“How did it happen?”he growled. “If your plan was so clever, how the fuck did this happen?”
Itilted my head. Took my sweet, sweet time.
Then I lifted mybrokenleg. The twist of pain making my vision edge with black, and said dryly, “I tripped.”
Asnarl ripped from Varyth’s throat, his handfisting at his side, trembling as though struggling to keep himself from slamming it into something.
Shaelithlet out a quiet snort, then immediately wincedat the bruises blooming along her ribs. Brynelleturned her face away, hiding herlaugh.
But Varythlooked ready to burn the whole fucking cell to the ground.
“You… tripped?” he repeated, low and lethal.
I nodded. Solemn.
“A real hazard, these Nyxarian floors,” I added. “Might have to file a complaint.”
Varyth took a shaking inhale. His face contorted with an emotion even more dangerous than fury.
In an instant, he wascrouched before me, his face inches from mine, his eyes molten.
“You think this is a joke?” His breath was hot as it fanned over my face. “Do you think I enjoy seeing you like this?”
“Would be a weird kink,” I muttered through a bloody smirk.
Varyth’s entire body locked.
If I had to guess, he was probablyphysically holding back the need to strangle me.
Then, a whisper, “You’re infuriating.”
I let my head rest back against the stone, my body screaming, my bones shattered glass inside my skin. “You say that as if it’s a bad thing.”
I shifted, and agony ripped down my leg. A choked sound escaped me, the pain so deep and overwhelming it stole the air from my lungs.
A voice, dry and cool as steel, broke the silence. “It’s a bad break.”
I forced my eyes open as Cindrissian crouched beside me, taking in my leg with detached interest. His hands ghosted over the injury, reading the damage.
“Without a healer, I’m not sure how this will go,” he said flatly. “But I can set it back into place. It’ll just hurt like hell.”
I huffed a laugh, my body trembling from the waves of pain pulsing through me. “Oh good,” I rasped. “I was worried it’d feel nice.”
Varyth snarled as his fingers dug into his thighs, his fury simmering.
“Gods-fucking-damn it, Isara.” Darian’s wings flared as he paced. “You’re a fucking idiot.”
“Obviously.” Cindrissian glanced up at my face.
For a second, our eyes locked. And in that moment, something passed between us—unspoken, knowing. Because he understood. Maybe more than the others ever could.
I took a single, steadying breath. “Don’t warn me.” I gritted my teeth. “Just do it.”
I hadn’t finished speaking before Varyth moved.
One second, I was on the ground. The next, I was in his arms.
“Hold on to me,” he breathed against my temple. “Hold on, Isara.”
