Elias trembled. At first, it was only his fingers, small, delicate, curled around Devon's much larger hand. But the tremble spread, like ripples in still water.
His eyes, wide and glassy, darted across the room, taking in strange faces, glowing runes, and towering spires visible through the crystalline windows. He was overwhelmed. And then he looked back at Devon.
His lower lip quivered.
"D-Dev…" The boy's voice cracked, raw from a year of silence. "Dev-Devlin?"
Devon froze. That name. Not Devon Albert, the weak omega. Not Devon, the contract mate. But Devlin Magnus. His real name.
"Elias," Devon whispered, squeezing his hand gently. "It's all right. I'm here."
The boy made a broken, choked sound, half sob, half gasp, and threw himself forward. His small arms wrapped around Devon's waist with desperate force, burying his face in Devon's chest. And then the magic burst.
