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“The mimic can’t stay,” Skye said. Taly pouted, but he remained firm. “No.”

There were things he planned to do to her in this bed that he was pretty sure the mimic wouldn’t approve of. Tonight, sleep was the priority—they’d both had a hell of a day. But he figured better to take care of the problem now.

She must’ve been thinking the same, considering how easily she gave in. “I’m sorry, boy. You can sleep in the common area tonight. I’ll get your house set up tomorrow.”

“He has ahouse?”

Taly’s mouth twisted. “Of course, Skye. Why wouldn’t he have a house?”

Calcifer slunk out of the room, tail flicking like a whip—glaring at Skye, who glared right back.

“Seriously?” she asked. “What is it with you two?”

“We’re each a threat to the other’s existence,” he said lowly, staring the beast down until he moved out of sight.

She rolled her eyes, and he punished her with a hard kiss. He didn’t feel like explaining the territorial instincts of two predators circling the same prey—even if one was after her blood and the other… something far deeper.

He walked them to the newly emptied bed, where he dropped her. Taly laughed as she bounced.

“Time for bed,” he announced. She opened her mouth. “Let me guess—you’re about to tell me you don’t need to sleep either?”

“I don’t feel—tired,” she mumbled, stifling a yawn halfway through.

He climbed in beside her, pulling up the blankets to cover both. “You’re full of shit, Caro.”

She tried to kick him beneath the blankets as they settled into a comfortable tangle of limbs. “Am not.”

“Close your eyes.” If he could just get her to do that much, her own exhaustion would take care of the rest. He’d talked to Aiden. He knew how much blood she’d lost. Knew how many days it had been since she’d really slept. It was a miracle she was still standing.

Skye held her, his arm tight around her, and she just... let him. No hesitation, no second thoughts. Even though he couldbreak her with an accidental sneeze, she had never once flinched from him. Instead, she snuggled closer, like he was the safest place in the world. He’d missed that too.

Her breath was steady. Strong. He let it fill the space between them. Let it drown out the ghosts in his head.

She was here.

She was safe.

She washome.

And at last, so was he.

Chapter 16

Sleep wouldn’t come.

Truthfully, Taly hadn’t had much hope. There were more people in the house—in Ryme—than she was used to. More than she’d been around since the day her magic had come out screaming.

She could feel the Weave shifting, strained beneath the weight of so many souls moving through it. Threads tangling. Stretching. Pulling tight in places that used to lie flat. It tickled her brain.

Beside her, Skye’s breathing was soft and even. He had one arm slung over her. The weight of it was warm, solid, comforting.

She closed her eyes and tried to stop thinking. Stop feeling. Stop noticing the steady rhythm of warm breath against her neck.

Just drift off, she told herself. Drift—

Damn it, she needed to pee.

Taly sighed and opened her eyes. She glanced over her shoulder at Skye.