Five fucking minutes.
“No,” I whispered, but it didn’t matter.
The next heartbeat, the entire island descended on me like a falling mountain.
The reclusive females stepped in front of me instinctively—Mara’s teeth bared, and Yazmine’s wings flared in challenge—but it was too late.
Benedict hit the ground first, shifting mid-air, slamming into me with a roar so loud it echoed off the lava tubes and made my ears ring.
BAM.
“GET AWAY FROM THEM!”
My world exploded in pain as he slammed me to the ground. Mara and Yazmine screeched in distress. Ronanlanded a breath later, skidding across the stone, eyes wide as he took in the situation.
“What is wrong? What is it?”
I raised my hands, barely able to think over how dazed I was. “I didn’t?—”
Something slammed into me hard enough to knock the breath from my lungs. Nasi. His fist connected with my jaw with enough force to crack the stone beneath my feet.
“What possessed you?!” he snarled.
I staggered, vision blurring, and then Canavar arrived—leaping straight between us with a force that shook the cavern. I didn’t even try to dodge. I closed my eyes and waited for his blow to fall as well.
“ENOUGH!” He shoved Nasi back with one arm and grabbed my shoulder with the other so tight it ached.
“What were youthinking?” he barked directly into my face.
Before I could answer, Nerissa arrived.
And the temperature dropped.
Her blood magick lit up her veins in harsh golden lines, hair wild, eyes burning like molten metal.
Enya dropped from the sky between us all. “Everyone shut up!” She pointed at Mara and Yazmine. “Explain.”
Everyone went silent.
“You’re all so mad. Why?” Mara asked, lower lip trembling.
“Yeah, it’s our fault,” Yazmine whispered, tears glinting in her eyes. “We were just teasing.”
“I … sent him to get the rope. I forgot the lava tubes are where the unmated recluses lived,” Canavar admitted quietly. “He didn’t know. I thought … he’d been doing well. I’d meant to ask about allowing him some unsupervised time. I’m sorry.”
Benedict looked like he wanted to break all of us in half, and not just me. I rubbed my nose, which bled freely.
Mara threw up her hands. “We asked him to spar!”
Nerissa froze. Wren pushed through the crowd. Kieran followed behind, Wren pushing her way through the crowd. Her stomach was so large now I wasn’t sure how she managed at all.
Mara blinked. “He’s good! And nervous! And makes the cutest squeaking noise when you take his legs out?—”
“MARAAAAA—” Nerissa screeched.
Wren turned and hissed, shushing her with an uncharacteristic display of strength.
Canavar pinched the bridge of his nose. “Love. Please. Breathe.”
