His eyes hadn’t changed. They were still yellow on black; fiery irises surrounded by darkness. Shan’s eyes…and yet also not. He was still there, but so was another presence, too. The part that he’d always kept locked away. The part he didn’t trust.
“You’re not a monster,” she said to the qiongqi. “And I think your mate knows that, too. Even if you don’t.”
The qiongqi tilted its head. Its form blurred, and Shan was back, eyes hidden once more.
“Yes,” he said, voice cracking. “She does.”
“You need to talk to her, Shan.” He opened his mouth, and she rushed on before he could argue, “I’m sorry, I know it’s none of my business. And I understand better, now, why you’re so afraid of your animal. But…you really need to tell her.”
He took a seat; on the same log as her, but a little way off, angling his body toward her. Then, to her surprise, he put his head in his hands.
“Yes,” he said, muffled. “I am afraid I do.”
“Shan?” She touched his shoulder, worried that she’d gone too far. “What’s wrong?”
“Everything.” He breathed out, rubbing his face. “Leonie. Can you and your sister swap animals?”
“What?” she said, taken aback. “If we’re still playing, at least do it properly. I’d rather take a dare.”
“Not a game. It never was. You said you and your sister can share animals. That one of you can be a griffin. But that’s not all you can do. She can be a lion. You can be an eagle.”
“Well, yes. Technically.” Her stomach twisted in unease. Where was he going with this? “We don’t, though. Lola doesn’t like it. She says it feels wrong, not having wings. She loves flying.”
“And you long for the sky,” Shan murmured. “One lastquestion. Leonie, do you remember the first time you shifted?”
Her sister’s hands in hers. Mind to mind, heart to heart. Reaching down, wanting so hard…
She pushed the memory down. “Not all that clearly. We were just kids. Lola shifted right after me, and we discovered straight away that we could share our animals. It was all rather confusing. Most new shifters only have to get to grips with one new form, not three.”
“Truth,” Shan murmured, fingers pressed to his mouth. “Mostly. You don’t want to remember.”
If she’d been in her animal form, her fur would have been bristling all along her spine. “Shan, why are you asking me about all this?”
“Because I know only too well that there are consequences to repressing your true nature. Because this cannot be good for you.” He dropped his hands, looking sick. “Leonie, you aren’t a lion shifter.”
“Have you lost your mind? Of course I am.”
Shan shook his head. “You’ve told yourself that for so long, you almost believe it. But deep down, you know it isn’t true.”
“Fine, Mister Pedantic,” she snapped. “I’m notentirelya lion. Just like Lola isn’t entirely an eagle. I don’t care what you think you’re tasting. I know my own animal. Better than you do, thank you very much.”
Shan looked down at his hands. Rather than reply, he took off his gloves. Then he reached up, unhooking the strap that held his sunglasses in place. He removed them, folding the arms before setting them down at his side. Those yellow-on-black eyes met hers, steady and certain.
“No,” he said simply. “You don’t.”
And she knew.
Not in her head, but in her heart. It wasn’t a sudden,overwhelming shock, like she’d always been told to expect. More like the slow creep of dawn. The whole world gradually brightening, blurring the boundary between night and day. Until there was the sun, turning everything to gold.
Oh,said her lioness, startled.
“Itisyou,” she breathed. “You’re my mate.”
CHAPTER 28
She hadn’t just worked it out. She’dfeltit. He could feel it himself, as surely as if she’d taken his hand. The bond between them doubling, running in both directions at last.
“What?” he stammered. “How-?”
