Zoe POV

I tear free and we separate — Vark shaking his shoulder, me landing four paws on the ground and immediately reading the distance between us. My right flank is burning where his claws caught me on the way through, three lines of heat running parallel that I'm aware of and not thinking about. I've had worse. I'll take worse again before this is over.

That's fine. I don't need to walk out clean. I need to walk out.

I reset my footing and let the pain register once, ...