Origin (Scales 'n' Spells 1)

He couldn’t resist putting his own hand over Cameron’s, holding him there a little longer. He liked Cameron touching him, especially right now, with his heart still racing. “I’m glad you were having fun, truly. Just next time, take more precautions?”

“Absolutely promise.” Cameron’s eyes were sharp on him, evaluating, and Alric wasn’t sure what he saw in his face. But something of Alric’s worry must have shown through as Cameron’s expression softened. “I think I owe you a drink for that scare. Is there a bar somewhere in the castle?”

There was. Alric had no intention of going there and potentially sharing him with other people. Not just then. Not when he needed ten minutes with Cameron and a little peace after that heart-stopping display. “I’ve got a mini-bar in my study.”

“Even better. I’m a little tired after playing with magic. I could use a few minutes off my feet. Not that I know how to get there from here.” Cameron made a face. “I’m still learning the ins and outs of the castle. Lead me?”

“Of course.” Alric reluctantly let go of his hand and half-turned to show the way.

Cameron dropped his hand and closed it over Alric’s, the grip light and easy. It felt incredibly nice, really. Alric hadn’t held hands with another man in so long that he’d forgotten the simple pleasure it brought. And Cameron’s hand felt good, the slender fingers confident as they wrapped around his own.

There was absolutely no need to hold hands as Alric led him through the castle.

He kept hold of Cameron’s hand anyway.

Lately Cameron felt like he was back in school in some ways, off to attend a lecture. A personal, one-on-one lecture with a master in a field he actually wanted to study.

That first time he’d called on wind had been eye-opening in more than one way. It had felt incredible, of course, to feel magic coursing through him. Literally coursing through his body like he was a conduit of electricity. Cameron suspected he’d be chasing the high of that moment for the rest of his life.

But in that moment, too, his mind had opened to a possibility he had closed off. With those self-imposed restrictions blown out of the water, Cameron finally understood why engineering had appealed to him but had never satisfied him. It was similar to magic in a sense. Taking multiple elements and designing them in such a way that they worked to fulfill a purpose—that was similar. It just wasn’t what he was made to do. What he’d always been meant to do.

Cameron had taken this European trip as a reward to himself for finishing a master’s he hadn’t actually wanted to do. Never did he imagine it would lead him to what he was born for. Thank god he’d gone despite the expense.

Lisette brought him into her workroom, which was starting to feel like a second home after all the hours he’d spent in here. It looked something like a cross between a library, chemistry lab, and a storage room for hazardous materials. She had a fridge in one corner, stainless-steel counters wrapping around in a U-shape, and another stainless-steel island in the middle with deep, double sinks. Her desk and the shelves holding all the materials dominated the other side of the rectangular room, away from this area.

Cameron suspected there was a reason for the divide. The designs carved into the walls, floor, and ceiling forming a magical barrier between the two spoke volumes. It wasn’t active now—he could cross readily over it—but if something did go down, that magical barrier would snap up in a heartbeat.

“You’ve picked up invocation very well,” Lisette told him with a proud smile over her shoulder. She led the way to the island and the barstools tucked in there. “I’ve discovered that the main stumbling block in teaching invocation is always the language, but anyone who is bilingual has an easier time of it. You speak something aside from English?”

“Korean. Not completely fluent in it, we mostly learned it to speak with family. But yeah.”

“That’s helped you in this case.” She took a stool and sat, perfectly at ease. Her eyes remained on him as he also sat. “I thought we’d start in on the basics of potions today, as Alric needs another batch. It’s a simple enough potion to make, and heaven knows he needs it on a consistent basis.”

This seemed a good opening to ask the question plaguing Cameron. “The injury he sustained…I was told it was from the war?”

“I won’t tell you the full tale. That’s his to speak of.” Her lips pursed, and she unbent enough to admit, “It’s rather extensive. He suffered the brunt of a spell, and it ripped into the musculature and ligaments on his left side. You’ve seen traces of the scar on his hand and wrist?”