Inside the amber stone.
The gecko's body plumped up at a speed visible to the naked eye, then burst through the amber stone. With a crack, the amber crumbled into powder, slipping through the gaps between Russell's fingers, scattering without a whisper of wind, and disappearing without a trace.
Only a tiny gecko, the length of a finger, remained lying quietly in the palm of his hand.
Content, feeling a close bond.
The many emotions emanating from the gecko, flowing through the mental connection of the contract, rushed into Russell's heart, making him involuntarily marvel at the passage of time. A drop of amber, quietly shed, had linked the ancient past with the present, bridging two spans of time.
Before Russell could finish his contemplation,
The gecko suddenly flicked its tail, then dove forcefully into the center of Russell's palm, causing no pain— it simply transformed into a beam of light and merged inside.
The M-shaped mark spontaneously flickered.
