Page 17 of Claimed By the Alien Barbarian

Nevarn

“You’re sure you can walk with that wound?” Kerry asked, frowning at my belly.

Since she’d had to cut my tunic to help me, I wore only my pants.

“I jumped from the tree this morning,” I said.

“Yeah, but I’m sure you winced.” Her gaze traveled across my shoulders to my waist, and it felt like a caress, but I must be mistaken. She wasn’t attracted to me.

Was she?

“I’m nearly healed.” I turned my body until the sunlight peeking through the canopy highlighted my chest and abs. “See?”

She bent forward, a frown filling her face. “You do heal fast.”

Grinning, I puffed my chest. “They were just scratches.”

“I thought you were going to die of sepsis.” The worry in her voice fed my hope that she cared.

Tilting her chin up, I smoothed the lines of distress from her face with the pad of my thumb.

Her breath hissed, but she looked up at me, not stepping away.

“As for walking . . .” I couldn’t resist stroking her hair, coiling the thick band around my palm to hold her in place. “I’m a warrior. Strong. Nothing and no one is going to slow me down.”

Her swallow worked her throat, and her lips parted.

What would I give to kiss her?

Everything.

But when I leaned toward her, she scooted to the right, her gaze darting away from mine.

“Ready to go, Molly?” she croaked. “It’s time.”

When she hefted her pack, I took it from her. She had to show me how to strap it to my body so it hung on my chest, thankfully, not touching my biggest wound. I found the device ingenious. I’d speak to Helena about crafting some for my clansmales.

“I’m glad you’re okay,” Kerry said softly.

While she kicked dirt onto the smoldering coals of our morning fire, I closed my eyes and hummed, calling to whatever wood gods that might be in the area. Only one responded, and its whispered reply sounded sluggish. The gods here had been neglected too long. Was it possible to bring them back? After this was settled, and I’d returned to my clan, I’d send a clansmale here to try.

A stick shot from the woods and skidded across the ground, coming to a stop by my feet.

Kerry palmed the hilt of her knife and rushed to the tree, pressing her back against it while staring around wildly. “Attack,” she hissed. “Get down!”

Molly rose onto her haunches and studied the stick, her whiskers twitching.

I hefted it and examined it. “This will do.” I could work on the tip as we walked.

Kerry relaxed away from the tree and took a tentative step closer to me. “Did you . . . Nah. That’s not possible.”

“I asked the wood gods to send me an appropriate branch to make a spear, and one did.” I held the partly formed weapon out to her. “It’s straight and true, and the end only needs a bit of work.” When I hummed once more, a network of vines dropped from overhead.

Her breath sucking in fast, Kerry’s body jolted.

I lifted the vines and quickly wove them into the strap I’d need to hold my spear on my back.

“You . . .” She rubbed her face. “The trees did not give you a spear and vines to make a sheath.”

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