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The woman grins, turning back to me. “Okay, I get it now. This morning I overheard someone saying Bellamy was bonded by a group of unhinged mysts, but they left out that it was part of their appeal. Sorry I didn’t come meet you sooner; gossip takes a little longer to reach my neck of the tunnels. I’m Kiara.”

Violet hair hangs a few inches past her shoulders, the color so rich it practically shimmers in the light.

Bright blue-green eyes make her look like something out of an anime come to life .

Even the streaks of ash across her blue tunic do nothing to detract from how gorgeous she is, making her seem more down to earth and approachable.

Snapping out of my stunned stupor, a blush creeps up my neck when I realize I’ve been staring way too long to be polite and extend a hand. “Ever.”

Darting a swift glance over her shoulder, she steps closer and reaches inside the leather pouch at her hip before shaking my hand, discreetly passing something over. My fingers curl around the object automatically, heart skipping a beat in recognition.

She offers a wink and uses her body as cover while I slip the knife that’d been stolen from me into my own hip satchel. I’ll add it back to my boot where it belongs when there aren’t so many eyes on us, but if nothing else, it makes me instantly like this woman.

And worry about why she thinks I need to be armed against her own people.

“Thanks for stepping in.”

“My pleasure, I was looking for you anyway.” She beams and points at Arson. “I was sent to patch up your mate.”

Myles frowns. “What do you mean?”

“Doc refuses. He’s pretty pissed that you guys sent so many people to his med wing, but Elder Naomi insisted, so,” she shrugs, “looks like you’re stuck with me. I figure the worst that can happen is I lop it off. Really, what’s he going to do, chase after me with one leg?”

“That… doesn’t really inspire much confidence,” Myles says with a grimace.

Kiara throws her hair up in a ponytail, unperturbed. “I don’t see anyone else lining up to heal him.”

“Don’t you hate us for hurting your friends too, though?”

She snorts. “Are you kidding me? This is the most exciting thing that’s happened in my life.

Well, besides Bellamy going AWOL. But strangers breaking the wards?

We all could have died!” Despite her words, she has an excited grin on her face.

Dropping to a seat, she crosses her legs and pats the ground in front of her. “Alright, lay down, demon.”

Myles looks apprehensive, gaze bouncing between the dirty sand at our feet and his brother. “Right here? Shouldn’t we go somewhere more… sterile?”

“The ground absorbs blood way better than a table.” At his widening eyes, she laughs. “Kidding, kidding.” Under her breath, she mumbles, “Sort of.”

Well that’s comforting.

I don’t get the feeling that she’s here to hurt us though. Otherwise why would she sneak me a weapon? Or bother with Arson’s leg at all when he’s slightly less of a threat leaving it broken?

Unless she wasn’t joking and actually is going to cut it off, or do something to incapacitate him while his guard’s down…

I blow out a heavy breath, torn, but Arson takes the decision out of my hands by lowering himself to the ground, eyes narrowed on her. “If you’re planning to attack me, you’ll understand that it doesn’t matter if you're a girl; I’ll have to kill you.”

She grins like his threats are the best thing to ever happen to her. “I’d expect nothing less.” Glancing over her shoulder at me, she teases, “Outsiders really are ruthless. And you not only survived them, but tamed them? Damn girl, I’m kind of fangirling right now.”

Okay, so she’s just stir-crazy and has no sense of self-preservation. Noted.

From her hip pouch, Kiara pulls out a portable mini saw. “For your cast, not to hack your leg off.” Arson slowly nods, eyeing her with skepticism as she begins slicing open his cast and slowly frees his leg.

“Okay, so it’s been a hot minute since I’ve healed anything this severe, but it’s like riding a bike, right?

” As she reaches for his leg, she attempts to conceal a wince.

“Small flash of pain, then all systems go. Anything other than that, feel free to interrupt me, sound good? Otherwise, shut up and let me concentrate.”

Losing more faith with every passing moment, I watch with bated breath as she closes her eyes, hands hovering above his leg and emanating a soft, silver glow.

As the veins in her arms gradually turn black, spreading across her skin like spiderwebs, my anxiety ramps up.

The only things that stop me from intervening are the fact that her lips twist in a grimace, hands trembling slightly and the bead of sweat that trickles down her temples.

If she wanted to hurt him, she’s hurting herself to pull it off.

A few tense minutes later, she puffs out an exhausted breath, slumping backwards. Chest heaving, she asks, “How does it feel?”

Arson tentatively gets to his feet, testing that his leg will hold his weight.

As soon as it doesn’t crumple beneath him, he lights up, gaining confidence as he walks around like it was never injured.

Finally, he turns his attention to Kiara, dipping his head in respect.

“If I end up slaughtering everyone on our way out, I’ll conveniently skip you. ”

She barks out a laugh, meeting my eye. “I don’t know why they’re complaining, he’s hilarious.”

“He’s not joking.”

That smile only widens. “Even better. Can’t hate a man that puts his money where his mouth is to protect his mate.”

“Bellamy is great, but he’s used to training regular mysts, ironically enough. He’s the only mimic on the retrieval team,” Kiara says.

“I don’t understand why it’s so hard,” I groan, reclining back on my hands and glaring up at the ceiling.

“It’s not like I haven’t borrowed their powers before!

I’m just stuck on needing to completely concentrate to do it.

” But even as the words leave my lips, they feel wrong.

“No… actually, I borrowed all of their abilities in the heat of the moment before we realized I was a mimic.”

Kiara offers me a sad, knowing smile, tucking a lock of her vibrant purple hair behind her ear. “So maybe you can only borrow your mates’ powers.”

I frown. “That’s a possibility? Why wouldn’t Bell have mentioned it?”

She snorts derisively. “Because everything’s always come easy to him, especially when we were kids.

Bellamy found his niche with computers when he was like…

nine, I think? And was training his first team in his teens.

I doubt he’s ever stopped to think about what it was like for the rest of us, and that not every mimic is capable of the same things he is. ”

She studies me curiously for a moment before clapping her hands and shoving to her feet.

“That’s it, I’m firing your mate. Consider me officially your trainer now.

” Stretching out a hand to help me up, she offers a small smirk.

“I hope you’re ready to hate me, Ever, because we’ve got no time to waste.

Kingdoms to slay, men to bring to their knees. ”