Page 57 of Elemental Becoming

He reaches for me then, his arm wrapping around my waist as he pulls me against his chest. I settle into him, my head resting just beneath his collarbone, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat. For a while, we simply breathe together.

Then, his voice, full of something raw, breaks the silence. “Thank you.”

I tilt my head up, questioning.

Thane’s fingers trail lightly down my spine. “Thank you for giving my father back to me.”

Doubt creeps in. In the quiet hush of night, my theory had felt like a revelation, a truth clicking into place. But in the light of day, uncertainty clouds my thoughts.

What if I’m wrong? I hesitate, my fingers curling slightly against his chest.

“I didn’t do anything. And we don’t know for sure if my theory is right.”

Thane exhales, his grip tightening slightly. “I’ve been up most of the night thinking about it.”

He shifts so that our eyes meet, his gaze unwavering.

“I feel it in my bones. Youareright.” Thane continues, his voice thoughtful. “The way it all happened—the way the shadows moved, the way the bond reacted to everything I said, everything you said—it makes sense. It wasn’t just a coincidence. The timing was too precise.”

His fingers move in distracted patterns against my back. “We should talk to Valen. If anyone can help us make sense of this, it’s him.”

I nod against his chest, my hands curling against his bare skin. His heartbeat is steady beneath my temple, a grounding rhythm in the midst of my swirling thoughts.

Thane’s voice softens, but there is a significance to it. “But first, I want to introduce you to my father.”

I lift my head, blinking at him. “Are you sure? Is he wellenough? You don’t have to do that because of last night.”

My thoughts jump ahead of me.

“What’s appropriate to wear? Gods—I need an entirely new wardrobe for this trip.”

Thane laughs softly, the sound rumbling against my cheek. He tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingers lingering for just a moment before his gaze meets mine.

“Yes, I’m sure. Yes, he can receive guests,” he says, a hint of a smile in his voice. “And you can wear whatever you want.”

His gaze doesn’t waver.

“I want him to meet you. Because you matter to me.”

I drop my head back to his chest, feeling the rise and fall of his breath. His warmth anchors me.

His voice quiets. “Is that all right?”

“Very,” I murmur, smiling against his skin.

Thane threads his fingers through my hair, as if committing the feel of it to memory.

“When’s the last time you visited him?”

A heavy sigh leaves him. “Too long. Months.”

I lift my head to find him biting his lower lip, his gaze fixed on a bird perched beyond the window. I trace leisurely patterns across his chest, waiting.

“It’s been hard . . . to see him like that. To be around him with everything I was carrying.” His eyes shift to mine, the weight of it clear. “I avoided him. The times I visited him . . . Rowena pushed the issue. She was right to.”

I rest my chin on his chest, my fingers brushing lightly over his skin. “You’re going now.”

His hand stills in my hair for a beat.