Page 47 of The Highseer's Mate

I grit my teeth as she pulls herself to her feet and wobbles a bit.

“Whoa there.” I grab her by the shoulders. Once she’s solid on her feet she brushes me off.

“Answers, let’s go,” she barks.

I turn my head, inclining it to the place where Varek and Draxel stand, both staring at us.

Ryan sucks in a sharp breath.

“They aren’t bad, I promise.”

“That’s the one that took you, right?” She asks.

I nod.

“And the other one?”

Your mate, I want to say. But I hold my tongue. “A hunter. They are called Vruts.”

“Vruts? More like fucking brutes.”

I roll my eyes. “Brutes that just saved your life.”

Ryan scoffs, her shoulder slamming into mine as she takes off for the other women still huddling by the edge of the ship. “Yeah? I don’t see Cristina over there safe and sound.”

Her words hit me like a ton of bricks and the air surges from my lungs.

They blame me. Or at least Ryan does.

As they should.

With Varek and Draxel at my side, we approach the women. Everyone looks terrified except for Ryan who is rubbing her cheek and working out her jaw.

“I know this is a lot to take in,” I say, looking at my friends, “but these guys are actually good. They have a home not too far from here. Shelter. Food. And a healer.” I point in the direction of the glowhollow so that Varek knows what I’m saying.

Varek’s hands crush into fists at his sides. We hadn’t discussed it, but he had to know after this attack that I would never be okay leaving them out here. It was only a matter of time before the Thachiens came back and by the look of Melina, she wasn’t going to last long unless Selvara got a look at her.

And maybe even then she’s still might not survive.

“And Cristina?” Lara asks. “Who were those things? Where did they take her?”

I let out a ragged breath. “Those are Thachiens. Look, as much as I want to go after her, right now we can’t.”

“Why?” Lara presses.

“They took her into a really dangerous area. When we get back, Varek and I will approach the council to see if they will send some hunters out to find her. But for now—”

“But for now, what? We just let them take her? We assume she’s dead?” Ryan asks. “Great.”

I look to Varek, whose eyes are distant, and I hate that I feel so far away from him. He doesn’t look back at me.

“Right now, the most important thing is getting you guys safe. We can hike to the glowhollow.”

“But Melina—” Nicole says.

I cut her off. I would ask Varek to carry her, but the slash on his back is too deep. “Draxel? Would you be able to carry our friend?”

He bows his head, his eyes always on Ryan.

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