dead.” Laed’s grip tightened noticeably on Bea’s shoulder
No more time to think. The power rose inside her, hot and strong. Her eyes locked with Bea’s. Cami felt her body relax and her worries fall away. She heard the soft woosh of her pulse as the magic rushed to her command.
Her vision narrowed to Bea and the man behind her. She let her eyes slowly close for a moment as she gathered the power. Her eyes snapped open. She pushed everything into surrounding Bea with her magic. Cami saw Bea’s eyes widen and then she was gone. A blink later and she stood right in front of Cami.
A scream sounded and then there was a distinct thud of metal. Cami grabbed Bea and pushed her behind her. She gasped in breaths, trying to pump up her suddenly flagging energy. She expected to see Laed rushing at her. Her eyes widened as she saw Laed stagger to the side. Trisha swung a wooden mallet, hitting him in the jaw. He stumbled back and fell to the floor. The women swarmed him, kicking him and hitting with anything they could find.
Men rushed into the room from behind her and the door at the back of the room so suddenly that she wondered if they’d been waiting outside. She shook her head. Male Santir wouldn’t risk a woman being harmed. She didn’t have the energy to give it much thought. She leaned heavily on a nearby counter and struggled to keep from collapsing to the floor in a puddle.
“Are you hurt?” Tyson walked over to her after Laed was secured and carted out of the kitchen.
“He didn’t touch me. Just really tired.” She took a deep breath. Blinking hurt and she’d like nothing more than to close her eyes and sleep. Even when she’d been on the run, she’d never felt this exhausted.
About that time, she heard the whispered explanations of what had happened. She knew Tyson heard them too, but he didn’t seem as surprised as some of the other men.
“I’m going to hear about this from Colm and Linc, aren’t I?” She wearily raised her head and looked up at him again.
“Probably, but not because you did it. They’ll yell at you because doing it left you vulnerable. You couldn’t have even run in the state you’re in now.” Tyson grinned. “That will be after you sleep, so you’ll get a little reprieve. There isn’t anything that’s going to keep you awake for long now.”
That was a little comforting, but also a little worrying. They were going to be frustrated by the wait for her to wake. It wasn’t going to improve their mood.
“Don’t forget that they’ll probably be furious that you even came to this room instead of going to the safety of your haven. They’ll get over it. Come on. The chatar said to get you to your room before you fall down.” Lana walked over and gently took Cami’s arm. “No doubt the Ardin would be angry over that too.”
Cami smiled and yawned widely. Too right. No argument would satisfy them. They’d point out she wouldn’t be exhausted if she’d stayed in a safe place. As for falling, that would give them fuel for their argument. She tried to focus her eyes as they walked down the corridor to the stairs.
“Bea and the others in the kitchen told me to tell you that after today, if any of the other women bother you, they’d take care of it for you.” Lana urged her up the steps.
Cami lost track of what Lana said after that. The sound of her voice seemed to fade in and out. She only wanted to find somewhere to sit down and rest. Cami finally reached the room she now shared with Linc and Colm. Lana urged her inside and then closed the door. Cami made it over to the bed before the exhaustion finally took her. She curled up on the soft mattress and let her eyes finally close.
Colm combed his fingers through her soft, black hair. She lay limply in his arms, but her warmth and the steady beat of her heart reassured him. His heart pounded in his chest. He could still taste the cold metallic tang of fear that had rushed through him as they’d hurried back to the Thent.
One of the men with them had a tierna bond with a man still at the Thent. So they’d been running back even as Cami was in the kitchen with that man. Even