Chapter Twenty

I run up the stairs, ignoring Lexia's calls after me. This thought in my head… I don't want to lose it. I'm unsure if it'll work, but it's too important to wait. I have to ask Vesperon now. He hasn't been sleeping for long, but he can go back to sleep once I get the information I need.

I burst into the room he is in, and he jolts up before I say a word.

"What is wrong?" he demands. "Is Lexia okay?"

I look at him, then around the room. The light from the hallway seeps through the doorway, shining on him. I then look at the window in the room. We hung the white sheets from downstairs over it because there were no curtains and in order for him to restore energy he needs darkness. Though, even after covering the window and closing the door, it was still dim in here. He'd said it would be okay, he just may need more sleep to be at full capacity.

"Radiant, answer me," he barks, now on his feet.

I wave him off. "Lexia is fine. How does your realm work to make shadows solid?"

"What?" he asks, looking at me like I'm crazy.

"Your realm. Why is it you can be solid there but not here? Is it magic?"

He shakes his head, not hiding his annoyance. "No, it's not magic. It's the absence of light. It takes from us, and we cannot become solid when it is around."

"But you have lights in your world," I counter.

He nods once. "The ones that are put up for the witches."

"How do they work, then?" I ask quickly.

"I do not know. Those are magic, I suppose."

"It can't be real light, or you wouldn't be solid there… Not like the sun or like the lights here," I say out loud, though more to myself, as I look around the room again.

"Why are you asking me this? It was so important that you woke me?"

"I have an idea."

"One that is so important you have to wake me up?" he repeats, this time more firmly.

Note to self: don't wake the shadow prematurely. He gets grouchy.

"I think there is a way for you to mate with Lexia in this world."

"How?" he asks, frowning. He watches me as I move around the room, studying where the shadows linger versus where the light is bright.

I pace as I explain. "If what I am thinking is correct, then your world has zero photons, because there is zero light there. If we wait until the darkest night where there is no moon, cover all the windows, cover the lamps and lights… I can cut off the electricity and get rid of the heat, because that also creates photons, then it's possible we can create something close to absolute darkness, like in your realm. Meaning—"

"I could take a solid form," he whispers. He slowly unfolds his arms, and they fall to his sides.

I snap my fingers, then point at him. "At least long enough to mate."

He scratches his chin, then nods. "It's plausible. I'm not sure it's ever been attempted, but what have we got to lose?"

"Nothing!" I say excitedly. "Nothing at all!"

"Have you spoken to Lexia about this?"

"Not yet. She's eating breakfast. I didn't want to excite her if it was impossible."

"If what was impossible?" she asks, stepping into the room.

Vesperon smiles when he sees her. A smile so odd for a shadow. I rarely interact with good shadows, and I'm not sure I've ever seen one smile so fondly before.

"Did you sleep well, my love?"

She smiles when she looks at him. "I did. Did you?"

"Could have been longer."

I wave my arm at him. "You can sleep later. This is important."

"Right…" she says. "So, tell me what it is."

I explain everything to Lexia, who seems excitedly confused.

"But you don't know if it'll work?" she questions.

"Not for sure, but it's worth a try. It won't harm him and won't be much trouble for me. We're in a great location for it. The worst part is that it'll be cold for a while."

"Better than being dead," she comments, then huffs out a humorless laugh.

"That it is," I say.

"So, when can we try this?" Lexia asks.

"We'll have to wait for the next moonless night," I answer.

"How will we know that?" She scrunches her nose up.

"I will check tonight," Vesperon says.

"How will you check?" Lexia looks around the room like there is something in here that will tell him.

"By looking at the state of the moon, my love. It runs in cycles."

Lexia nods. "Okay, then it looks like we have a plan. What do we do in the meanwhile?"

I move toward her, lift her up, and spin her around. She giggles, and it floods my chest with warmth. For the first time since I've met her, I feel like we have a plan that is actually going to work.

"Whatever the hell we want," I announce, placing her back on her feet.

"Sounds fun. First, tell me where the bathroom is."

I chuckle, then throw my arm around her shoulder and lead her out of the room and down the hallway to the bathroom. "Thank your shadow man for cleaning it. And guess what?"

"What?" she asks cautiously, tilting her head.

"There's hot water," I whisper.

Her eyes light up, and they brighten further when we walk into the bathroom, and she sees the size of the bathtub.

"Well, I know what I'll be doing for the next three hours." She bounces on her feet. I look from her to the tub.

"So do I," I smirk, and she shoves me in the chest. I laugh, but she shoves me again. Her tiny hands are adorable on my chest, and though I could stop her, I allow her to push me out of the bathroom.

"Pig," she mutters, but I know she secretly likes it. I see the way she blushes when I flirt, or when she stares at me for too long. Probably imagining me naked.

"Don't say I didn't offer." I waggle my brows at her.

She places one hand on the door while the other rests on the frame.

"If I need help, I'll call you." She winks, then slams the door in my face.

It's the second time she's done it for the purpose of getting naked, and I don't know why, but it makes my dick hard.