“What do you hate, Jack?” Concern pulses from him, a hint of a tone that manages to let me know if I told him and he could fix any of my pain, he’d do so in a heartbeat.
I’ve long since passed questioning the calming power he has over me or the way he lights up my body. All I find now is comfort rather than questions. Too much has happened and too much is at stake for me to waste time hemming and hawing over my reaction to the large red monster who offers me reassurance that simply feels right. Natural.
“Feeling so out of control. Feeling inept.” I meet his golden gaze. “Relying solely on you while giving you nothing in return.”
His gentle stroking stops, just for one beat, before he starts it up again. This time he steps closer—so close, I have to angle my neck to peer up at him. Bloody hell, this close, his scent wraps around me like the fragrance of the first drops of rain on parched earth, fresh and intoxicating. My breath stutters, and I feel that ridiculous pull again—the one that makes me want to close the space between us, to touch him, totastehim. My stomach flips, and I swallow hard, forcing myself to look away, but it’s no use. His golden eyes seem to tug me back, grounding me and scattering my thoughts all at once.
“You give me more than you realise,” Solan says, his voice low and rich like the promise of safety in the middle of chaos.
I laugh softly, bitterly. “Like what? A headache?”
His lips twitch, not quite a smile, but close. “Trust. Hope. A reason.” His hand tightens slightly on my neck, a gentle squeeze that makes my pulse jump. “You are more than you think, Jack. To me. To Jamie. To yourself.”
The intensity in his gaze makes me dizzy, and I suddenly feel like the air between us is charged, heavy with something I can’t quite name. My heart pounds as his eyes drop—to my mouth.
I can’t move. Hell, I’m not sure Iwantto move. My breath catches as he leans down so close, I can feel the heat radiating from him, his lips almost brushing mine?—
“Am I interrupting?”
The voice snaps through the moment like a whip, and I stumble back a step, heat flooding my face. Solan’s hand falls away slowly, but his gaze lingers, his expression unreadable.
Harith strides back in, Calythra—I assume—following close behind. My stomach knots at the sight of the new monster.
Calythra’s young—definitely a teenager in human terms—but there’s a confidence in his posture that’s unnerving. His features are humanoid but ethereal, his skin so white, it’s nearly translucent, veins barely visible beneath the surface. His eyes are a startling, vivid blue, impossibly large and framed by thick lashes.
“Jack,” Harith says, his tone formal, “this is Calythra.”
Calythra’s grin widens. “G’day,” he says, and I blink, startled by the pitch-perfect Australian accent.
I narrow my eyes, wondering how the hell he’s mirrored my accent so perfectly. “You’re taking the piss.”
“Not at all,” he says, still grinning, his voice a perfect mimic of my own cadence. “Thought I’d give it a go. Figured you might feel more at ease hearing something familiar.”
I’m torn between being impressed and annoyed. “That’s… unsettling.”
“Good,” he replies cheerfully. “Keeps you on your toes.”
Before I can reply, something startling happens—his skin begins to shift. The pale, translucent white darkens, deepening to the same iridescent red as Solan’s. The change is fluid, mesmerising, like watching liquid fire ripple under his skin.
“Pretty neat, eh?” Calythra says, holding his arms out to show off the transformation. His expression is light, playful, and there’s an undeniable pride in his tone.
My breath catches as he steps closer, extending a hand towards me. I hesitate, and he chuckles, his tone somehow both amused and patient. “Relax, mate. I’m not going to hurt you.Look.” He presses his hand to his own chest, and the colour spreads like water on blotting paper before returning to normal.
Tentatively, I extend my arm. His touch is warm, not uncomfortably so, but the change is immediate. My skin flushes red where his fingers make contact, the vivid hue spreading outwards until my entire forearm matches his.
“What the hell?” I pull back instinctively, staring wide-eyed at my arm.
Calythra laughs, a light, airy sound. “Magic, mate. Or close enough.”
“It’s not magic,” Solan says, his voice calm but firm. “It’s a biological adaptation unique to Calythra’s species. His body can mimic his surroundings, and he can share that ability with others temporarily.”
“Temporarily?” I glance between them, still unsettled by the sight of my own red skin.
Calythra nods. “It’ll fade. Could make it last longer if I wanted to, but that takes effort. Don’t worry,mate, you’re not stuck like that.”
Sure enough, as I watch, the colour begins to fade, my skin returning to its normal tone. His own skin shifts back to its original translucent state, the change just as seamless as before.
I glance at Solan. “This is who you’re sending to protect Jamie?”
