"Need help with that?"
The smooth, incredibly familiar voice startled Ren so badly that her hands slipped.
CLANG!
The edge of the fifty-gallon cast-iron cauldron slipped from her grasp and slammed directly onto her big toe.
"Mother of pearl!" Ren shrieked.
She immediately released the cauldron completely and began hopping around the clearing on one leg, clutching her injured foot while hissing a colorful string of expletives.
A low, melodic laugh echoed through the clearing.
Ren stopped her frantic hopping just long enough to shoot a lethal glare at the intruder. Looking entirely too smug and effortlessly handsome, was Vex. His three fluffy, fiery-orange tails swayed lazily behind him.
"What are you doing here?!" Ren whisper-yelled, her eyes darting nervously up toward the tree canopy. "Are you insane? Kael is right up there in the tree!"
