“Got any more of that sleeping poison?” I grumbled.
Maz laughed, but it was Aiden who answered. “I have something that will help.”
My stomach flipped over. “I’m dressed now.”
We all turned around at the same time.
I frowned at Maz and Aiden. “You aren’t going to change your pants?”
“Nah, we’ll sleep without them,” Maz said.
My eyebrows shot up.
His smile turned playful. “What, do you sleep fully clothed, princess?”
“Don’t call me that,” I snapped. Gods, that was thelastnickname I needed. “As a bodyguard, I had to be ready at a moment’s notice. So, no, not a lot of time for lounging in bed naked.”
“Well, now’s your chance?—”
“Enough, Mazkull.” Aiden’s voice lashed like a whip. “You forget.”
Instead of arguing, Maz glanced at him, and they had a strange, wordless conversation between themselves. Something I’d been able to do with my brother and sister when we were younger.
Maz abruptly nodded, facing me again. “You’re right. Forgive me, Kiera. That was brutish of me, considering what you’ve been through.”
Aiden must have told him the story about Julian. I waved away his apology. “Nothing to forgive. I... I think I just need to rest.” And not say anything else I’d regret.
“Of course,” Maz said quickly. “Take one of the hammocks.”
Aiden stepped closer to me. “First, let me check your ribs.”
I wrapped my arm protectively around them. “No.”
“I need to make sure they aren’t cracked.”
“Let him, Kiera,” Ruru spoke up from the corner where he’d made a nest of blankets to curl up in. “He knows healing.”
“Learned from the best.” Maz slapped Aiden on the back, clearly forgetting Aiden’s wounds until Aiden winced. “Fucking Four, sorry, brother.”
“See?” I said, pointing at Aiden. “You need to take care of yourself first.”
A muscle pulsed in his jaw. “Have you ever had to heal cracked ribs?”
I pursed my lips.No.I doubted they were little more than bruised from what my probing fingers could tell. But he might leave me behind if he thought they were worse.
“Fine,” I agreed, not meeting his gaze.
Never let an enemy see how wounded you are.
But an ally would, and that was what I needed Aiden to think we were.
His next words sent a tremor through my body: “Lie down.”
Chapter 8
Kiera
I gritted my teeth,trying to hate the command despite its soft delivery.
