In the open clearing, sunlight fell harsh and bright across the broken ground.
Nia stood slowly, brushing dust from her clothes as she checked her body. Her mind was still catching up.
The last thing she remembered was jumping to grab Rhian, the two of them dangling from the claws of that monster, and then, nothing. Only a blur of falling darkness.
She glanced sideways.
The only person who could fill in the blanks was still unconscious.
Rhian lay on his side a few feet away, motionless except for the slow rise and fall of his chest. Nia's eyes lingered on him, taking in the changes she couldn't ignore.
He was different.
His body, though not bulky, looked tougher now, like every muscle had been compacted into something dense and dangerous.
His skin was pale but healthy, and along his arms, thin black scales traced upward like natural armor.
They weren't obvious from a distance, but up close, they looked very beautiful and smooth.
