Kharon moved his head quickly, and winced with pain.
He tried to hide it, but it was too late, and dread replaced the heat of arousal.
The dim candlelight illuminated the white bandages covering the side of his head.
Dark spots danced in my vision, and I couldn’t breathe—there was a new crushing pressure inside my chest, pinning me to the bed.
Memories played—Kharon kneeled over me in the pouring rain, his eyes flashing with incandescent fury. He lifted a knife past his cheek, held my gaze, and … sliced.
“You …” I pointed with a shaking finger to the side of his head.
Kharon smirked casually. “Yes, I gave you my ear. It’s not a big deal.”
My jaw clicked as it opened and closed.
“My l-left ear,” I breathed out with horror.
My vision went black.
He’d sewed his ear onto the side of my head that hadirreversibleinternal damage. The side that was deaf.
“What have you done?”
Covering my face, I burst into tears.
“It’s really not a big deal.” Kharon’s voice was laced with confusion. “You needed an ear, and I had one. It’s an old Spartan tradition, and I like …” He cleared his throat. “I like that I could give you a piece of myself. It’s an apology for how we trapped you in marriage—acta non verba.”
I sobbed harder.
Deeds, not words.
“Deep breaths. You’re okay,” Nyx hissed from where Fluffy Jr. was lying on the floor. She slithered onto the bed, invisiblescales wrapping around my waist. “Don’t blame yourself—it’s not your fault he’s an idiot.”
My heart cracked with regret, because I should have stopped him. I should have said something.
Kharon wouldn’t have done it if he’d known I was partially deaf. No one in their right mind would have.
“Please … don’t cry.” Kharon crawled onto the bed and kneeled beside me, his face twisting with panic.
Augustus gently pushed curls off my forehead.
I sniffled, gasping for air, as I wiped at my nose and gathered my courage.
Taking a deep breath, I looked straight into Kharon’s eyes.
“My left ear was …”
“Your left ear was—what?” His brows furrowed.
Augustus kept gently stroking my hair away from my face.
I closed my eyes.
“I’m partially deaf,” I blurted, ripping the bandage off. “Your sacrifice was useless—I can’t hear out of this ear anyway.”
Augustus’s hand stilled on the top of my head.
It was dead silent.
