Elara yanked Serena out of Dex's arms. Harder than she meant to.
Serena registered the pressure, the urgency, and knew Elara would not have done that unless it mattered.
"Please excuse us," Elara said smoothly, already pulling Serena down the corridor.
They didn't speak until they were out of earshot.
"You have a rash on your neck," Elara commented. "I know you heard something. Where do you need to go?"
Serena smiled faintly. "Damn, you're too good sometimes."
She turned without explanation, taking a narrow passage that led downward, toward the library. Elara followed immediately, close enough to be a shadow.
Alert. Tense. Already halfway to violence on Serena's behalf.
It was only then that Serena became aware of the heat. And not just the mark burning on her arm. All of her. She was burning up.
She slipped her cloak off and draped it over the back of a chair just inside the library entrance. Elara did the same without comment.
