"You're freezing," Shannon explained. Now that he had Eli's attention, he moved his hand away and stood up. "Candles are warm, and we both have work to do. So you'll sit tight until food comes."

Turning back toward his desk, he addressed Jasper next. "Now is probably your best bet to switch out of your fur coat." If they were going to be eating soon, Shannon did not want to deal with Jasper still being his fuzzy self; a human Jasper could also probably nudge Eli into eating while Shannon tied up the rest of his work for the day. "Before he's coherent enough to realize you weren't always like that."