Page 47 of Room for Three
Corin took inventory of his body, his emotions, the space between thoughts where chaos usually lived.
"Empty," he finally replied. "No... not empty. Quiet. Like my thoughts aren't screaming at me anymore." He lifted a hand, studying his fingers as if they belonged to someone else. "What did you do to me?"
Azelon shifted closer, perching on the edge of the bed. "I created a link," he said. "A tether between us."
"Like the bond you have with Jamie?"
"It's not quite the same." Azelon's tail curled around his own leg as if he were a little nervous. "His was accidental. Yours was a choice."
Corin glanced at Jamie's sleeping form. "So we're both connected to you now?"
Azelon's fingers traced patterns on the bedsheet, not quite touching Corin. "All three of us are connected. To each other."
The implications of those words settled over Corin like a weighted blanket. He closed his eyes, focusing inward, searching for the connections Azelon described.
There—a steady warmth that felt distinctly like Jamie, solid and unwavering even in sleep. And there—a cooler current that carried Azelon's essence, controlled but no longer distant.
"I can feel you both," Corin whispered, opening his eyes in wonder. "How is this possible?"
"I don't know," Azelon admitted. "Such bonds usually take years to form, with intention, between Tideborn who choose each other." His gaze drifted to Jamie. "Not by accident… or this quickly."
Corin remembered the storm in the forest, the sensation of his power flowing into Azelon, Jamie completing the circuit between them.
Was this the fault of his chaos magic?
Had his magic simply reached out to take what he wanted with no regards for anything else?
"You could have died," he said. "Taking my chaos like that."
"I couldn't lose you." Azelon's voice roughened, and everything inside of Corin tightened. He'd only ever seen Azelon as strong. Never like this. Never vulnerable.
And he'd softened because of Corin?
It was almost too much to take in.
Azelon stood and held a hand out to Corin. "Come with me. There's something I need to do."
Corin hesitated, glancing at Jamie.
"He'll sleep a while longer," Azelon assured him.
Corin still didn't want to leave Jamie, but whatever Azelon had to show him seemed important. When he got out of bed, though, his legs trembled unexpectedly.
Azelon caught his elbow to steady him.
The contact sent a jolt through the new bond between them.
This was good. Touching.
It felt right.
Even more so when Azelon gave him another smile. "Later," he promised, and then he led him through the store's corridors until they arrived at the door to the Tideborn pool room, which opened at their approach without being touched.
Inside, the pool seemed to glow even brighter than before.
Azelon approached the water's edge wordlessly.
Corin followed, lowering himself to kneel beside Azelon. "What are we doing here?"
