Chapter Sixteen:
The shouted “Wake up!” was matched with an equally unpleasant backhand to Kai’s face. The jarring slap rattled his brain, but his eyes refused to open.
Something or someone choked Kai awake. “What did you do now?” The words registered only as a dream.
Groggy, the healer, struggled to open his eyes, only to find an unfocused Gia standing over him. The front of Kai’s robes were twisted in the dragon hunter’s unyielding grip. Held steady, an open hand was ready to slap Kai again. By the pain in his head, the dragon hunter might have started without him awake some time ago.
Kai raised his arms, blocking his face. A weak defense against the much stronger half-elf standing over him.
Tucker appeared behind the half-elf and put her oversized claws on his shoulder. “I can assu
