Page 53 of Claimed By Night

“I don’t know what that is,” I respond.

His gaze has softened, as has his tone. “Transmutation is the ability to modify energy and matter,” he begins. “It’s the magical art of turning one substance into another.”

“You could turn tin to silver?” Flumph asks.

Cambion nods. “I could also turn you into a toad, if I felt so inclined.”

Flumph frowns at him. “Life’s hard enough as a sprite, prick.”

A sly smile parts Cambion’s lips, and I find him incredibly sexy. “Kindness suits you,” I say. His smile drops, replaced by the same stoic expression. “Thank you,” I finish.

“How are you feeling?” Dragan asks from behind us, his voice concerned. He eyes Cambion and then me as if he doesn’t approve of the easy conversation that just passed between us. I can see jealousy in his eyes and I’m not sure why, but it invigorates me.

“Better,” I reply honestly.

The Seelie King closes his eyes and places one hand into the remaining embers of the fire. He doesn’t, as I expect, cry out in pain.

“Come,” he says, motioning for me to move closer.

“Why?” Dragan begins but I silence him with a shake of my head. I need to get Cambion on my side, and I need to get him to trust me. If this is one small step in that process, I’m willing to take it.

I sidle up next to him and drop down to my haunches. He looks at me pointedly.

“If I touch you, am I going to be whisked into one of your visions?” he asks, frowning.

“I don’t know,” I answer with a shrug.

He inhales deeply but doesn’t say anything more as he places his other hand on my shoulder and bends his head. An image flashes in my mind when he touches me, but I don’t lean into it because I’m fully focused on the warmth flooding my body through his touch. It feels like taking a full breath of air after nearly drowning. My eyes shut of their own accord and I breathe in his energy.

When he removes his hand, I immediately feel cold again. I open my eyes and glance at him, noticing he appears surprised. When I look down at the fire, it begins to sputter as if Cambion stole its energy and, as I watch, the coals lose their glow and we’re thrust into darkness once more.

“Your strength has been returned to you,” he says as he eyes me with interest.

“How can you tell?” I ask.

“Because I attempted to bolster your life force with some of my own but, instead, you fed mine.”

I feel my eyebrows lift in surprise. “I can’t explain it, but I woke up feeling much better, stronger.”

I hear Dragan quickly instruct Thoradin to get more wood.

“Interesting.” Cambion studies me with narrowed eyes. He still doesn’t trust me, that much is obvious, but as he continues to hold my gaze, I see something flash across his eyes—something carnal, something that looks like desire. Maybe he’s remembering the vision from earlier? The one I had of us when our limbs were entwined, the powerful smiles we shared while he moved himself within me. It’s a vision I haven’t forgotten.

Soon, the fire returns to its full strength.

An odd, graying light slowly rises through the forest, though its source is invisible to me. “What is that?” I ask Dragan, unable to keep the fear from my voice.

“It’s the closest thing to daylight the shadow realm knows,” he answers.

For a moment, it strikes me as odd that they call this the shadow realm because, without light, not a single shadow exists here.

“Thoradin and I are going into the walls of the city to look for food and warmer clothing. You three will stay here and wait for our return,” Dragan instructs, and instantly, my heart starts pounding. I don’t want to be away from Dragan. Especially not here, in this wretched forest.

“When you leave, your enchantments leave with you,” Cambion responds guardedly. “I can’t protect us here.”

Dragan nods. “You’re not wrong, Cambion, but we don’t have a choice.” He takes a deep breath. “I’ve been considering the options open to us, and I believe you’ll be safest here.”

“We’re safest with you,” I tell him.

---