“All very scientific observations.”
“Mmm. I wonder what conclusions I could draw from this information.” She kissed my chest, right above where her hand rested. “Though I should probably conduct more tests. For thoroughness.”
I laughed and rolled us, pinning her beneath me. “I love how your mind works.”
“Do you?” Her eyes searched mine, vulnerability flickering there.
“Every brilliant, scattered, impossibly sexy bit of it.” I kissed her. When I pulled back, her cheeks were flushed, her lips swollen. “Though we should probably get moving. Long flight ahead.”
She groaned. “Can’t we stay here forever?”
“Tempting. But babies are counting on you.”
She sighed. “You’re right.”
We dressed quickly, packed our few belongings, and shared the last of our provisions. After I’d packed the bed, returning things to the trunk, I stepped outside, shifted, and she climbed onto my back.
The flight to Emberforge took most of the day. I kept expecting Adele to fall asleep like she had before, but she stayed alert, her mind churning through problems I could feel through our connection.
I keep thinking about ice,she said several hours into the flight.But I don’t know why.
Ice as in frozen water?
Maybe. Or ice formations? Glaciers?A sigh rippled through her. It’s like trying to remember a dream.The harder I reach for it, the faster it slips away.
It’ll come to you. Don’t try to force it.
We don’t have time.
I know, sweet.
We approached Emberforge’s territory, and I took in the volcanic peaks, the lush valleys, and the palace carved into the mountainside.
Home.
Except now it felt different. Because Adele would be there with me, and that had changed the place I’d lived my entire life into a place I craved to be.
I landed in the main courtyard as the sun was setting. The moment Adele slid off my back, I shifted. A familiaryelping bark echoed across the stone. Fletcher came barreling toward us, his short legs pumping, his long ears flying behind him. He threw himself at Adele, nearly knocking her over.
“I missed you too,” Adele laughed, crouching to put him down and rub his ears. “Yes, I know. I’ve been gone too long. No, I didn’t forget about you.”
Fletcher transferred his attention to me, circling my legs, making grumbling sounds.
“He says it appears you’ve taken good care of his girl,” Adele said, grinning.
“I took excellent care of her,” I said. “She ate regularly, slept when forced, and only almost fell off a cliff once.”
Fletcher’s head whipped toward Adele, his jowls quivering.
“I didn’t almost fall,” Adele said. “Raoul’s exaggerating. I was perfectly safe the entire time.”
The hound gave me a look that suggested he didn’t believe either of us, and trotted back toward the palace entrance, his tail held high.
“He’s very dramatic,” I said.
“He’s protective.” But Adele was smiling as we followed Fletcher inside.
Demi intercepted us in the main corridor, her expression harried. “There you are. Things have been wild here.”
