Chapter 20

Seris’s POV

“Shit, Seris!” Kaien’s voice crackled with shock as he realized it was me he was with. His brow furrowed in concern. “Are you okay?”

Before I could answer, he knelt and scooped me into his arms in a smooth bridal carry. A warm fuzziness blossomed in my chest; did he truly care this much?

“I’m fine,” I protested, even as a sharp stab of pain flared in my elbows. I tried to shift away, but his hold was gentle, protective.

His worried gaze never wavered as he carried me a short distance until we reached a large oak tree whose branches dappled the ground with shade. There, he gently set me down on the cool grass.

“You’re free,” I told him, flexing my scraped arms to test them. He crouched beside me, inspecting the shallow scratches on my skin with tender eyes. My heart melted at his display of genuine concern.

A slow smile curved his lips. “Yes.” He opened his arms and pulled me into a warm hug so close that my breath caught. “All t