Zara’s mouth flattened. “Fine.”
The wolf huffed at all of us, then trotted ahead. I gave it a wide berth. A squirrel familiar was one thing, but a wolf? I wasn’t about to interfere with that. Mitch stuck close to Zara’s dangling hand, nose bumping her fingers every few steps as if checking she was still in one piece.
And Liora?—
My gaze snagged on her. Mud streaked her jeans and jumper. A smear of blood marred her forearm. There was a cut at her temple I hadn’t noticed in the chaos, and she was moving stiffly, favoring her left side.
Everything in my body ached to go to her, but first, I had to get Zara somewhere Faelan could work properly.
Archie frantically waved us towards his lorry. Hilda had the side door flung open. Archie grimaced as we neared the truck, his white hair wild, thick eyebrows drawn together in concern. Hilda hovered close to him, her hand on his shoulder.
“Put Zara in here,” Archie barked. “Faelan, in with us.”
I eased Zara into the back seat of the lorry, careful of her leg. Faelan climbed in after her with a soft groan, already reaching for her bag of supplies.
“We’ll be getting your healing tea on for you,” Hilda said sharply, pointing at Faelan. “You’ll not be taking this pain into yourself.”
Faelan managed a tired smile. “Aye, ma’am.”
I let my hand rest on Zara’s shoulder for a beat. “You all right, Zara?”
She gave me a crooked smile. “Feels like someone played knucklebones with my tibia, but other than that? Grand.” Mitch hopped in next to her and she threaded her hand into his fur.
I snorted, some of the tightness in my chest easing.
I stepped back and shut the door, banged twice on the side to let Archie know we were good, then spun around, already searching.
Liora stood a little apart from the others, arms wrapped around herself, staring at the loch.
My stomach twisted.
She looked like she was folded in on herself.
“Liora,” I said, softly.
She startled like she’d forgotten anyone else existed, then turned. Her eyes were too wide, lashes clumped with tears. My heart broke open.
I didn’t care that she’d asked me for space. For once, I was thinking about my needs. And what I needed was her close.
I strode over, closing the distance in half a dozen steps, and without really thinking about it, I scooped her up.
She let out a startled squeak, hands flying to my shoulders.
“Torin!”
“You’re coming with me,” I muttered, hoisting her against my chest like she weighed next to nothing, all soft curves and trembling muscles. “I’m not letting you walk one more bloody step after that.”
Her fingers fisted in my shirt. “I can walk,” she protested weakly. “You already carried one of us today.”
“I’ve got two arms, haven’t I? And if you think I’m letting you limp along behind like an afterthought after you just flung yourself down a ravine for your sister, you’re dafter than I thought.”
Her breath hitched. “I didn’t—I mean, of course I did. It’s Zara.”
“Aye, it is.” Emotion burned the back of my throat. I dipped my head, pressing my mouth to her damp hair for the briefest of moments. “You scared the absolute shite out of me, lass.”
She went very still.
“I’m fine,” she said after a beat, too quickly. “Really. You don’t need to?—”