Kaia’s POV

They were both looking at me and waiting for an answer and Aliyah’s smirk was widening as though she thought she had smartly found a way to kick me out of the team.

I was parting my mouth with no idea of what to say until a piercing scream shattered the silence.

Aliyah clutched her leg, collapsing onto the sandy path.

“I’ve been bitten!” she cried.

Finally, a distraction.

Lyra’s gaze snapped to the ground, scanning around.

“There!” She pointed, her voice sharp and trembling. A forest scorpion was skittering away.

Aliyah groaned, tearing a piece of her clothing from her tattered skirt and wrapping it around her...