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“That I'm incredibly handsome?” he continues. “Charming? Witty? Or that I have rather impressive skill at surviving impossible situations?”

“Ren?” Scrambling to the cliff’s edge, I peer directly over the side, searching desperately for him, praying I’m not imagining the sound of his voice. “Where are—”

My breath catches when I see him clinging to a large boulder, protruding from the rushing water, near the top of the falls. Water streams down his face, slicking back his red hair, his fox-amber eyes locked onto mine. Despite his precarious position, he flashes a teasing grin. “Did you miss me?”

“Oh, Ren.” Relief washes through me, and Finik squeaks excitedly, hopping up and down at my side, echoing my joy. “You’re alive.”

Worry grips me anew as water pounds relentlessly against the rock he’s clinging to. “Hold on. I’ll use my power to help you up.” I raise my hands, struggling to call upon my magic. Exhaustion drags at me, but I force myself to push through. “Don’t move.”

“No problem.” He exhales a rough, breathless laugh. “I’ll just wait right here, shall I?” he teases. “And when you rescue me, you can finish telling me all the things you wished you’d saidwhen you thought I was gone.” A handsome smirk curls his lips. “I’m dying to hear all the details.”

Embarrassment heats my cheeks but I push it back down as I concentrate. Closing my eyes, I draw in a deep and steadying breath. Heat fills my palms as magic swirls between my fingers like wisps of green smoke before I send it into the ground.

Green vines surge up through the soil, unfurling and thickening as they stretch down to Ren and coil tightly around his waist. Once I’m sure they’re strong enough to hold onto him, I raise my hands, directing the vines to pull him back to safety.

My arms tremble as I set him on the riverbank beside me.

Soaking wet, he collapses onto his back, panting heavily.

For a moment, I can’t do anything but stare at him, still in disbelief that he’s alive. My shock gives way to joy, and he lets out a startled ‘oof’ when I throw myself into his arms.

“Sorry.” I start to jerk back, remembering his injuries too late, but he tightens his hold, embracing me just as fiercely in return.

Finik scurries up onto Ren’s shoulder and nuzzles his cheek.

Ren huffs a tired laugh, his amber eyes flicking between the two of us. “Perhaps I should almost die more often. I’ve never been greeted this enthusiastically before.”

I lightly swat his shoulder. “That’s not funny.”

He winces, and guilt stabs through me again. “I’m so sorry, Ren.” I sit up, my gaze traveling over his battered and bloodied form. “You’re hurt. We need to—”

“I’ll be fine,” he assures me. “It’s not that bad.”

Not that bad? He looks like death warmed over.“We need to find you a healer.”

“My kind heal quickly. I’ll be all right.” His gaze shifts to the forest around us. “We need to move. We must find shelter before nightfall.”

“Do you think Sevryn survived?” Worry tightens my chest as I think of the Wolf Shifter. “Do you think he’ll come after us?”

“Yes.” Tension lines Ren’s features as he gives me a grim look. “And I doubt he’s the only one the witch sent to hunt us.”

A chill runs down my spine.

He pushes himself to his feet. “We need to get you out of those wet clothes before you freeze.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice our travel pack, caught on a fallen limb at the edge of the water. Ren follows my gaze and then moves to retrieve it. He picks it up, staring at it curiously when he realizes it’s still dry, along with the contents inside.

“How did this survive the water?”

“It was Drusilla’s. She used it to bring me supplies,” I explain. “She spelled it to protect it from the rain.”

I take it from him, slinging it across my shoulders. “I can walk,” I tell him, not wanting him to feel as though he needs to carry me while he’s injured.

Ren shakes his head. “We need to travel fast.”

Before I can argue, he shifts back into his Fox form and crouches down, lowering his back for me to climb up.

I scowl. “Ren, you’re wounded. You shouldn’t carry me. You need to rest.”