“I’m loyal to him for many reasons.” He rose to tower over her. “I should check on Darice now.”

She watched as he made his way to the small, black tent. Dang, that surly male had the most predatorial walk of any creature she’d ever met. Loose limbed and sexier than it ever should be. And she knew the minute he ungagged his nephew. Darice let loose with a string of foul curses for his uncle.

“Stop, or I’ll gag you again.”

“Why? Does my truth offend you?”

“No,” Hauk snarled. “Your tongue offends me. Now bite it or lose it.”

“I vote he cuts it out for all our sanities. What do you think?”

Sumi started to smile at Thia’s words until she saw the huge black cat by the girl’s side. Gasping, she scooted away from it.

“Don’t panic,” Thia said quickly, stroking the cat’s head. “It’s just Illyse. She only attacks when I tell her to, or whenever someone attacks me.”

Her heart still pounding, Sumi returned to her seat. “You are a scary woman, Thia.”

A slow grin spread across her face. “You should meet my father sometime.”

“Only if I’m heavily armed.”

Thia laughed. “Trust me. It won’t matter if you are. In fact, you’re more likely to survive if you’re not. Then, he might take pity on you and show mercy. Armed, you’re on your own, and that’s a very terrifying place to be with him on your tail.”

“I think you enjoy scaring people.”

Thia shrugged. “We all need a hobby.”

“I hear crochet is the most therapeutic and calming.”

Sitting down by her side, Thia wrinkled her nose. “I strangely like you.”

Sumi opened her mouth to respond in kind then froze as she saw Hauk coming out of the tent, holding Darice by the belt of his pants while his nephew squirmed and insulted him more. “What the…?”

“Oh Lord,” Thia breathed before she ran to head Hauk off. She held her arms out to block his path. “Don’t do it.”

A tic beat a furious rhythm in Hauk’s jaw. “Thia, get out of my way. I’m going to drown him. I mean it this time.”

“Please, Uncle. Don’t. Let me do it, I’ve earned the right after this last week with him.”

Trying not to laugh, Sumi rubbed at her brow as Hauk and Thia argued over who had more reasons to kill Darice while Darice continued to shout obscenities at them both. Confused, the fierce lorina circled around their small group like it was trying to figure out which one it should bite.

Since it’d been just her and her sister at home, and there had been a large age gap between them, they’d never really fought.

Not like this.

Sumi blew a loud whistle to get their attention. “Guys?”