I woke in pieces.

First: warmth.

A body curved around mine, radiating heat like a furnace.

Valtherion.

His arm across my waist, his breath slow, steady against my hair.

Sleeping.

Actually sleeping this time. I could feel it through the bond, the deep pull of exhaustion that had finally dragged him under.

Second: power.

It was everywhere.

In me. Through me.

Not the familiar dual hum I'd grown used to, silver and red running parallel, separate rivers sharing a body.

This was different.

The rivers had merged.

One current, impossibly deep, flowing through every cell with a force that made my skin buzz, my pulse sing.

I flexed my fingers....