When I finished, Evie pinned me with those stunning eyes. “You should have woken me up!”
“No,” I said and grinned when she squawked in indignation.
From the pack I pulled two thin wool blankets and handed her one.
She took it with a nod of thanks. “You can’t be close when I sink into my power. My magic is too volatile these days.”
“Again, the answer is no.”
When she opened her mouth to argue, I shook my head. “I’ll be able to protect myself, and you won’t hurt me anyway.”
Evie blinked. “I—I wouldn’t know if I would!” she protested. “My Chimera form is volatile. I have a good hold on things, but?—”
“You’re scared.”
She crossed her arms over her chest and glared at me. “Wouldn’t you be?”
“No. Your magic is a part of you. I might turn into a bear, but I don’t suddenly turn into a ravening beast and want to eat my friends.”
An odd expression crossed her face.
“Do…you?” I ask hesitantly.
“Not anymore.”
A surprised laugh cracked from me. “Explain.”
She fidgeted, wrapping her fingers around each other. “When the Chimera magic was first burning through me, I tried to eat Hazel.” Evie grimaced.
I pressed my lips together to keep from crowing with laughter. “I assume Hazel was just fine?”
Evie huffed. “She had one of those cattle prod things that shocked the shit out of you and knew how to use it.”
I belly laughed.
A reluctant smile tugged on her lips. “I twitched for two weeks straight until I learned friends are not food.”
I bent over, howling with laughter. Evie smacked me in the shoulder, but she was laughing, too. “It’s not funny, you ass.”
“It’s hilarious,” I said with a wheezing laugh. “Now I’m even more comfortable sitting close. You’ve obviously learned your lesson.”
Her eyes narrowed. “Is there a shocker in that pack?”
I widened my eyes in mock innocence. “I would never.”
She harrumphed and started looking for a spot to settle down. Snow covered the ground, so nowhere was ideal. We’d both have frozen asses when this was over.
Evie finally gave up and plopped right in the middle of the small clearing. “How deep is this snow, do you think?”
“We’re higher up in elevation, and it’s been colder than usual here.” I searched around for a long stick and stuck it down into the snow. “About a foot,” I said when I pulled it out and peered at the snow left clinging to the branch. “But the ground isn’t frozen very far down.”
Evie squinted at her gloves then up at me. “I should warn you about something.”
I sat down beside her, about two feet away. “Still not going to move away.”
“Sometimes when I go too deep…” She paused.
My eyebrows lifted.
