9. Griff Finds Out

9

Quinlan was anxious. Griff had stopped singing his terrible songs, and their absence made him twitch.

It had been several hours since breakfast. Hex had stopped by Quinlan's room a few times to deliver food, drinks, and baby supplies. Each time, Hex had worn a frown. It was so unlike him that Quinlan's stomach twisted into knots.

Was Griff mad at Quinlan? Had he changed his mind about bringing Quinlan home?

There was still the option of asking Blade and his friends for help, Quinlan supposed. Some of them could fly.

Just that it would feel like even more of a betrayal, running away when Griff had seemed so innocently interested in him.

Quinlan glanced at the dark sky outside the window, Annie crawling around him. "I don't know what to do."

She farted and giggled.

"You have such an easy life," he told her, swinging her into the air. "All you have to do is giggle and look cute."

She blew an iridescent spit bubble larger than her head, before popping it with her own flailing hands. Water droplets splashed on the hardwood floor.

Someone knocked on the door.

Quinlan's heart tripped in surprise. Cautiously, he asked, "Who's there?"

"It's me," said Griff's human voice.

He sounded... subdued. And Quinlan felt so bad, because it was all his fault.

"I-I'm ready," he mumbled. "Just give us a second."

He bundled Annie up in the sturdiest clothes he could find for traveling, before clipping her into his chest carrier. He made sure he had all his belongings—just his phone and a snack pack of tuna, really—before taking a deep breath, and opening the door.

Griff was still in the soft shirt and pants from earlier today. His shoulders were slumped, his gaze sad. "Are you mad at me?"

Quinlan frowned. "No!"

"You're not?" Griff looked hopeful.

Quinlan sighed, reaching out to squeeze Griff's arm. "We'll talk when we get there, okay? I just don't want you to hate me."

"I'll never hate you," Griff swore, his forehead creasing.

He didn't know Quinlan's secret, though. Quinlan squeezed himself around Griff in the hallway. "Did you get the address I texted you?" Griff nodded. "I found the shortest route there."

"Aren't you just flying in a straight line?"

"No. I'll be avoiding all major towns and cities. Those tend to light up the night sky."

"Good thinking."

Griff brightened. He led them out through the front doors of the mansion to a small clearing outside. "Will you hold onto my clothes while I fly?"

"Sure." Quinlan sat in the middle of the thick quilt that Griff had laid out, watching as Griff shucked off his clothes. Those went on Quinlan's lap.

Griff handed him some bagged muffins and sandwiches, too, along with a few bottles of water.

Then he bundled the quilt around Quinlan and Annie so they wouldn't be chilled by the night air. "Ready, fireheart?"

"Ready," Quinlan said.

"Aaaand we have lift off!" Griff cried, right before he hauled them up through the air. Annie squealed.

Griff had said that flying might take a while. Quinlan had no idea how fast he'd go—driving would take hours. But Griff had promised to land every so often to give them breaks.

Quinlan settled in for a long journey, singing softly and rocking Annie to sleep.

Twice, Griff stopped in a dark patch of forest so Quinlan could feed Annie and stretch his legs.

He must've fallen asleep at some point, because he jolted awake suddenly.

Something was wrong.

"Griff?" Quinlan asked.

"We're being followed," Griff said tightly, right before the quilt lurched sideways. "Fuck! They're firing at us!"

Quinlan's stomach dropped. He checked that Annie was still safe against his chest. Then he found an opening along the quilt's edge that gave him a peek to the outside.

Tiny lights dotted the landscape far below. Everything was dark; Quinlan's pupils had dilated so he could see everything as clear as day.

He glimpsed swathes of forest, some buildings, and some flat land.

And in the distance, there was a dark body of water.

Shots whizzed by. From the angle, their attackers were firing from the air.

"If you set us down, do you think there's a chance you can take them out?" Quinlan asked.

"Where'm I gonna set you down? It's not safe out here," Griff snarled.

