he came to see you? Did he know?”
Florian couldn’t stop himself from laughing bitterly at that. “No, but I think I almost would have been more okay with that. It was just a... an accident.”
“I’m so sorry, Flor,” she sighed, squeezing him once more. “That’s... God, that’s a lot to deal with all at once.”
“I’m sorry I never called you or anything,” he murmured, shaking his head. “I really didn’t know you had called or texted, though.”
“Where were you?” she asked.
Florian exchanged a nervous glance with Kade. His face had remained blank, but he gave an almost imperceptible nod—not much to go off of, but it was a small comfort all the same. Florian looked back to Nadia with a sigh.
“I don’t know how to explain this,” he started, unable to meet her gaze. His eyes settled on the ash and refuse in the fire pit across from them. “It’s going to sound crazy, but just try and keep an open mind, okay?”
“What do you mean?” Nadia asked, and he could practically hear the frown in her voice—could imagine the way her eyebrows furrowed, and her lips pursed.
“The reason my dad left me back then is because he was a king. And I was a prince. And there was this... this prophecy about me, and he wanted to keep me hidden and safe,” Florian said quickly, before he could stop himself.
He had always thought that coming out to his friends when he was younger and still in the midst of transition, then later coming out as gay to his uncle, had been the most difficult things he’d ever had to say. But forcing out those few sentences to Nadia was already giving every one of those conversations a run for their money.
She was silent, so he started to speak again, if only to fill the silence. “There’s this, um, this other world. It’s magic. And he took me there, and that’s where I was staying with him, and that’s why I couldn’t call you or anything... And I’m going back soon, so, um, I might not really call or anything again when I do.”
“Florian, stop,” Nadia finally interrupted, her voice tremulous—he winced, knowing she was holding back tears. “You’re not funny. This is just mean. It’s a terrible joke.”
“Nadia, I promise I’m not joking,” he said, forcing himself to look at her. Her eyes were glassy with unshed tears, and her nose wrinkled with how hard she pressed her lips together in a tight frown. “I know how it sounds. I thought the same thing when my dad told me. But I promise, I promise it’s real. I wish I could show you.”
“What did he give you?” Nadia said, abruptly standing up. “Was he on drugs? What did you take?”
“Nothing!” Florian exclaimed, shaking his head, as he leapt to his feet to follow her. “Nadia, come on. You know me. I wouldn’t be making this up. I promise it’s not drugs or anything like that.”
“No!” she cried, sending a bolt of pain through Florian’s chest. “I knew it! When your uncle wouldn’t tell me anything, and you had just disappeared—”
“He’s telling the truth,” Kade interrupted. Quiet as he was, it was enough for Nadia to fall silent, her eyes flickering between them suspiciously.
“Nadia, listen,” Florian said again, grabbing her hands. Her expression was still pained, but at least she didn’t try to pull away or interrupt. “I know how it sounds. I really do. I thought the same thing when my dad was telling me, but... God, I wish I could prove it to you. But I can’t. Will you just trust me? I promise I’m not doing anything illegal or bad or whatever. No drugs. Just trust me.”
For a long, tense moment she was silent; then her eyes squeezed shut, and she let out a long, heavy sigh. When she opened her eyes again, her expression had softened.
“I’m just glad you’re okay,” she muttered, shaking her head. She pulled him into a hug again. “I can’t believe you got a new boyfriend without telling me.”
Florian managed to laugh at that, squeezing her tightly. The situation still didn’t feel exactly ideal, but he was glad that at least she didn’t seem to be mad at him. That would have to be enough for now.
“He’s shy,” Florian replied, just loud enough for Nadia to hear, and she snorted as she stepped back.
“He doesn’tlookshy,” she said, turning her attention to Kade and looking him up and down once more. He sat up a little straighter, but Florian could see the barest hint of color rising in his face under her scrutiny. “What did you say your name was? Kade?”
“That’s right,” Kade answered, meeting her gaze, as she took a step closer to him.
“Nadia, it’s fine,” Florian muttered, looking away in embarrassment, though it also sparked a tiny ember of hope that she still cared enough about him to scope out his new boyfriend. He should have expected her to want to interrogate Kade.
“Do you have a job?” she asked sharply.
“No?” Kade said, at the same time that Florian exclaimed, “Yes!”
“What doesthatmean?” she snapped, putting her hands on her hips.
