Then, out of nowhere, pain erupted at the back of my head.
I barely registered the impact before collapsing to my knees, clutching my skull. My vision blurred, the world tilting dangerously as nausea surged through me.
“Wha…?” I tried to form words, but my tongue felt heavy.
Before I could steady myself, my body went limp. Arms grabbed me roughly, and through the haze, I recognized the scent.
Happing.
And then another voice, equally familiar: Derek.
“Did you really have to hit her that hard?” Derek’s voice was low and mocking, breaking through the fog in my mind.
“Don’t be dramatic,” Happing replied, his tone smug. “She’s tougher than you think. If I hadn’t done it, we’d still be chasing her through the forest.”
“Sure, but a clean hit would’ve sufficed,” Derek quipped. “That swing
