Page 71 of Found in Obscurity

“Read it out for me. Word for word.”

Lorin did as she asked. Slowly. Carefully. Making sure to not miss a single word. He sketched out the drawings to the best of his ability, tracing over some directly with the paper.

“Your idea has some merit,” she said finally. “But the biggest risk is to Kit.”

They both looked down at the fox who was following the conversation avidly.

“Then maybe we shouldn’t,” Lorin said, backing away immediately with a sick feeling in his stomach. “I can search for something else.”

Kit made a yowl, planting his paw on the book and looking at Lorin firmly.

“It could be dangerous. You heard her,” Lorin said.

Kit yipped.

“It’s not guaranteed to work. It could all be for nothing.”

Kit laid a paw on Lorin’s chest, right over his hammering heart, like he could sense his distress.

“It’s his decision,” his grandma said. “He’s had enough agency stolen from him.”

Lorin clenched his jaw. He wanted to deny her, to let his fear rule him, but she was right. Lorin wasn’t there to make these decisions for Kit. He was his familiar, but Kit was his own person.

“Okay…” He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay. It’s your choice. I’ll help you if this is what you want.” He felt a small tongue lick his neck.

“I’ll be there as well. This is far too advanced magic. And we’ll need someone else’s help too. The ingredients listed aren’t common,” his grandma said.

Lorin snorted. “I may have a solution for that.”

Kit

Nooooo. He didn’t want to be awake. He was too comfortable and felt so warm and protected. He could feel arms around himand he knew they were Lorin’s. Safe and firm as they held him close in his sleep. Why would he want to leave that? There were literally zero benefits to moving from the position he was in.

But there was an insistent shaking on his shoulder and Lorin’s voice was calling out to him over and over and over again. Kit finally turned his head and nipped at Lorin’s fingers.

That would teach him.

The bite felt off though. It didn’t feel like he’d managed to grip the way he wanted to. Lorin didn’t taste the same as he usually did. There was something on Kit’s tongue that was sweeter than usual.

He cracked an eye open and lifted his chin to blink sleepily at Lorin. He looked different. Clearer. Sharper. Like Kit had gained another set of eyes and was using them to their full potential.

He was so close.

Hot breaths washed over his face, and he could feel the sofa at his back, pushing them closer. He glanced down to find his body plastered to Lorin’s from head to toe.

His very human body.

He froze for a second before trying to spring up and talk and touch Lorin all at the same time, the excitement rushing through his veins like fizzy bubbles. He got tangled in the blanket covering them halfway, immediately flopping back down onto Lorin’s chest, face on his soft cotton pajama top. He nuzzled closer for a second, taking in Lorin’s scent, a mixture of leather and paper that reminded Kit of comforting stories and curling up warmly.

It was only when he had dragged in enough lungfuls that he peeked back up from under his messy hair, the light strands easy to see through.

He wouldn’t have wanted to miss what he saw—the awed smile that was reserved only for him. It was filled with so much. Kit feltlike he could get a stomachache from just how much. He wanted to eat it all anyway.

Lorin brushed his hair away from his face with soft fingers, careful of his nails, before running his thumb over Kit’s cheek. It sparked electricity all over and Kit mewled a little, stretching to get closer.

“Hi,” Lorin whispered, his face still puffy with the remnants of sleep, flushing a beautiful dusky pink.

Kit wanted to say it back to him so much. Wanted to talk to him so bad. But he could feel the pain radiating from his throat already. So he gave Lorin a tiny wave, making him chuckle.