Florian glanced at Kade, but the other man shrugged, his expression neutral. “We haven’t decided for sure,” Florian replied. “Did you want to come with us after all?”
“Yes,” Koji replied firmly. “I didn’t bring anything with me today, but... I could be ready to leave the city this time tomorrow.”
“Do you understand how dangerous it will be to come with us?” Kade asked abruptly. “The King of the Winter Court died when we were trying to get the first Arrow. Getting the second, Florian and I were both injured. It will be days of traveling through the Blight—it’s miserable. It’s nothing like your life here in the dragon kingdom. We can’t guarantee that you’ll make it home safely. Are you sure you want to go?”
Florian bit back a scowl. Kade was right, of course, but it felt more like he was trying to scare Koji off, rather than giving him a realistic warning about what their excursion would entail. But he held his tongue, and watched silently as Koji considered it, looking down at the map that he’d brought with his lower lip caught between his teeth.
“I know it will be dangerous,” Koji finally answered, still not looking quite at them. “And I understand that Ican’tunderstand what the Blight is like until we’re in it. But I know you two are right. I know it’s better to fight to help everyone rather than get so absorbed with helping ourselves that...” He trailed off, shaking his head. “My father cares about his people. Of course he does. But he thinks that if he can just keep the dragon kingdom alive, then he can ignore that the rest of the world is dying. But if we can save the rest of the world, then the dragon kingdom will live on.”
He looked back at Florian with grim determination in his eyes, then met Kade’s gaze steadily. “I want to go with you. However I can help you both, I’ll do it. No matter what it takes.”
Florian’s eyes flickered nervously between Kade and Koji. For a long moment, Kade was silent with an appraising look on his face. Then, finally, he sighed and nodded.
“Then welcome to the team,” he said, briefly pressing his lips into a tight smile—he may as well have hugged the man out of excitement as far as Florian was concerned. Koji smiled, looking between the two of them.
“I’m glad to be here,” he laughed. “I didn’t realize I had to win you both over. My apologies.”
“You didn’t have to win anyone over,” Florian said, playfully shoving Kade’s arm. The bigger man barely moved, flashing Florian a soft, indulgent look for only an instant, before his same stoic mask fell back into place. “We’re grateful for the help. I was always going to let you join us if that’s what you wanted to do. He’s just a pragmatist.”
“Sounds like a balanced team, at least,” Koji chuckled. “That settles it then, yes? I can be here the same time tomorrow, we’ll leave the city so I can show you how to shift, and then we’re on into the Blight?”
Florian’s stomach squeezed with nerves, but it was as solid of a plan as they were going to get.
“Same time tomorrow,” he agreed. “And we’ll head into the Blight.”
Chapter Five
Theteahousewasn’texactlymeant to house overnight guests, but Miyuki offered to let Florian and Kade stay in the guest room in their home upstairs, for which Florian was grateful. It wasn’t nearly as nice as their room in the palace had been, of course, but it was certainly a step above camping in the wilderness outside the city gates. Miyuki’s sister, Chiyo, was a little more reticent, but Miyuki must have told her who they were, since she was still perfectly polite and helpful.
Nerves kept him up most of the night, but Kade seemed to sleep well. That was a small comfort, considering how poorly they had each been sleeping in Coral Shores in the aftermath of everything that happened during their last trip into the Blight.
Thinking of going back into the Blight made his stomach churn. He had virtually no information about what it would be like this far away from the Winter Court and the wolf kingdom. Not knowing made him even more anxious, of course, but there was nothing to be done. No one had information on the Blight here, or at least no information that was accessible to him. Koji had seemed unsure if anything like that even existed when Florian had asked about it.
They would be going in blind, only knowing a bit about their destination. Florian sighed, frustration and nerves roiling in his stomach, and pressed his face into his pillow to try to sleep. Nothing he could do about it now.
The morning was strangely calm, considering how nervous he was; they were waiting on Koji, though, and had nothing to do but sit and drink tea and chat with the two sisters until he arrived. They sat in the private room of the teahouse until about noon, when Koji walked breathlessly into the room, a heavy rucksack on his shoulders. His hair was tied back again, and he had a pleased grin on his face as he stepped inside.
“I don’t think anyone noticed me leaving,” he said cheerfully. “So we should be all good. I left a note with my sister to show my father once they notice I’m gone, but I think we should be fine until sundown, at least.”
“Sounds good,” Florian replied, though now that was one more thing to worry about—would the dragon king be even less fond of him once he knew his son was traveling with him and Kade? Probably, he thought in frustration, but it was something that he would just have to resign himself to. Maybe he could repair that relationship when everything was over, and all he had to worry about was ruling the Winter Court.
Miyuki let them out through the back entrance. Thankfully, Florian and Kade commanded much more attention than Koji just by being strangers in a city where everyone knew everyone else, so the prince was practically invisible behind them. Luckily, the teahouse wasn’t far from the exit gate, though Koji whispered to them that the guards would definitely recognize him, so he would slip out elsewhere and meet them at the bottom of the stairs. That made Florian nervous, but it seemed like Koji had snuck out of the city before, so he only nodded in agreement and said nothing.
“King Florian,” the guard standing watch said curtly as they passed, eyeing them with a cool expression. “Prince Kade. King Tetsuo has told us you are free to leave, but may only return by his invitation. I trust you are aware of this command.”
“We know,” Florian sighed, annoyance sparking anew, but it was a problem for the future. “Thanks.”
Kade only nodded at the guard in response, so the man gestured for them to continue. They passed through the gate to stand at the top of the tall stone stairs, looking down at the hilly wilderness below. It was a beautiful view, Florian thought, but he was too nervous to appreciate it.
“Do you think he meant theverybottom of the stairs?” Florian whispered to Kade, who smirked in response.
“The guards can definitely see the bottom of these first stairs,” he said, gesturing. “So, yes, probably the very bottom.”
“I’m so sick of stairs,” Florian groaned, but he started heading down all the same. Luckily, the way down was a lot less taxing than coming up, so they made it to the bottom of the staircase without too much difficulty.
When they were well out of view of the main gate, the trees beside them rustled, and Koji hopped out onto the stone path, grinning.
“Quick and easy,” he chuckled, falling in alongside them. “Follow me. I know a good place where we won’t be spotted.”
