Emil tried to control his body, and instead of letting the panic sweep him away, he concentrated on Joy. She overbalanced on a rock by the shore, and he reached a hand to tug her back to her feet.
“Oops!” she exclaimed briefly, then continued on her way, the too big boots making her stumble here and there.
Oops, indeed. Emil wasn’t ashamed of freaking out or even Joy’s little outburst afterward. He was f*****g annihilated by his own prejudices and how he could see them hurting Makai. He just hoped Makai didn’t think he was racist. Sure, he’d been surprised as f**k when the big guy had used the word “trigger” so casually, but he hadn’t meant anything by it, and now Makai was hurt.
Joy babbled about things as they made the slow trek back to her side of the little lake. The day had started
