Camille stirred, the edges of consciousness flickering back into focus. Her mind was slow to catch up, her body strangely weightless. She kept her eyes closed, letting her senses stretch outward. Her fingers flexed, brushing against something coarse and gritty—sand. It was smooth yet warm, unnaturally warm, like it had absorbed the sun’s fire. She stilled, but the heat didn’t hurt her. Instead, it seemed to hum against her skin like an energy source.

A salty tang filled her nostri...