“What?” I asked, touching the mess that was my hair. There had been no comb inside, and I was sure I looked as if I’d been caught in a wind tunnel.

Naill’s brows lifted as he blinked slowly. “That was…impressive.”

My brows knitted. “What was?”

“You just hoisted yourself onto Setti,” Casteel said.

“So?” The corners of my lips turned down.

“You didn’t use the stirrup,” Kieran pointed out as Naill mounted the horse that Kieran stood beside.

“What?” My frown increased. “Are you sure I didn’t?” I must have. There would’ve been no way for me to seat myself on Setti without placing my foot in the stirrup or without aid. The horse was far too tall for me to have done that, nor did I have the kind of upper body strength required for that kind of feat without a nice running start.

And I would’ve probably failed spectacularly.

“You totally didn’t,” Naill confirmed. He stared at me with a bit of wonder that I figured had more to do with the fact that I wasn’t a vampry.

“Here.” Casteel stretched up, wiggling his hands. “Get down here for a moment.”

“I just got myself up here.”

“I know, but this will only take a second.” He wiggled his fingers again. “I want to see something.”

Sighing, I placed my hands in his and let him lift me off Setti, who watched us with an air of curiosity. I really hoped that none of them expected me to seat myself again with all of them watching. “What?”

Casteel dropped my hands and stepped back. “Hit me. Hard. Like you mean it.”

My forehead creased. “Why do you want me to hit you?”

Naill folded his arms over the pommel of the saddle. “That’s a good question.”

“Hit me,” Casteel urged.

“I don’t want to hit you.”

“That would be a first,” he replied, his eyes twinkling in the sunlight.

“I don’t want to hit you right now,” I amended.

Casteel was quiet for a moment and then turned to Kieran and Naill. “Did I ever tell you guys about that time I discovered Poppy perched outside a window, clutching a book to her chest?”

My eyes narrowed as Naill said, “No, but I have a lot of questions.”

“Cas,” I started.

He shot me a slow smile of warning. “She had this book—it’s her favorite. She even brought it with her when we left Masadonia.”

“I did not,” I stated.

“She’s embarrassed about it,” he went on, “because it’s a sex book. And not just any sex book. It’s full of all kinds of dirty and unimaginable—”

I snapped forward, punching him in the stomach.

“Fuck,” Casteel doubled over with a grunt as Naill let out a low whistle. “Gods.”

I crossed my arms. “Happy now?”

“Yeah,” he exhaled raggedly. “I will be once I can breathe again.”

I rolled my eyes.

“Damn.” Casteel looked up at me, his eyes slightly wide. “You are…strong.”

“Told you,” Kieran commented. “I told you she was strong.”