Page 105 of The Spellreader and the Phoenix

“You’re really cute,” Max told him.

Rory flapped his flippers and squawked at him. Nōwē jumped up onto the coffee table and was watching them intently. At least Max didn’t have to worry anymore that she might try to eat Rory.

A second later, Rory was a bright green parrot. He flew around the room, then transformed into a bald eagle, a hummingbird, and a turkey. Max couldn’t help but laugh, but he assured Rory that he was very majestic.

Rory turned back into a grinning human, and Max rose from the couch to pull him into his arms and press a soft kiss to his lips.

“You’re amazing,” Max told him. “I’m so glad you came into my life.”

“I feel the same way,” Rory said, eyes bright. “I don’t really have words to explain how amazing it was to look over and see you there. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”

If Rory were a different person, Max might crumble under that pressure. But Rory had made it so clear in the almost two months that they’d known one another that he liked Max just as he was. And yes, he’d been sure of their bond much sooner than Max was. Now that Max understood that he was a mythical shifter and had been waiting centuries—millennia, holy shit—for his mate, his certainty made more sense. But he’d waited, let Max come to his own conclusions, and never pressured him.

And that was what filled Max with the confidence to say, “I think we should bond.”

Rory blinked at him, golden eyes going wide. “Really?”

Max nodded, feeling even more certain now that the words were out. “Yes. You’ve known for months; I’m slow, but I get there eventually. I could have died last week, and that’s reminded me that there aren’t any guarantees in life. I wasn’t expecting you, but it turns out you’re exactly what I’ve always wanted. I love you, and I want to bond with you.”

Rory lit up—literally. It was like a glow was emanating from his skin, and his hair was… actually on fire?

Max pointed. “Uh, should I be worried about your hair?”

Rory’s brow furrowed, and he tried to look up at his own hair, which didn’t work at all.

“It’s on fire,” Max explained.

Rory made an “oops” face, and a moment later, the fire vanished as though it had never been, leaving Rory’s hair completely untouched.

“Sorry,” he said sheepishly. “Uh, like we discussed before, fire doesn’t hurt me, and I’d never let it hurt you. It’s been a while since I lost control like that, but, uh, all my dreams just came true, so. I love you, too!”

A full-body shiver raced through Max. He’d never been anybody’s dream before. He’d been a loner in school, and his sporadic dating partners had always seemed to want things he was unwilling to give.

And then there was Rory.

Rory had done an excellent job of explaining how it wasn’t exactly fate and was more like probabilities and possibilities, but even Max could see how the two of them really did seem to be perfect for one another. Denying that because he was worried that some mythical force had willed it so was not a hill Max was willing to die on.

When he leaned in, Rory met him halfway. The kiss was hot and lush and everything that Max hadn’t known kissing could be. (What exactly was it about emotional intimacy that made that switch flip? Max was maybe going to need to do more research on being demisexual. But definitely not right now.)

And then Max’s alarm went off. He pulled away with a groan. “Dammit. We need to open the bookshop. Raincheck. But, like, tonight raincheck, as long as you’re okay with that.”

Rory pressed another kiss to Max’s lips, this one chaste. “I’m definitely okay with that. Actually, it’s probably better that we wait a little while. A lot has happened recently.”

That was true. Rory had just turned back into a human this morning. Jumping him was something Max could honestly say he’d never expected to do. (And okay, he hadn’t actually done that, but it was amazingly close by Max’s standards.)

As they headed downstairs, Nōwē meowing at their feet, Max said, “Remember, you’ve supposedly been away for the past week.”

“Right,” Rory said, making a face.

“You can still keep it vague,” Max reassured him. “You don’t owe anyone any details. But assuring them everything’s fine now or something like that will make it seem less mysterious while cutting off avenues for all but the most nosy.”

Rory laughed.

The workday passed reasonably quickly, all things considered. (Max had never wanted to get through a workday to be with a partner before. It was a bit irritating and also made him feel kind of giddy.) He spent the first couple hours out with Rory, making sure that everyone behaved, but then Rory shooed him into the back room.

“Go do your work and let me do mine,” Rory admonished.

It was weirdly wrenching to be away from Rory at first. Max had gotten used to having the bird constantly on or near him. But once he’d settled down with a few spellbooks, it began to feel normal again.