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“I already told Noctus all about the tracker and how he’s threatened your family…” The Paragon trailed off. “Er…Chloe, if you would return to your human shape, I imagine it would make this conversation easier.”
It will make it harder, actually, to keep you fooled since I’m not convinced I can keep all my expressions in, but I should try to get this over with as quickly as possible.
I hopped off the settee and trotted over to the enormous windows on the far side of the room, taking shelter in the comfort of the gold curtains before I reluctantly swapped to my human form.
I set my hand on the mantel of a marble fireplace—one of three in the room—and stepped around the gold drapes.
These windows must be spelled, I realized as I glanced outside, where part of the elven city built into Calor sprawled.I mean, they obviously are. This view of the mountain and the elven city shouldn’t be possible in this room. But they must also have some kind of screening glamour on them. The Paragon’s been in here every time he’s visited, and he hasn’t noticed the view.
I felt the prickle of elf magic in my ribs, but I wasn’t sure if it was the windows, or just being back in Calor.
Noctus and the Paragon sat down, Noctus selecting the gold settee covered in tasseled pillows that I’d abandoned, while the Paragon plopped down in an armchair.
When he saw I was back in my human shape, the Paragon waved to me. “Excellent. Say hello, Chloe.”
I turned on my heel and pointed myself in Noctus’s direction, but I stared at his neck instead of risking looking into his eyes. “Hello.” I didn’t have to feign awkwardness as I shifted my weight from one foot to the other. “Th-thank you for agreeing to this meeting.”
Noctus leaned back in the settee, resting his arms across the top of it. “Despite your reluctance to meet me?”
“Noctus, don’t tease the girl. She’s already scared out of her mind,” the Paragon lectured him.
Noctus shrugged. “You don’t have room to criticize given you were the one who dragged her here unwillingly.”
“You are in amood, aren’t you?” the Paragon tisked. “And what’s up with your clothes? Usually whenever I see you you’re dressed up like a hitman looking to break someone’s teeth.”
“Wearing black, moveable clothing is hardly the mark of a hitman.” Noctus shrugged, the movement emphasized by his black suitcoat.
He was dressed, I recognized, for going out into Magiford, most likely. He was more comfortable in his training clothes—the outfit the Paragon had mentioned. He dressed like this when he needed to impress, without using his magic.
“Whatever,” the Paragon said. “Can we get started?”
“Fine. But you’ve already told me everything about her, don’t waste my time repeating it. Why are you here today?” Noctus asked.
Slowly, I edged over so I was standing next to the Paragon’s chair, across from Noctus. I couldn’t tell his expression—I was keeping my eyes on his neck.
“To ask for your help—or rather, your resources,” the Paragon said. “Chloe is the first known shadow in centuries, and she’s adopted by humans. No one has taught her about shadow abilities or magic. Supernatural society as a whole doesn’t know much about her, though we are exploring fae libraries and there is a vampire contact, though he’s not available at the moment.”
“Not the dragon shifters?” Noctus asked.
The Paragon shrugged. “None are in Magiford at the moment. I’ve notified the Dominant, the Magister, and the Ancient. They’ll be asking their acquaintances, so I imagine it will reach the dragon shifters eventually, but Chloe doesn’t have time to spare. She needs to know how to defend herself now.”
“I see,” Noctus said. “Is that your request, shadow?”
I shut my eyes.He’s angry. Yes, he came to save me, but this is way worse than breaking me out of an animal shelter. I messed up.
When I opened my eyes, I kept my gaze on the top, open button of his black dress shirt. “I would appreciate any resources you could share. I work for a bookstore; if there is a book title you know that could help, the owner and I might be able to track it down.”
My clothes felt scratchy and uncomfortable, even though I was wearing my favorite long sleeved blouse. “I’m sorry to intrude on you like this. I’m sorry, I…” I trailed off as a chalky taste filled my mouth, and I didn’t know what to say that wouldn’t make the Paragon suspicious but would still tell Noctus just how bad I felt about this.
Here I was, thinking I’m smart enough that I could lay out a plan that would make this possible and safe, and days later I let him down. Him, and Charon, Aristide, Ker, and everyone in Calor—
“Chloe,” Noctus said, his voice warm and familiar. He said my name like a caress, just as he had the night on the clocktower when we nearly kissed.
Surprised, I let myself look up into his face.
The spirals in his eyes were swirling. Not with anger, but something painfully close to affection. The set of his lips had softened, and he tilted his head in what I recognized as a playful gesture, holding my gaze.
I couldn’t look away from him. It wasNoctus, and I’d been missing him fiercely even though it had been months.
