“The thing that took down the cat!” Baldie’s tall forehead glowed with exertion and annoyance.
I frowned. Although Nima could see right through my lies, this man didn’t know me from Adam or Eve. Maybe he’d fall for my subpar acting skills. “Remo took down the cat with his spear.”
Remo’s biceps tightened as he readjusted his grip on his bloodied spear. “I’m not sure what you saw, Quinn. Besides my companion acting like a reckless child,” he bit out under his breath as he turned away from me. “How many tigers left?”
“One. Next to the train site.”
“Let’s go.” Without a backward glance at me, he stalked away, shoving past the leathery plants.
Stunned by his attitude, I stayed planted in my spot almost a full minute.
“I’m not crazy, little girl. I know I saw something,” Quinn growled before going after Remo.
Grumbling, I took off after them, unhooking my sash before grappling with the edge of the tunic. That Quinn acted hateful was one thing; that Remo did . . . well that pissed me off.
“Remo, wait!”
He didn’t.
I got in front of him, pulled off his sodden top, and slapped it into his arms. A muscle feathered his jaw as he flung it over his shoulder and brushed past me.
“Are you mad because I chose to die?” I wasn’t one for letting things fester.
He halted, then slowly, turned. “I could’ve protected you,” he gritted out.
More shouting rang through the jungle. Muttering under his breath, Baldie hastened, vanishing behind the dense vegetation.
Remo hinged around and took off again. Although his pace was hurried and he pointedly ignored me, he held up the tawny lianas longer than was necessary. Was it because he’d noticed the mark on my forehead and didn’t trust me not to get walloped upside the head a second time?
At some point, I cinched his wrist, forcing him to stop again.
“This isn’t the time, Trifecta. They need our help.” He still wouldn’t look at me, as though he’d looked his fill and could no longer stand the sight of me.
“You might’ve been able to protect me, but injured as I was,Icouldn’t protectyou. So I apologize for leaving again, Remo, but I needed to heal.”
His gaze finally slammed into mine, just as feral as the purple wildcat’s. “Protect me?” His lips curled as though he found a princess protecting a faerie guard ridiculous.
Although I recoiled, I didn’t let go of his wrist.
“What I need is for you to stop choosing death, Amara! What if the next time, youdon’tcome back?”
“They said we always come back.”
“Because you trust them?” he shouted.
I held his wild gaze a long minute, sensing many layers to his anger. Now wasn’t the time to peel them apart, though.
“You would’ve healed. I would’ve found a way to keep you alive. To keep you safe!”
My hand slid down to his and squeezed his balled fingers. “In this world, it’s not your job to keep me safe.” And then I let go of his fist and headed in the direction of the tussle.
After a few silent strides, his fingers slid through mine. “Don’t do that again, understood?”
I glanced over at him. “Die, or use Karsyn’sgiftin this cell?”
His gaze ran over my face again, stuck to the hollow of my collarbone. Was my puncture wound still bleeding? “Both. Don’t do both. Either. Okay?” That tiny groove, which I was coming to understand was concern, marred the space between his brows.
“Okay.”
