Chapter 21

“I’m not their child!” Neivayka broke, finally hoping it would bring her back immediately.

Instead, the sea swallowed Iola as if she were nothing more than a mirage on the water. The sun burned so brightly that Neivayka was forced to close her eyes to keep her sight.

Then there was nothing.

“Neivayka,” hissed a familiar voice startling her awake.

“Wha-” she murmured loudly.

“Shhh. The camp is asleep! We have to get you away from them before the hunters awaken.”

Cracking one eye open drowsily, Neivayka’s couldn’t quite recognize the figure standing in front of her.

“Nesha?” she whispered in disbelief when her foggy brain cleared.

“Who the hell else would it be in this Gods forsaken place?” Nesha growled. “Now get your butt moving. We gotta go!”

Neivayka scrambled up as quickly as she could. But her legs were cramped from the close quarters, and she ended up falling, head over heels, right into a box full of the loudest shattering pottery.