Page 62 of Winds of Destiny

I clear my throat and pull back. I’m not quite ready to have those sorts of thoughts about Turo when Camrael isn’t here. “Let me get out of these wet clothes so we can sleep without me giving you a chill.”

I don’t say anything about tomorrow, mostly because I have no ideawhatto say about it, but Turo just nods. He takes his hands off me long enough for me to strip down to my skin, then pulls me in close again. We lie down together, curled in close the way we have for nearly two weeks now, and I’m finally comfortable. Wearing nothing but our pearls, we drift off to the sound of rain pattering against the tent.

Ugh, why is it so cold?

The voice wakes me up out of a surprisingly sound sleep. “It’s not cold,” I mutter. On the contrary, I’m nice and warm with Turo as a blanket. “G’back to sleep, Camrael.”

Ophiucas be praised, canyou actually hear me? Oh, this is the first time since—Turo must have found the pearl, the two of you are together and—Kai! Focus on the feeling you get from the pearls!

“Why?” I’m starting to wake up more now, and realizing that I must be dreaming of Camrael is depressing. “Fuck.”

“What?” Turo mumbles against my chest.

“Nothing, I just—”

I swear to every god,if the two of you don’t listen to me, I will blow you both off your feet when I see you next!

Turo’s eyes go wide. “Wha—is that—”

“You can hear him, too?” This isn’t just some strange dream brought on by longing?

“Cam?” Turo closes his eyes again, then wraps his hand around his pearl. “Cam?” he whispers.

Yes! You figured it out! I’ve beenkickingmyself for not telling you what these pearls are meant to do, I’m such a— But you’ve done it now, you’re both amazing.

“You’re getting fainter,” I say, desperate to reconnect. “I can’t—”

Turo wraps my hand around my own violet pearl, and it’s as if a stone wall separating us has suddenly been removed. “Camrael?”

Kai. Eleas. Where did you evenget that name? Kai is nothing like Eleas! Mydearhusband,and wow, do you have some explaining to do.He laughs. It sounds slightly hysterical, but I probably sound the same.Listen quickly, you two. We’ll likely only communicate this clearly when we’re asleep, or nearly so. The more you wake up, the harder it will be. It’s all right, though. You can still find me with the pearls—just hold them and think of me. You’ll be drawn in my direction.

“Why didn’t I know they do this?” Turo asks.

It’s rarely something the priestsspeak about. So few people leave Zephyth, why would you have to find someone? It—He says something else, but I can’t hear it. Turo nods, though.

“We will. We followed you into the Plains, we’ll—Cam, wait—”

—easier if you gotcloser,if you know what I mean.There’s another laugh.Kai, you should turn his world on its head like you di—mi—

Turo groans. “Now isn’t the time!”

It’s always a good time t—uck—shou—oops!His patchy mental voice vanishes.

“Camrael!You—” Abruptly, Turo opens his eyes and groans with exasperation. “What a child he can be.”

“What did he say?” I’m holding onto my pearl pendant so tight it’s about to dig a hole in my skin, but I can’t hear anything at all. It… Somehow, itfeelslike Camrael is still here, though. As though when I turn my head left, I’ll be able to see him standing nearby.

“He said that we can use these to track him.”

“No, I got that part. What else did he say?” I think I know, but I want him to confirm it.

Is Turo…blushing? It’s hard to tell inside the tent, but that looks like heat in his cheeks. “He…recommended doing something that might strengthen our ability to focus on him.”

I nod. “That sounds promising. What is it?”

“It—” He stalls out and stares at me for a moment, then reaches out, grabs my face, and pulls me into a kiss.

It’s like beingfloodedwith lust, it comes on so quickly. It’s almost overwhelming. I want this desperately, but I have to know. “Is this what Camrael’s feeling?” I ask as I rip my mouth away from Turo’s. “Or is it you?”

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