Page 64 of Witchbane

I frowned at him. “Point to you. Don’t out-science me, that’s not fair.”

He captured my face and kissed me, making me sink into his arms. “Be impressed with me,” he begged.

“I am. You’re amazing.”

“We’re amazing,” Liam amended. “And your self-doubt doesn’t seem to hinder the magic.”

“If you say so.”

“Can we try some other stuff?” He was like a kid in a candy store.

“Um, sure. Normal rules apply.”

“No portals,” Liam agreed.

“No life spells. That’s the stuff that creates nightmares.”

His gaze strayed to the remaining plants.

“Sentient life,” I clarified. “All life comes from earth, water, and a handful of chemicals. Sentient life is a bit more complicated.”

“Not sure we could conjure a soul.”

“If that’s what makes sentience, then sure. The science is still a bit divided. Neurons, etcetera.”

“It sounds less romantic to say my sentience is bound to yours,” Liam teased.

“Wow… yeah. Let’s call it a soul then.”

He grinned at me and took my hand. “Let’s practice a bit more. I think I’m figuring this out. It’s not all that different from making bread.”

My stomach grumbled. “Don’t remind me of your sweet bread.”

“I might be able to conjure it.”

“From our magic doesn’t make me less hungry,” I reminded him. I could still imagine sinking my teeth into it. It was best served in a thick toasted slice. I knew the recipe was a cross between the Japanese melon bread and a milk bread, as it was soft and fluffy with an edge of citrus sweetness. But I could sit down and eat a whole loaf without trouble. We needed to get home so I could have some.

“We need to figure out how to get home.”

“Small stuff first. Then find the Volkov and try to get the hell out of Dodge with as many of the remaining fae as possible,” Liam said. “Let me see if I can perfect our clothes and maybe some sweet bread before we tackle portals to another world?”

“Always rational,” I growled at him. “But fucking hot too. Even in weird baggy sacks.” I tugged at his shirt. “Let’s make some magic, yeah?”

He grinned wide, not the least bit ashamed of his enthusiasm. The idea of creating something out of nothing really excited my mate. And I had to admit, it was a bit of a rush for me too.

Liam took to spells a lot faster than I ever did. I suspected it was because he didn’t come into them with the giant wall of skepticism as I had. We worked through a few minor spells like shoe color, and the difference between glamouring clothing and actually wrapping ourselves in magic that created warmth. My skill was actually filling lines with power. Liam was creating the lines for me to fill. I wasn’t sure that was what Nick and Kiran had meant about Liam using my power, but as long as it worked for us, I didn’t care. By the time we looked like normal, with jeans and T-shirts, he’d already figured out how to add a bit of heat to it, and a handful of ward-like shields.

“Bulletproof clothing, Ulrich?” I teased.

“Not bulletproof. A barrier against the feeling of Kiran’s magic. It was uncomfortable.”

“Even before you became my scion?”

He nodded. “I wasn’t sure what it was until after the scion bond. My wolf senses were telling me something wasn’t right, but weren’t able to see it.”

“You have your wolf back now.”

“Yes, and no? It was never completely gone. More banished because it doesn’t fit this world. I have to use the kitsune to find it. The pack bond too. It’s not severed, more stopped at the border of whatever closes this world. I think once we go home, both will be easier to find.”