Alex snorts and shakes his head, standing to search for her clothing. “Clearly, she’s fine.”
“There should be something in my satchel,” I instruct, and Kian throws him the bag.
Sera wraps her arms around herself and gives Alex a stiff nod as he hands her a fresh tunic. “Thank you,” she mumbles under her breath.
“What was that?” Alex asks, quirking a brow.
“You heard me,” Sera growls.
“There’s the spitfire I know,” he quips.
I shake my head . . . These two just won’t quit.
“How are you feeling?” I ask Sera.
“My chest aches,” she admits. “And my leg hurts something fierce.”
I scan her body, looking for injuries, and note the giant welts and bruising on her calf. “What in the hells was down there?” I wonder aloud.
Kian squats next to us, looking at Sera’s leg, and frowns. “Some beast I have no desire to tangle with.” He shudders.
“How deep is that lake?” Alex asks.
“Surprisingly deep,” I reply.
Alex turns and pins his eyes on me. “Care to explain the light show, Rae? Kian never mentioned you having any powers.”
I flush. “Well . . . uhh . . . I got mad, and it kind of shot out of me and scared off whatever was down there. I had no idea I could do that.”
“Thank the gods for it,” Sera says, laying her head on her knees.
“Maybe we should get back to camp,” Kian suggests.
I groan as I rise, feeling a little weak in the knees.
Kian immediately steadies me. “Can you walk, love?”
“I think so.”
He helps me gather up the discarded clothes, and we stuff them into my satchel.
“Do you need help, Sera?” Alex asks with no bite in his tone.
Sera tries to put weight on her leg and winces. “I might . . .”
“That had to be hard for her to admit,” Kian whispers in my ear, and I swat him away.
“Shhh.”
Alex offers Sera a hand up, and before she can protest, he swoops her into his arms and stomps back toward camp. Shockingly, Sera doesn’t complain.
When they’re out of earshot, I look up at Kian. “Do you think . . .”
“One hundred percent. I’d be willing to wager on it.”
I chuckle. “I’m not taking that bet.”
“Yes, because you’d lose.” Kian flicks my nose gently, then his face turns serious. “Hells, Rae. When you screamed earlier and I got here and you were gone, I didn’t know what to think.”
