Page 111 of Awakened Ash and Alchemy

“Come in, Zarek.” Of course, she’d known it was him.

He opened the door to find her standing by the window, dressed in that deep-plum gown that truly suited her, with its silver threads along the cuffs catching the morning light. He couldn’t stop admiring how the gown curved over her figure, making his palm itch to touch her again. Then her mismatched eyes found his, and for a moment, neither of them spoke.

“You left early.”

“I had to retrieve something.” He closed the door. “This is yours.” The medallion gleamed in his palm. “It was on the library floor. The chain didn’t survive the fire.”

“Oh.” Her fingers reached for it, then hesitated. “I didn’t even realize—”

“I noticed you reach for it when you’re thinking or anxious.” He raked his fingers through his hair—the only tell he’d allow himself that giving gifts to females wasn’t his normal sort of thing. “Figured you’d need it today. And I’ve had the new chain warded against every magic in Paradox.” Hoping it would protect her while she wore it.

Her lips curved. “So you won’t burn it again.”

“No.” Yes. Well… he couldn’t make any promises.

But in this moment, their souls somehow understood their shared silence, even if his world did not.

Yes, he’d risked his life just to live one night in her arms. If given a choice, he’d do it again without a second thought.

The Claiming knew first, then his heart, and right now, looking at her, so did his mind. The depth of their connection went past their flaws and scars to reach something bigger than the laws he was bound by. He just didn’t know how to tell her that after one night together…

“You didn’t have to do that.”

“I know.” He needed to give her something that wouldn’t break under his touch, even though his world was about to break.

But he also gave her that chain to prove he could be careful with the things that mattered to her.

Of course, he didn’t say any of that.

But her soft smile brought out an even more subtle shine in her eyes that told him he’d done the right thing. Along with the strong desire to wrap his arms around her and share that peace again.

“Turn around,” he said instead.

She turned, lifting her hair, and he fastened the chain around her neck. His fingers brushed her skin, and the dragon nestled in his chest.

But was it the Claiming? Or his feelings for her?

He truly struggled to know the difference anymore.

“May I ask about the…” He gently picked up the medallion. Her scent of faintly honeyed pears and apples greeted him. Its subtlety was both comforting and seductive.

“It’s Michael, the Archangel. My mother used to tell me stories about him.” Her hand closed around the pendant. “She’d say he was always watching over me, and that I was never alone.” Her voice softened. “She died when I was young. My Aunt Claudine raised me after that.”

Zarek’s chest tightened. He’d known from Professor Pete Macrombie’s research of her mortal life before bringing her to Paradox, but hearing the grief in her voice was different.

She’d been alone, too.

Just like him.

“Your mother sounds like she loved you very much,” he said.

“She did.” She patted the medallion back where it belonged on the chain around her neck. “Thank you for doing this. I mean that. Your gift is…” She smiled, and the knot in his chest loosened. “… Perfect.”

Finally, after all the other things he’d done to her, this was right.

“Ready?” He offered her his arm. “The Sleep Wizard is prepared.”

The smile fell, and she hesitated.