Page 235 of Fallen Nocturne

The last thread of Rhianelle’s magic sinks into Lucien’s body. The chalk circle flashes once, then fades.

For several breaths, nothing happens.

The wolf’s spine suddenly arches. His dark coat ripples as bone and muscle shift beneath it. Shade drops to one knee beside him while Rhianelle holds the spell steady, her hands glowing with pale golden light.

A moment later, an elf lies inside the circle where the wolf had been.

Lucien draws a deep breath and opens his sapphire eyes. Shade immediately throws a blanket over him before I have to.

With visible effort, he slowly pushes himself upright. He swallows once, then touches his throat.

“Did it work?” he asks. His voice is rough from disuse.

Rhianelle smiles. “It worked.”

Lucien closes his eyes. Relief passes across his face as he draws another breath. “I forgot what my own voice sounded like.”

Shade settles beside him, one hand hovering near his shoulder as though he is prepared to catch him if he falls. “Your voice still sounds irritating.”

Lucien opens one eye. “You missed it.”

Shade ignores him. “How long do you think it will last this time?”

Rhianelle studies the fading runes. “Half a day.”

She says it with such confidence that even Lucien looks surprised.

“I think I understand the spell now,” she continues. “The next step is turning it into a potion. Then Lucien can take it whenever he needs to change, even when I’m not nearby.”

Lucien stares at her. Hope moves across his face. My wife is brilliant. She says impossible things as though they are merely problems waiting to be solved.

“Now that you have your body back, come and help me.” Shade crosses to the table and returns carrying a large woven basket filled with wooden animals, cloth dolls, and painted spinning tops.

Rhianelle peers inside. “What are these?”

Shade picks up a doll. “For the orphanage near the beach.”

“We’re heading that way to visit Kiiska and Kae’ko.” Rhianelle reaches for the basket. “Let me take them. I promise I won’t tell anyone the terrifying Grimsbane assassin spent his morning buying toys for children.”

Shade gives her a withering look.

Lucien laughs. It is the first sound I have heard from him that resembles happiness.

We say our goodbyes quietly and leave them to catch up. Barely halfway down the street, Coral bounds around the corner and nearly bowls Rhianelle over.

“There you are,” Rhianelle says, laughing as the pale wyvern presses her snout against her stomach. “Were you looking for us?”

Coral chirps and falls into step beside her as though she has been invited along.

The little wyvern is supposed to follow the road, but she keeps darting into gardens to investigate anything that moves. She chases a flock of white birds, steals an apple from an unattended cart and tries to bury it beneath a flower bed when Rhianelle catches her.

“Coral.”

The wyvern freezes with dirt covering her snout.

Rhianelle puts her hands on her hips. “That does not belong to you.”

Coral slowly pushes the apple deeper into the hole.