Page 33 of Quick on the Claw

As her students gathered around her, their faces etched with worry, Tiffany fought to stay conscious. The attack left her battered and terrified, but a spark of defiance burned in her chest. She wouldn’t let this drive her away from her new home or the life she was building with Zak.

Whoever was behind this, whatever they wanted, Tiffany would challenge them. For herself, for her students, and for the future of Nova Aurora. But first, she had to survive this day.

The world spun as Tiffany was carefully lifted onto a hovering stretcher. Her students’ worried faces blurred together, their voices a distant hum. The journey to the castle passed in a haze of pain and disjointed thoughts.

Suddenly, Zak’s face swam into view, his golden eyes wide with concern and barely contained fury. “Tiffany,” he breathed, reaching for her hand. “I came as soon as I heard.”

Tiffany tried to smile, but it came out as more of a grimace. “Hey, there, Your Hunkiness. Looks like I got into a bit of trouble.”

Zak’s jaw clenched, but before he could respond, a flurry of activity erupted around them. Queen Astra swept into the room, her regal bearing softened by genuine worry. Gerri looked ready to kick someone’s ass and Sia was pale with shock.

“Oh, sweetie,” Sia gasped, rushing to Tiffany’s side opposite Zak. “What happened to you?”

Tiffany opened her mouth to respond, but a wave of dizziness washed over her. Zak’s grip on her hand tightened.

“Let’s get her treated first,” Queen Astra said firmly. She turned to a tall, willowy being with iridescent skin. “Dr. Viiks, if you would?”

The alien doctor nodded, approaching Tiffany with a device that looked like a cross between a tablet and a medical scanner. “This won’t hurt a bit, Miss Whitlock,” Dr. Viiks said. The voice from the doctor was melodious and soothing. She couldn’t tell if the alien was male or female. But did that really matter? Not really. As long as he was competent. “Just try to relax.”

A warm, tingling sensation spread through Tiffany’s body as the device hummed. The pain in her ribs eased, and the throbbing in her head subsided to a dull ache.

“There,” Dr. Viiks said after a few moments. “I’ve stabilized her injuries and started the accelerated healing process. She’ll need rest, but she should be fully recovered in a day or two.”

Zak nodded, his expression a mix of relief and lingering anger. “Thank you, Doctor. Please, give us a moment.”

As Dr. Viiks stepped away, Gerri moved closer, her usually cheerful face uncharacteristically serious and angry-looking. “Tiffany, honey, can you tell us what happened?”

Tiffany took a shaky breath, the memory of the attack still fresh and terrifying. “I was in the school gardens, taking a break between classes. This man... I didn’t recognize him. He came out of nowhere and attacked me.”

Zak’s grip on her hand tightened, a low growl rumbling in his chest. Tiffany squeezed back, drawing strength from his presence.

“He was so strong,” she continued. “I tried to fight back, but... if my students hadn’t shown up when they did...”

She trailed off, unable to finish the thought. Sia made a choked sound, reaching out to stroke Tiffany’s hair soothingly.

Queen Astra’s expression hardened. “This is unacceptable. An attack on you is an attack on the crown itself. We will find who’s responsible, I promise you.”

Gerri nodded in agreement, her eyes flashing with fury. “I am not going anywhere until I’m sure you will be safe here. We will figure out who this person is and make sure he doesn’t get away with it.”

Despite the gravity of the situation, Tiffany felt a bubble of laughter rise in her chest. It came out as more of a pained hiccup, but it seemed to break some of the tension in the room.

Zak leaned down, pressing a gentle kiss to Tiffany’s forehead. “Rest now, my love,” he murmured. “You’re safe here. I won’t let anyone hurt you again.”

As the healing technology worked its magic and exhaustion began to pull at her, Tiffany found herself believing him. She was scared, yes, and knew this attack was likely just the beginning of something bigger. But looking at the determined faces around her – Zak, Sia, Gerri, and Queen Astra – she felt a surge of strength.

Whatever was coming, she wouldn’t face it alone. This was her family now, her home. And she’d fight with everything she had to protect it.

FIFTEEN

Tiffany stirred awake, her eyes fluttering open to the soft golden light of Nova Aurora’s twin suns filtering through the gossamer curtains. She found herself cocooned in warmth, Zak’s strong arms wrapped around her, his steady breath tickling the nape of her neck. A couple weeks had passed since her arrival on this alien world, and yet waking up next to the panther king still sent a thrill through her.

Two days had passed since her attack and now she was healed and feeling perfect again. If only she could figure out who the man was. She racked her brain trying to think of why he attacked her.

As she shifted slightly, a low rumble caught her attention. At the foot of the bed, Nyx’s emerald eyes met hers, watchful and alert. The panther’s tail swished back and forth, his gaze never leaving Tiffany as she carefully extricated herself from Zak’s embrace.

“Good morning to you too, Nyx,” Tiffany whispered, her voice still husky with sleep. She padded across the plush carpet, heading for the en suite bathroom. To her amusement, Nyx rose and followed, positioning himself just outside the door.

As she went through her morning routine, Tiffany couldn’t help but marvel at the changes in Nyx’s behavior over the past few days. The panther had always been friendly, but ever since her attack, he’d become her constant shadow, vigilant and protective.

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