Chapter Twenty-Five
By the time they were heading back to the Summer Court, they had come up with a basic watch rotation to make sure no one was out along the wall alone, while ensuring that everyone could still get at least a few hours of sleep. Florian insisted on being first, so he lingered behind at the wall as the other three headed up the street to their safe room. Koji was also on first watch and would join him after dropping off his things back at the base camp.
For the first time in a while, Florian was entirely alone with his thoughts as he stood leaning against the wall, looking out into the Blight. The hill where Valyris lived was just out of view. If the centaur ran as Kade feared, it would be out away from the city, so they would surely see him leaving before he could get too far—if not him, then the swarm of beetles that always followed him would be hard to miss. He realized he hadn’t asked Valyris about the beetles, but Florian suspected the centaur knew nothing elseabout them. He probably wouldn’t ever get the chance to ask now.
What was Valyris doing now, knowing it was his last day? Did he have plans for the future before Florian came along? Had he even allowed himself to hope therewouldbe a future, one where he might be freed to do as he wished?
The knowledge that they would have to kill him still left Florian feeling sick, so he tried not to dwell on it. Not that there was much else to think about that was any comfort—once they had the Arrow, then they had to deal with using it. He had really only learned two things from Valyris: that Soleil had still been in the castle when they arrived, and that shooting her with the Arrow was the wrong thing to do.
But was she still there now? If not, what else could they do with the last Arrow? Was she not supposed to be shot with the Arrow at all, or had they just hit the wrong part of her? Did the Arrow have to go through her literal heart to work? And if they couldn’t figure it out... what then? How much worse could the Blight become?
“I’m here,” Koji called from behind him, pulling him from his thoughts. Florian turned, offering a weak smile as Koji came up beside him to peer out past the wall. “Any sign of him?”
“No,” Florian replied, shaking his head. “I honestly don’t think he’ll try to leave. This is more for Kade’s peace of mind than anything else.”
Koji chuckled, still looking out into the Blight. Florian stood beside him at first, then hopped up onto the top of the wall, so he could sit with his feet dangling over the edge and look down at the city below and the desolate landscape beyond.
“I wish we didn’t have to do this,” Koji said softly a long moment later, so quiet Florian barely caught it. “I know we need the Arrow, but it still feels wrong to do this to him.”
“I know,” Florian replied. “I don’t like it either.”
“You really don’t think there’s any other way?” Koji asked, looking over at him with an almost pleading expression. Guilt burned his face as Florian looked away.
“No,” he replied hoarsely. “No, I don’t think so. He said it himself.”
Koji looked like he might respond, but after a moment, he only sighed and turned away to look out into the Blight again.
They sat in silence for a while after that. There was nothing else to be said. The whole situation was unpleasant, and there was nothing either of them could do except hope it would be worth it in the end.
Florian kept watch with Koji for another few hours, which passed uneventfully. Then he went back to the safe room, switching places with Kade, leaving him and Rune alone.
The kraken shifter was lying on top her sleeping bag, but was very clearly not sleeping. She had a crumpled-up piece of paper that she was tossing up and down from where she lay, looking pensive. Her gaze flickered to Florian when he had been watching her for a moment, and she shot him a chagrined look.
“Sorry,” she said. “I’m nervous, I guess.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “Yeah, me too.”
She tossed the paper ball a few more times as Florian sat down and focused on eating. He forced down a few bites of bread and chugged some water, even though he had no appetite. He needed to get some rest so he would have energy for the last stretch of the watch—then dealing with Valyris, however that would play out.
“Florian,” Rune sighed, sitting up abruptly. “I’ve been thinking. I know you’re not feeling great about this Arrow, so I just want to say, if it comes down to it... You don’t need to be the one to, you know, do it. Kade or I could handle him, especially if he’s not fighting us.”
Part of him wanted to protest—to insist that this, too, was his responsibility. But he didn’t want to do it, and she knew he didn’t want to do it; if she believed shecoulddo it instead, then maybe he should let her.
“Okay,” he replied, his voice coming out a nervous croak. He cleared his throat self-consciously. “Yeah. Okay. I mean, I’ll still... I don’t know. I’ll still try.”
Her expression softened; she smirked, but there was no malice in her eyes. “Alright. Try, but we’ve got your back if you need us. We’re here to help, you know?”
He smiled back. “Yeah, I know.”
Sleep didn’t come easily, but Florian forced himself to lie motionless with his eyes closed until eventually he drifted off. Not that it helped much—when Kade shook him awake several hours later, he barely felt rested at all. A cold pit of anxiety remained in the bottom of his stomach.
“Rune’s still out there,” Kade said softly, as Florian got to his feet. “She’ll be ready to go when we are. How are you feeling?”
“Shitty,” he muttered, rubbing his eyes. Kade let out a soft huff of a laugh.
“At least you were right,” he said. “He didn’t run.”
Florian chuckled bitterly. “Told you so.”
