Chapter Seven
“Ready to go?”
Florian stood in the center of the sitting-room and took in a deep, steadying breath. It felt strange to not have anything packed for his trip into the Blight, but this time their excursion would be entirely underwater—no need to bring food, sleeping bags, or the thick, enchanted cloth that kept them protected from the harsh light. It would be only him and Rune, and a day spent swimming far beneath the waves, where the Blight could not touch.
Despite all the time he and Rune had spent holding their shifted forms for so long, part of him was still terrified at the thought of going empty-handed into the Blight. The two of them had decided that they were ready, but now he doubted if they ever really could be.
Kade still looked at him expectantly, the question hanging heavy in the air. This was as ready as he would ever be.
“Yeah,” Florian finally replied, forcing a small smile. “Let’s head out.”
He reached for Kade’s hand as they walked. The other man didn’t look concerned at all, but he and Florian had discussed the matter over and over in the week since Kade had joined them in the kraken kingdom. While Florian knew Kadewasworried, he was grateful that now, at least, he could rely on Kade to be strong and encouraging for him. He squeezed Kade’s hand hard to keep his own hand from shaking, and Kade squeezed back.
When they arrived at the secluded, rocky beach, Koji and Rune were already there. Koji was sitting on a blanket in the sand, and Rune was standing a little ways away from him, stretching. The dragon shifter stood when he noticed them approaching.
“Good luck, Florian,” he said, smiling. Florian managed to smile back.
“Thanks,” he said. “We’ll need it.”
Kade squeezed his hand again.
“We’ll stay busy while you’re gone,” he said. “We’re planning on getting some sparring practice in.”
Koji grimaced. “Kade planned it. I don’t think I have much choice.”
Florian laughed, but Rune stepped closer, interrupting before he could respond.
“Don’t have too much fun without us,” she said, grinning. “Besides, it’ll only be a day.”
Only. Somehow the thought of being out there for a day felt like it may as well have been a year. Daunting as it was, Florian pushed the thought down as best as he could; he and Rune had been training for this for weeks. They had gotten pretty close—a full eighteen hours shifted the day before yesterday—and if they kept up a quick enough pace, they hoped they could make it there in about twenty. So not even a full day. That had to be possible. Right?
“Relax, Florian,” Rune said, giving his arm a playful shove and pulling him from his spiraling thoughts. “We’ll be okay. Worst comes to worst, you have your teleportation. We can always come back and try again later.”
Florian grimaced. That was true, but it didn’t make him feel any less worried—if anything, it made his heart sink further down into his stomach at the thought of having to do it all over again. No, he definitely wanted this to be a one-and-done situation.
But he forced himself to smile back at Rune, though he was sure his apprehension was obvious on his face. “Yeah. We got this,” he said. She smirked back at him.
“Ready when you are,” she said, stepping back toward the surf. “I’ll give you guys a minute.”
“Stay safe out there,” Koji said, before stepping away as well. He said something quietly to Rune, but the sound of the tide and the wind drowned it out.
Kade squeezed Florian’s hand again. “You’ll be okay.”
Florian squeezed back, then leaned into Kade’s chest. The other man hugged him tightly. “I’m really nervous,” he mumbled into Kade’s shoulder.
“Me too,” Kade replied, rubbing his back. “But I believe in you. I know you can do it. Just be careful, okay?”
Florian gulped and nodded. “I will.”
“Promise you’ll come back to me.”
His heart squeezed. Kade had just lost his father; Florian couldn’t make him go through losing him, too.
“I will,” he said, his voice tremulous at first. He repeated it more firmly. “I will.”
“I know you will,” Kade replied. After a moment, he added tentatively, “I love you.”
That, at least, made Florian smile. Part of him still couldn’t believe it, sending a sweet thrill of exhilaration racing through his chest every time Kade said it. “I love you too.”
