Page 72 of Found in Obscurity

“Welcome back. I don’t know how you’re here, but I’m so, so happy to see you.”

The words made Kit swallow hard, and he squeezed Lorin’s arm in agreement. He’d missed him too. Even though he was always there, it wasn’t quite the same as this. It was different to hold him properly. To feel so intimately close to him. To feel like there wasn’t a timer ticking over his head, ready to snatch him away.

“Are you okay?” Lorin asked softly.

Kit nodded, a little bit unsure but mostly honest. For all intents and purposes, he was fine. Just…not able to control his shift still.

“I don’t know how much…” Lorin started, but then shook his head and cupped Kit’s cheek, tipping his face up. “How much can you understand when you’re in your fox form?”

Kit nodded, trying to indicate that he understood most things. Maybe not things as complex and intricate as he did as a human, but his human self was still in there, helping him understand.

“Kit…I…” Lorin looked between his eyes with his own full of emotion. He trailed off, his voice breaking slightly. “Stars, I wish I’d known you’d be here. I would have been prepared. I’d havemade use of the time. I have so much… There is so much I want you to know…”

Kit whined low in his throat and grasped at Lorin’s collar with needy fingers. He knew. He really did. Lorin didn’t have to say much for him to know there were universes between them that they needed to navigate. But Lorin also didn’t know they were still much closer than he could imagine. They’d get there. Together.

He strained his neck and brushed their noses together, much like he did when he was in fox form. He felt Lorin shudder in answer, fingers curling on his back and behind his ear.

He hoped Lorin would understand.

He was the same Kit. In whatever shape he came, he was himself and he was there. With Lorin. For good.

“Grandma and Glenn are coming tomorrow for the ritual. Are you sure… I know you said yes as a fox, but do you still consent to it?”

Kit nodded against his forehead. There was nothing else for him to do. Lorin felt like the ritual would help and Kit trusted him beyond any reason.

“I promise I’ll do everything I can to keep you safe,” Lorin said, his eyes darting over Kit’s face wildly, as if he was trying to memorize him, brand him into his mind in case he never saw him again.

Kit nodded, taking Lorin’s hand and twining their fingers together.

His nails started elongating.

His heart picked up speed.

“You’re leaving again,” Lorin said, and Kit closed his eyes, helpless and disappointed for a second, but also…hopeful, somehow.

He lowered his head to place a small kiss over Lorin’s shirt, just above his heart, trying to speak without words as his skin grew fur and his body shrank back into itself.

“I’ll see you soon,” Lorin said. “I promise I’ll find a way for you to stay.”

Chapter sixteen

Lorin

“Okay, I think thisis all you’ll need for this one,” Glenn said, putting the last of the ingredients from his bag onto the table in Lorin’s magic room.

It was surreal that he was starting to think of it as his instead of his mother’s, but he couldn’t deny it. It did belong to him, and he had every intention of utilizing it now that he knew where his path was leading. Well, maybe ‘knew’ was a bit too strong of a word. He had a vague little sprout of an idea. Better than nothing, though.

“Thank you, Glenn,” Lorin said, making the other man beam and nod at him enthusiastically. It jostled Forrest, who was snuggled up in a fur-lined pouch at his side.

“So…a pathfinder?” Glenn asked.

Lorin shrugged uncomfortably. It still hadn’t fully sunk in, the impostor syndrome sneaking up at all hours. “Looks like, yeah.”

“One of the callings you actually can turn into a full-time job,” Glenn said, winking at Lorin. “Thought about that?”

“No, not yet.” Lorin shrugged because he hadn’t had the time to actually think about anything other than Kit.

“But you’re staying here?”