CRYSTALLUM (The Primordial Principles Book 1) by Laney McMann Page B

ask you to follow me."
    More shoveling.
    "Like I wouldn't have followed you?"
    "Will you shut up and help me dig!”
    Kade's body shifted to the side. "I've got you." Warmth rushed down her back, through her frozen limbs, and she was lifted off the ground. "I've got you.” The scent of sweet, clean cotton enveloped her senses. “It's okay, you're okay."
    "Calm down, Cole. I'm sure she's fine."
    Cole. It was his voice she'd heard. A brisk wind swept her cheeks, and she was flying. She knew she was. Nothing else could move so fast.
    ***
    "I can't believe this is happening." Danny paced. "We're breaking so many rules being here."
    "Will you shut up and help me find it? She's freezing." Cole touched Kadence's face and placed a hot cloth over her forehead.
    "We couldn't find an elephant in this mess. Look at it." Danny thrust his hand toward Kade's bedroom floor, covered in boxes.
    "I can't tell if she has a fever or what. She keeps shivering. And there's a huge bump at the base of her skull." Cole withdrew his crystal and placed it into Kade's palm. Warmth trailed up his arm, piercing pain shot through his hand, and Kade's back arched as she cried out. Cole yelped and yanked his hand away from hers, stumbling backward into the wall, as the crystal dropped to the floor.
    "Turn on the lamp. The small one.”
    "What are you doing? " Danny hissed.
    "Oh, my god.” Cole got to his feet. "Look at her hand."
    Danny lifted Kade's arm, glancing at her palm. "You said she was carrying a crystal at the club!”
    "She was." Cole stared, his tone flat.
    "You must have been seeing things."
    "I wasn't. I picked it up off the floor and handed it to her. I told you that."
    "I told you we should've minded our own damn business. Gone back to the common house and went to bed." Danny paced again. "Now what?"
    "Go put out any fires with Plumb. I'll meet you there later."
    "Hell, no, Cole. Are you insane?"
    "You want me to leave her like this, Dan?" He thrust his hand out.
    "Like what, exactly? This could be perfectly normal for...for someone like her for all we know."
    "Comatose? Really, Dan? Comatose is normal? Are you freaking kidding?"
    "Cole—" Danny started.
    "Alert the Ward."
    "Alert the Ward?" Danny's eyes went wild. "You're out of your damn mind."
    "Tell them where I am. Send the doctor for Kadence."
    "Tell them where you are ? Could this night get any worse? " His hands flew up.
    "Just do it, Danny."
    "No way. No freaking way. I can't just leave—this is—"
    "Go."
    "Is that an order?"
    "Does it need to be?" Cole's tone had a sharp bite in it.
    Danny let out a harsh sigh. "No, sir."
    "Don't call me sir.”
    Danny stomped out of the bedroom, and Cole sat on the bed next to Kade, staring at her open palm.
    ***
    Warmth wrapped around Kade's shivering body like a fleece blanket, secure and safe, and the steady sound of deep breathing filled her ears. Her body felt heavy, exhausted, and her hand pulsated as if all the blood had flooded to one spot on her palm. Electric shocks filtered into her fingertips. She tried to curl her hand into a fist, stop the sensation, but sleep held her hostage.
    Something heavy and warm molded against the side of her body, and the sweet scent of fresh laundry and fire overcame her senses. Breathing it in, her body began to heat up.
    "You're safe now," someone whispered. "Sleep."
    ***
    Cole had never been more awake. He'd tried adjusting his weight, shifting himself further up on the bed so he wasn't lying down, but it was no use. His head remained propped against the wooden headboard, but the rest of him had slid downward. The backs of his eyelids were akin to sandpaper from keeping his eyes open, but he couldn't have slept if he'd wanted to.
    After Danny left and Cole settled Kadence into her bed, he'd gotten himself into the most comfortable sitting position he could manage, but she'd scooted closer and closer to him. First her hand, then her arm, then her leg entangled between his. For the past couple of hours,