Page 18 of Full Moon
"Easton, will you be okay up there?"
"On fire, yes. Flameless, no—my bird won't tolerate it. Worst case, I'll remain unshifted like Khal and Diaval." Easton starts making jerky strips out of what we didn't eat.
"Feray or Diaval are our best chances for hunting up there. She's built for it, and Diaval can just swoop in and grab something." Torben finishes his fourth meat stick.
"We'll figure it out when we leave Dunnum." Khal checks his phone for the millionth time.
"Anything?" What I want to ask is if he's heard from his brother.
"No, everything's quiet. Business is running as usual." His phone pings several times, and he fires back a quick answer. "Half a dozen brawls, which is normal. Results from trials I was overseeing came in. As far as they're concerned, I'm looking for more suppliers." There's a shift in Khal's demeanor when he talks about the family business.
I snuggle in close and kiss the underside of his jaw. "I see the real you, Khal." Reaching up, I caress the emotionless mask he wears. "I see the real you under who you have to be for work."
His features soften almost immediately. "Thank you." He kisses me softly, then gives me a hug. "Let's get going. I want to see where your people come from." His lips press against my temple before he releases me and starts packing his bag.
Drawing in a deep breath, I walk to the edge of where the sunlight reaches. Peering down into the darkness of the cavern, something inside me sings a warning. I will never be the same once I cross through that opening into the tundra. My blood thrums with the endless possibilities. In the back of my mind, a little voice asks:
What would Fi do?
That's easy. She'd sayfuck it, I'm in.
I take a step forward into the darkness.
