Page 27 of Elemental Becoming

“Whoever that is better be ready to die.” His voice is gritted, dangerous—one breath away from committing an act of war.

Then, with unbearable reluctance, he pushes off me, like it’s a great effort to step away. Before I can even process the loss of his warmth, he grabs the blanket and throws it over me, covering me completely.

Good thing because my sleeping gown is currently bunched above my hips.

Thane yanks the door open, breathing uneven, jaw tight, radiating unfinished intent.

And there stands Garrick. Smug, not a care in the world—until he actuallyseesus. Until heregisterswhat he’s interrupted.

His gaze flicks down. He freezes.

His eyes widen, darting between me and Thane, taking in everything. Thane’s shirt—untucked, rumpled, his sleeves still shoved up, like he never intended to be this undressed but somehow ended up that way. Me—hair tangled, lips swollen, my sleeping gown barely clinging to one shoulder. The bed—gods. The sheets messy, furs thrown back, the imprint of our bodies still visible.

And the final, damning detail?

Thane.

His eyes sharp, his body still taut with something restrained, his fists clench at his sides—like the only thing keeping him from finishing what we started is the fool standing in the doorway.

Garrick raises his hands in surrender. “Oh. Oh no.” His gaze drops—then snaps back up so fast I almost feel bad for him. “Nope. Nope. This can wait.”

“You should have knocked.” Thane’s voice is gravel, edged with steel.

“I did knock!” Garrick says quickly, taking a careful step back. “I knocked three times. This isnoton me.”

Thane angles his head, unimpressed. “And yet you’re still standing here.”

Garrick clears his throat. “Well, I—look, in my defense, I didn’t expect—” He throws up both hands like this is somehowourfault. “Why’d you open the bloody door?!”

“You should have expected,” Thane growls.

Garrick tries to keep his eyes on Thane’s face. He fails. Glances down—then recoils like he’s been cursed. His entire face blanches, his hands going up higher, his head shaking furiously.

“I—I am so sorry.” His voice cracks slightly, pure, profound regret washing over him in waves. “I did not mean to—” He gestures vaguely toward Thane’s very obvious predicament. “Interrupt . . .that.”

Thane does not blink. I bury my face in my hands.

“Oh, what’s this?” Rowena’s voice.

Because of course.

Garrick’s entire body stiffens. “Oh gods, Rowena, no—”

Too late. She appears behind him, peeks in, assesses the situation in exactly one second—and grins. “I knew it! Well done, Amara!”

By all the Elemental gods, no.

I groan, collapsing back on the bed and flinging an arm over my face. Why wouldn’t this happen? Again.

The gods have made their position on my sex life very clear.

Rowena is laughing outside the door.Rowena!Thane’ssister!

And Garrick is stammering like an executioner is behind him.

And Thane is seconds away from throwing someone through a wall.

I yank the blanket over my head. “I give up.”