“She’s just a kid.” No one with so much life ahead of them should be robbed of living every moment of it.

As a mermaid, Flipper was in her element as far as the others were concerned. But at this rate her element was going to snap her spine like a twig, assuming it didn’t drown her first.

“I don’t know if I have enough juice for this.” Thierry stood and shook out her arms, and the left one lit up with green light that shone from her runes. “Go stand with the others. I need room to work.”

“I can help.” I fanned the fingers of my right hand, and this time I let the rush of adrenaline nudge my fingernail until it flaked off and the hollow spur curved over my fingertip. I extended my hand toward her. “I’ll need a drop of blood.”

Fingers curling into her palm, she stared at her runes, and their light reflected in her eyes. Blood was a powerful weapon that could fuel harmful spells that targeted the donor. All those grim possibilities washed over her face, but her composure broke when Flipper screamed, and she set her jaw. “Don’t make me regret this.”

Thierry gripped my hand and hauled me onto my feet. “Little pinch,” I warned her as the spur pierced the back of her hand. A drop of blood welled before she healed the wound. Her magic crushed me under a wave that sent me crashing to my knees. Searing pain marked my left hand, and phantom runes danced over my skin.

“Freaking monkeys,” she muttered. “Shaw? Little help here.”

The skin covering my arm stung and tightened. I wasn’t strong enough to act as a conduit for so much power. It was cooking me from the inside. I had to force it out again before it burnt me to a crisp. Instinct guided me to extend my arm toward Flipper. Energy burst from my palm, shimmering across the choppy expanse and leaving steam in its wake. It pierced the surface of the water with a hiss. Flipper cried out as the pulse swept through her. Limbs twitching, her head fell limp on her shoulders.

The thing holding her gargled a furious roar.

Thierry grasped my wrist and slammed my palm into the dirt. “Do that again, and you’ll kill her.”

I nodded to show I understood since my mouth wasn’t working yet, and let the remaining power leach into the soil.