A few hours have passed since Enzo went off to find the others, and I can feel the tension growing throughout my whole body. Why hasn’t he found them yet? Or has he found them, but they’ve run into trouble?

“You okay, Kenz?” East asks from beside me. I shake my head and then burrow against his chest as he wraps his arms tightly around me and pulls me onto his lap. “They’ll be fine,” he whispers, rubbing his hands soothingly down my back.

“Then why are they taking so damn long?”

“Because this place is a maze,” East answers quietly. I pull back to look into his eyes, watching the way they almost seem to flicker in the firelight. They seem to sharpen into focus with a sudden thought, and he lifts me off his lap, standing up. East’s sudden movement wakes Locke, who’d been snoring on the other side of me.

“What’s going on?” he grumbles, clearly unhappy at having been woken without an apparent reason.

“I’m going to go look for the others, and I have an idea to keep me from getting lost,” East explains.

“And that idea is?” I prompt East, as Locke yawns and stretches.

“I can partially shift one of my hands into talons and mark the walls with them. Then, when I find the others, we can just follow the path back to you guys. Even if I don’t find the others, I can find my way back to you two.” East looks pretty impressed himself and his idea.

“How did we not think of that earlier?” Locke questions incredulously, clearly not as impressed with how long it took East to come up with it.

“I was tired, okay? It’s not exactly been restful since we got here,” East snaps.

“Hey! Chill out. I was only kidding,” Locke replies, but I can see the strain taking effect on both of them. They really are spent. Hell, so am I.

“East, I think that’s a great idea,” I say quickly, hoping to avoid any more squabbles. I lean up and kiss him quickly. “But don’t look for too long, I know you’re tired. If you need to look, look, but hurry back,” I add. He nods, leaning down to kiss me again before he leaves. I squeeze him tightly for a moment, so damn aware of the many things that could go wrong, but I also know I need to respect his choice here. “I love you, Easton Black,” I whisper.

“Love you too, Kenz. Always,” he replies, before walking to the edge of the entrance, and shifting his hand into a talon. I watch as he drags it along the wall he walks along.

“Wait!” I shout, and I see him freeze.

“Locke, can you make him a torch quickly?” I ask, and he nods, getting up and grabbing a stick, before using his mark to make a small controlled flame on the top. He passes it off to East, who nods in acknowledgement as he takes it.

“I’ll see you both soon,” he calls, and he heads down the tunnel again. I listen to the sounds of his talons on the wall until they disappear, leaving me and Locke sitting in silence.

“You look tense,” Locke says gently, moving across the room to sit with me.

“I guess I am,” I reply, still staring at the spot where I last saw East just moments ago.

“Take your shirt off,” he suggests.

“Take my shirt off?” I echo in question, turning to face him with an eyebrow raised.

“Yeah, take your shirt off and turn back around,” he answers. I shrug, not seeing why, but I do it anyway, slowly peeling off my shirt before setting it down in my lap. His hands are like ice as they touch my back, and I quickly realise his intention, just as his thumbs press down and glide down from my shoulder blades.

“You’re giving me a massage? Is now really the best time?” I ask.

“It’s never not a good time for any activity that involves you taking your shirt off, Kenzie,” Locke replies in a low voice, as his hands trail lower down my back, his thumbs pressing down in circles over the knots under my skin. I can’t hold back the moan that slips out my lips as he finds and works out all of the tense spots on my back. I find myself relaxing more and more as he carries on. His hands keep massaging, and I feel so comfortable, I don’t even jump when he suddenly starts to hum. I don’t recognise the tune, but whatever it is, it sounds good. Slow and deep. He shifts from humming to singing as he moves back up my back to rub my shoulders. The words make me smile as I listen. Something about little Valentines always being there for each other and leading each other home.

“What song is that? Did you change some of the words?” I ask curiously, turning around to face him.

“I didn’t change them. It’s just a song my mum used to sing to me and Logan as kids. She has the most beautiful voice, but it’s been a long time since I’ve heard it. Sometimes I just find myself humming or singing it for no reason. I guess it feels like home when I hear it, and since we’re so far from home right now,” he answers, tapering off. I find myself shocked at how much serious just came out of his lips at once.

“Why doesn’t she sing anymore?” I ask.

“She hasn’t sung since one of our dads died,” he answers, his voice sounding suspiciously devoid of any emotion.

“I’m so sorry,” I whisper, sliding my hands into his. His hands grip mine tightly back.

“It’s been years,” he says, as if that’s meant to nullify any excuse for pain that he obviously feels about it.

“That doesn’t matter,” I say gently.

“I barely remember him to be honest, and it’s not like I don’t still have two other dads who are great. It’s more what it did to my mum that upsets me,” he replies in a thick voice. I hear him swallow as he tries to pull away to gain some composure, but I hold on tight to his hands, not letting him get away.

“It’s okay,” I murmur softly, releasing one hand so I can run it gently through his soft hair. “Do you want to tell me about it?” I probe lightly, not wanting to push, but I want him to know he can talk to me. He doesn’t have to be ashamed of having feelings about it.

“She used to sing like that, every single day. She’d sing us to sleep, and when we’d wake up, she’d be singing and dancing around as she cooked breakfast. She was so bright. I don’t mean intelligence bright, not that she’s dumb, either. I just mean she had so much light in her. Her hair is blonde, even lighter than Kelly’s, and our dads all call her sunshine. I always thought it was because of her hair, but it was just because of who she was.” He takes a deep breath before continuing, and I wait, not wanting to rush him. “One day we woke up, and she wasn’t in the kitchen singing, she was still lying in bed. Our dad had died a couple nights before, and she’d only just found out while we were sleeping. That’s how it’s been for years for now, no more singing, no more bright light. She’s gotten a bit more like herself, mainly for me and Logan I think, but she’s never been the same. Every day when I wake up in that house and it’s silent, it feels like he’s just died all over again. It feels like she died a little too,” he finishes, resting his forehead against mine.

“It must be so hard for you and Logan. I’m so sorry,” I finally reply quietly, squeezing his hands.

“It’s okay. It’s not like we had a horrible childhood like Enzo or anything. Our parents love both of us. It’s just complicated,” he says with a sigh.

“I know, but it doesn’t take away your pain. Suffering isn’t comparable,” I respond, tilting his head up. “Thank you for sharing with me. Hopefully at some point, I can meet your family. You know, after we save the whole world,” I tease.

“You and the others are my family. Of course you’re all going to be meeting the rest of mine,” he replies, smiling at me. I brush my hand across his cheek, before leaning in and kissing him softly, feeling his lips instantly respond to mine. He groans as he pulls me onto his lap, and my legs grip either side of his hips as his hands slide into my hair. It doesn’t take long for us to rip our clothes off, and for Locke to slip inside of me.

“I love you,” he whispers against my lips as he rocks in and out of me, making me moan. My moan echoes around the cave, but I don’t really notice as I watch Locke.

“And I will always love you, no matter what,” I reply and kiss him before he can respond.