Ayla’s POV “I don’t think you should pet that,” Kael muttered, his hand reaching out to catch my forearm.“Why not? It’s so cute.” I leaned in a little closer, tilting my head.The pup’s ears flattened instantly, and a low, vicious snarl vibrated from its tiny chest, baring a row of surprisingly sharp teeth.“Oh… okay. You’re not friendly, are you?” I took a hasty step back, bumping right into Kael’s solid chest.“Sorry,” I said awkwardly. I hated how my heart kept fluttering when I made contact with him. “Sacred creatures make their homes in forbidden lands, where they won’t be disturbed,” Kael explained, his eyes scanning the dense undergrowth around us. “I think this one is guarding something. We need to be careful.”“Okay, let’s just pluck the flower and leave.”“It’s not going to be that easy. I can sense a threat nearby.”Before I could ask what he meant, Kael stepped ahead of me, his eyes locked on the glowing petals of the rare bloom of the moon-lily. He reached out, moving
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