Quinlan stuck his arm out of the peep hole. "There. Fly there, now."

Griff did a turn, the quilt-basket rocking madly as he changed directions and sped up. "On it."

Quinlan was already fumbling with Annie's carrier. "Get us close to the lake's surface, and drop us right into the middle of it."

"Not in the water," Griff cried.

"In the water. Don't fight me on this."

There must've been something in his voice. Griff got them closer to the lake. "Ready?"

Quinlan freed Annie from her carrier and clothes. He uncapped a bottle of water and splashed some on her legs.

Her tail shimmered into existence.

"Annie," Quinlan whispered, nudging her awake.

As she blinked and yawned, Quinlan peeked out of the quilt. The lake looked deep enough.

He yanked off his shoes, shoving down his pants and underwear. "We're ready. Drop us hard into the water."

Without warning, Griff took a nosedive. They plummeted toward the lake.

At the last second, Griff flapped his wings. He pulled out of the dive and released the quilt, letting Quinlan and Annie crash into the water.

Quinlan had wrapped himself around Annie to absorb most of the impact. Water rushed in on all sides of the quilt; he let them sink into the water, flicking his tail to bring Annie deeper into the lake.

The water's surface distorted everything that went on above it. All Quinlan could see was the orange glow of fire.

Would Griff be okay? He didn't seem like the fighting sort.

Worried now, Quinlan examined the lakebed where dense clumps of seaweed grew. How many people was Griff fighting against? What if they hurt him and took him away?

Griff needs help.

He swam back to the clothes and released Annie briefly to stuff their scattered belongings back into the quilt. Then he caught Annie and brought her back to the seaweed forest, watching the lake's surface worriedly the whole time.

Annie flicked her tail and tried to swim away. Quinlan kept his arm around her.

"Not right now," he said, his voice melodious underwater.

Annie babbled unhappily.

A large shape broke the lake's surface, sinking like a rock. Quinlan's heart squeezed.

Had they killed Griff?

He hugged Annie close and left the seaweed forest, breathing out his relief when Griff's tail lashed. Griff clawed at the water, trying to swim deeper into the lake.

Quinlan reached him in seconds.

There was no time to prepare himself. Griff turned sharply, his gaze snapping onto them.

Quinlan knew the moment he saw Annie. Bubbles rushed out of Griff's mouth, and his eyes grew wide.

"Is it safe out there?" Quinlan asked—Griff could hear him as clearly as though he'd spoken through air.

Griff nodded. He couldn't stop looking between Quinlan and Annie, his gaze dragging down to their tails and back up.

No, Quinlan wasn't ready to talk about this.

"Shift back into a human," he said. "I'll get you to shore."

With a golden shimmer, Griff returned to his human form.

Quinlan handed over the quilt bundle. With his free arm, he grabbed Griff around the middle and tried not to notice the way their bodies slid together, Griff's warm solidness pressed against his side.

It was the first time he'd initiated touch with Griff, except Quinlan didn't even know if Griff would look him in the eye after this.

Instead, he focused on getting Griff some air.

They broke the surface and bobbed in the water, Griff breathing in deeply. Quinlan glanced around to make sure no one was looking for them.

Before Griff could speak, Quinlan said, "Take a deep breath."

He waited until Griff had sucked in a lungful of air. Then he beat his powerful tail and took them back underwater, struggling a little because Griff was still large and heavy, even in his human shape.

Griff kept shooting him sidelong glances.

Quinlan pretended not to notice. He looked at the lakebed, then surfaced a few more times for Griff to take another breath.

The water grew shallower as they neared the shore. When it was shallow enough to stand, Quinlan released Griff and scanned their surroundings.

This part of the shore was closest to a forest, and furthest away from any buildings. They would be safe here for now.

Griff got his feet under himself and turned toward the forest.

Then he seemed to realize that Quinlan and Annie weren't next to him. He turned back with a frown. "You're not coming?"