Page 145 of Claim of Blood
“The other Courts—”
“Will adapt or be left behind,” Claudia said firmly. “This isn’t something that can be stopped or controlled. It simply is.”
As she reached the door, she paused and turned back. “Oh, and Adam? Make sure your hunter wears his grandmother’s ring tomorrow. For the solstice.”
Adam’s eyes narrowed. “How do you know about the ring?”
Claudia’s smile turned mysterious, her eyes twinkling with ancient secrets. “Old magic recognizes old magic, brother.” She winked.
“Claudia—”
But she was already slipping out the door, leaving Adam with more questions than answers. Her knowing smile lingered in his memory as her footsteps faded down the hallway.
After she left, Adam remained, staring out at the night sky through the tall windows. Claudia’s words echoed in his mind, mixing with Victoria’s warnings about the hunter threat and his own growing awareness of the changes happening within him.
The solstice was tomorrow. Already, he could feel its energy building in the air, a pressure that seemed to resonate with whatever magical transformation Claudia claimed was occurring. Different perspectives, but all pointing toward the same conclusion: something unprecedented was approaching.
For the first time in his long existence, Adam truly didn’t know what the future would bring. The uncertainty should have frightened him, but he felt something unexpected—anticipation.
Change was coming, and perhaps it was long overdue.
Chapter Thirty-Two
Leo
Leohatedearlymornings.Even as a hunter, he’d avoided sunrise assignments. So when Lander shook him awake before dawn on Monday, his first instinct was to burrow deeper under the covers.
“Come on,” Lander whispered, his hand warm on Leo’s shoulder. “The coven members are already arriving.”
Leo groaned, rolling onto his back. “What time is it?”
“Five.”
“That should be illegal,” Leo mumbled, throwing an arm over his eyes. “We should form a council. Pass a law. Outlaw anything before seven.”
He made a valiant attempt to slump back into the mattress, but Lander snorted and caught him mid-roll, arms hooking around his waist.
“Nice try,” Lander said, laughing as he hauled Leo off the bed. “Unfortunately for you, the Night Court doesn’t take legislation from sleepy hunters.”
Adam stood by the window, already dressed in a simple white linen shirt and pants that made his bronze skin glow in the pre-dawn light. He turned as Leo staggered upright in Lander’s grip, his eyes softening.
“You can return to sleep after the ritual,” he said, crossing the room to press a kiss to Leo’s forehead. “But the witches specifically requested your presence.” He paused, studying Leo’s face. “You should wear your grandmother’s ring today.”
Leo blinked at him, still half-asleep. “What? Why?”
“Call it intuition,” Adam said simply.
He staggered to the safe, squinting through the fog of sleep. His fingers fumbled with the keypad, hitting the wrong number before he started over. With a dull click, the door opened, and he retrieved the familiar wooden puzzle box. Eyes half-closed, Leo’s fingers found the familiar pattern and pressed the hidden mechanism. The box opened with a soft click, revealing the antique ring nestled in its velvet bed.
As Leo reached for it, Adam gently took the ring from his fingers. “May I?”
Leo nodded, extending his right hand without really thinking about it. “It won’t fit. It’s too small. Sophia had dainty fingers.”
But as Adam slipped the ring onto Leo’s ring finger, it settled perfectly into place, as if it had been made for him. The antique gold band felt substantial against his skin, the rose-cut tanzanite in its center catching the dim light with deep blue-violet fire. Two blood-red rubies flanked the central stone, their surfaces smooth and unfaceted in the old style, set flush into the gold without modern prongs.
Leo’s eyes widened in surprise. “That’s impossible,” he murmured, staring at his hand. The ring felt warm against his skin, almost buzzing with a strange energy that made his fingertips tingle. The tanzanite seemed to pulse with its own inner light. “It’s never fit before.”
Adam’s expression was carefully neutral as he studied the centuries-old piece. “Perhaps you’ve never tried that finger.”
