Dorian Wraith's Arc

Chapter 9 of 27

Dorian pushed through the sunflowers and up the steps of the little brown cabin. He shut the blue door behind him. Beak stood by the table, wings folded close, pink hair damp from the morning wash. Dorian pulled his robe off over his head and dropped it on the bench. His chest was bare. It was too warm to wear it. He wanted Beak to see him plain when he said it. "I need to tell you something," Dorian said. "And I need you to hear it once." Beak set down the cup in his hand. His green eyes did not move. Dorian took a breath. "You trained me. You fed me. You helped me build the wards that keep him alive. I owe you my life twice over." He stepped closer. "But my heart belongs to Evander. It has since the first time I saw him. It will not change. You’re a beloved friend but he is more. I wanted to say it to your face." Beak was quiet a long moment. His wings shifted once, yellow and blue and pink catching the light from the window. "I understand," he said. "I do. I only need to kiss you once. So I would stop wondering." Dorian opened his mouth to say no. Beak closed the space and kissed him before the word came out. It was brief. It was soft. Dorian's hands stayed at his sides. A sound at the door. Dorian turned. Evander stood on the threshold in his blue tunic, one hand still on the frame. His face went white, then red. He did not speak. He turned and ran. Dorian shoved past Beak and out into the sunflowers. "Evander, wait," he called. "Evander, please." Evander did not stop. He ran straight for the tree line, boots kicking up dirt. Dorian ran after him. His feet were still bare. "It wasn't what you think. He kissed me. I told him no." Evander kept running. Dorian pushed harder and closed some of the gap. The hum of the barrier rose ahead of them, a thin warm pressure on the skin. "Evander, stop. Don't cross the ward. Please. The soldiers—your father's men—they can't find you in here. Out there they can." Evander crossed under the barrier without slowing. The hum passed over him and settled. He kept going. Dorian stopped at the line, chest heaving. He could follow. He was named through. But the ward's whole use was Evander inside it, and Evander was already out. Dorian looked back once at the cabin. Beak stood in the doorway, one hand on the frame, nodding to Dorian, encouraging him to go after his lover. Dorian faced the trees again. He stepped through the barrier and ran after the only person he had ever chosen, into the part of the forest where the king's men were allowed to walk.