Total pages in book: 140
Estimated words: 131364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 131364 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 657(@200wpm)___ 525(@250wpm)___ 438(@300wpm)
“Jacques is caught between his two selves. His mind isn’t like any the Es would’ve encountered before, his brain pathways neither falcon nor human.” Adam paced the room. “Since your sensitivity is instinctive, you might react to him on a primal level.”
He paused, turned to hold her gaze with that of a falcon, the ring of yellow vivid in the low light inside the room. “I need to know if my friend is in there. I have to be sure before I let him go.”
Eleri nodded. “I’m willing to make the attempt.” The truth was that she’d have given Adam anything he wanted. The imprint he’d left on her was far beyond anything she understood, and it predated the repeated reconditionings and the piece-by-piece fragmentation of her personality—and that imprint said that she was his in any way he’d permit.
But then Adam’s expression turned dark. “What’s the risk to you?” he asked, striding back to stand toe-to-toe with her, the silk of his hair tumbled around his face. “Could it cause an overload?”
“The risk is negligible, given what you said about the Es. I’ve heard the ones who work with coma patients can sense even the most subtle emotional response.” Not that it would’ve stopped her regardless. Because despite everything, she was still that girl who wanted to give Adam something.
Adam didn’t move, his eyes once more on her hands. “What happens if Jacques rises to consciousness without warning and you get the full blast of his emotions?”
“That’s so unlikely as to not matter,” she said with as much care as she could, but knew it came out robotic. “If there was a chance of that, the Es wouldn’t have given up. He’s down too deep to rise to the surface at speed.”
Adam still didn’t head for the door, didn’t tell her to follow. “How will I know if you’re overloaded so I can break the connection? Will that protect you?”
“If it’s fast enough, the damage will be minor. Are any of the Es still at the Canyon?”
“Both, but the young one has done enough, has no more to give, and I won’t ask it of him. Sascha’s there and ready to help.”
Sascha.
He had to mean Sascha Duncan, a woman who had done what Eleri couldn’t and defected out of the Net to create an entirely new existence for herself inside a changeling pack.
Eleri said, “She should be able to feel my distress—I won’t be able to control it, not if Jacques’s thoughts breach my mind.”
Stepping back, she said, “I’ll get my gloves. We should do it now while your clan sleeps. Less chance of contact with me.”
That day in the hallway, Adam had dreamed of introducing her to his grandmother, showing her off to Jacques. “My mate,” he’d have said with a huge grin. “My mate.”
The joy of it had been enough to overcome the pain of that day—because he’d known his parents would’ve been delighted for him, too. Shocked no doubt, because she was Psy, and back then, no Psy had mated a changeling for so long that they’d forgotten it had ever been any different. But happy all the same…and full of advice about the importance of going slow, of giving Eleri room to become used to the idea.
“You’re both so young,” he could imagine his mother saying, a soft smile curving her generous lips, her skin a glowing copper-toned brown she’d passed on to both him and Saoirse. “You have your whole lives ahead of you. Play together, learn one another, become friends before you become mates.”
He would’ve done exactly as she’d advised, would’ve given Eleri all of himself and all the time she needed. Because in the end, she would’ve been his—they’d both felt the promise in the air that day, not just him.
Today, too many years between then and now, he waited for her to reemerge from the small nook that held the bed, then said, “We can take your vehicle. I flew.”
Eleri stilled for a moment. “I can’t quite conceptualize a shift,” she said at last. “I’ve seen falcons flying overhead, and I know from their size that they’re changelings, but my brain snags when attempting to explain the conversion.”
Adam’s falcon, so close to his skin, wanted to show her then and there. He barely controlled the urge. “I’ll have to drive. You’ll never get up to the Canyon in the dark.”
“I’ll program you in,” she said, and once they were at the car—evidence stowed and locked inside the trunk—she proceeded to do exactly that.
Getting in, he waited only until she was secured before moving the vehicle out without turning on the headlights until they were well down the drive. “Any dealings with Dae since we spoke?”
“He knocked on the door last night asking me if I’d had any issues with the lights, as the businessperson who stayed in the room the night before my arrival complained about that. But he didn’t make any attempt to stay or talk his way inside when I said no.”