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He let out a long sigh. “I do not shift into animal form like you and Grieve. My powers are different. I can’t show you here.”
“How come?” I was beginning to relax into a drowsy state in his arms. It was almost as if Grieve were holding me, without the intense pressure between us.
Chatter leaned close and whispered in my ear. “Because I turn into a pillar of fire. I’m deadly, Cicely—when I change, I have no control over my actions. Fire lives to burn, and when I transform, all I want is to consume.”
That broke the spell. I jerked my head up to stare at him. “Fire? Is that why you are so pulled to Rhiannon?”
He blinked. “You can tell?”
“I can tell a mile away that you’ve got it bad for her.”
“No,” he said softly. “You misunderstand. I’m pulled to her flame—it sings within my own heart. But Miss Rhiannon, she is a gentle soul and I would never intrude on her relationship.”
You’re lying to yourself, I thought, but said nothing. Instead, I let his information settle. Chatter, who seemed so quiet and unassuming, turned into a raging inferno.
“When was the last time you transformed?”
“Years ago. I started a wildfire and burned one of my friends. Grieve, actually. It was long before you were born, and I meant no harm, but it hurt him for a long time. I swore then I’d never take a chance on hurting someone else I cared about. But it’s not the same as Rhiannon repressing her powers. When the magic-born do not practice their magic, it backs up in them, and eventually it will implode. With the Cambyra, it’s not as much pressure.” He sucked in a long breath, then let it out. “Don’t tell her—please. And don’t tell Leo.”
“Leo wouldn’t like the connection.” I frowned.
“No, he wouldn’t.”
I let out a long sigh. “We’d better get this done. Thank you—for everything. I’ll think about what you said, but . . .” As I stood, it was all I could do to shrug. Nothing could make me give up Grieve.
Chatter nodded, his eyes dark and glowing. “You will do as you see fit. But Cicely, Myst will use anything against you she can. You were her blood. And you betrayed her.”
“And she remembers . . . even if I don’t.” I shrugged off the weight of his words and turned to Kaylin. “We need to start the ritual. Are you ready to start?”
He nodded. I explained what we needed to do and we began to forge the magical circle of salt, then belladonna and lastly, the quartz. I crawled on the bed and straddled Kaylin’s naked body, feeling inappropriate, and yet something within me stirred as I sank down, sitting on his stomach.
Slowly I began to chant.
Demon waken, demon dreams,
demon days, demon wings,
night-veil, creature of shade,
wake to your host, fulfill the pact you made.
Chatter stood beside me, his voice weaving with mine, providing a countertonal response. Surprised, I glanced at him—he had an excellent voice and could have easily been a professional singer.
Waken to life, waken to death,
Waken to void, waken to breath,
Waken to the world, waken to the grave,
Waken to your host, wake and be saved.
Kaylin began to stir. Or rather, he began to convulse. I motioned to Chatter, who hurried over to my side. Kaylin was shaking and it was all I could do to keep him down. He frothed at the mouth, his eyes rolling back in his head, and I leaned forward, pressing his shoulders down, holding him still. He’d be bruised and sore, but it would be worse if I just let him flail.
Chatter pulled out a little bottle that the shaman had given me before we left the Court of Dreams and dropped three drops of the potion into Kaylin’s mouth. Kaylin let out a long scream—really more of a howl—and I felt his arousal as he began to wake. Crap. This could end badly.
Kaylin thrashed and I suddenly found myself flying through the air, onto the floor, as he stood. He rose up, standing over me, erect and hair flowing, his eyes flashing with an odd light. Chatter backed up, reaching down to grab my hand, pulling me out of the way.
As if he’d never seen himself before, Kaylin held out his arms, examining them, then glanced down at his erection and let out a low, throaty laugh as he turned toward me.
