The copper haze did not fade gently, instead popping like an overfilled bubble and throwing a warm draft across the room. Marrick took one look at the center of the office, let out a high-pitched squeak, and dove headfirst under his writing desk.
Standing on the bare floorboards was a woman with dark bronze skin and copper hair tangled around small temple horns.
She was entirely naked, steam rising off her shoulders while fine dark scales coated her forearms.
Hajin did not blink, tossing traveler garments from his inventory to her with a dry sigh.
The woman caught the bundle mid-air, wrapping the wool tunic and trousers around herself with a quick instinct.
She stared at her palms, flexing her knuckles to hear the scales scrape with a sound forgotten for centuries. She touched her collarbone, her chest rising and falling in rapid, uneven breaths as she felt a warm pulse.
