She looked young—no more than twenty. But the way she carried herself… it was as though a storm lived beneath her skin.
"That's her," someone whispered behind Sharky. "The one born of flame. The reason the Sekharii fear."
Sharky's gaze met hers.
For a moment, the fire in the hut dimmed, as though all heat and light had gathered around her.
Rosie's breath caught. Sophia leaned forward slightly.
And Sharky… he narrowed his eyes, sensing something. A strange familiarity, from her energy, but I wasn't able to guess what it.
The girl stepped closer.
She didn't smile, but simply looked at them, her eyes calm, curious, yet watchful.
"You're not from here," she said softly, her voice smooth and low.
Sharky nodded slowly. "No. We're not.."
The girl tilted her head, studying him for a heartbeat longer… then turned toward the elder.
She looked at the elder standing nearby. "You let strangers into the Flame Beasts Tribe?"
"They're not Sekharii," he answered.
