Perfect.
He turned off the stove, grabbed a bowl, ladled soup into it, and grabbed a spoon.
As he stepped out of the kitchen, the men looked up from where they were seated by the table.Ezra was surprised to see them there.He'd believed they'd gone to bed."If you're hungry, there is chicken soup.I didn't bake any bread."Damn, he should've baked bread.
The men rose as one and hurried into the kitchen.Ezra ignored them and headed toward the door.He needed to get the soup to Jiprix.He couldn't believe Shixyll had done that to him.Jiprix was one of her most loyal followers.He'd never be the same.
Since he wasn't bleeding out, Nataz must have stopped it, but there was still a risk of infection, and he would be scarred for the rest of his life.When Shixyll shrank his skin, she always stopped before it burst.It still hurt like hell, but the only time he'd seen her allow it to rip was when she'd killed his cat.
He shuddered and wanted to run back to his room and cuddle Harold.
The night air was cold and the steam from the bowl raced toward the sky.When he neared the door to the hut Rourke had taken Jiprix to, it opened and Rourke stepped out.
"Do you know where the office is?"
Ezra believed he did.He hadn't gone there, but he was sure he'd be able to find the right door.
"Come there when you're done.We'll be there."He bent and kissed Ezra's cheek.
"There is chicken soup in the kitchen.There were two men there, I said they could eat, so if you want some, you better hurry."
Rourke chuckled."I'll let people know, and they can take a bowl to the office if they're hungry."
Ezra surprised himself by tilting his head in a silent request for another kiss.Never had he believed he'd do something like that, but Rourke brushed his lips over Ezra's as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
"See you in a bit."
Ezra nodded and walked into the hut.There was a fire crackling in a wood-burning stove in the corner, and Jiprix was resting on a single bed.
"Hey."
Jiprix opened his eyes.
"Can you sit?I have chicken soup.No time to bake any bread, but hopefully, it'll help some."
Jiprix gave him a small nod, but it was a struggle to get him into a sitting position.
* * * *
Chapter 20
Rourke looked around the table.Ulric, Geri, and Tala had bowls of chicken soup.Farkas and Due did not.
"Any theories on what this means?"Due cradled a cup of tea and was fiddling with the string to the teabag.
Rourke sighed."I'm assuming it has a dual purpose.The main one is to scare the witches, show them what happens if they go behind Shixyll's back to reach out to us.The second is to showus, I guess."
"A bit extreme."Farkas scrunched his nose."The guy asked for some cookies, and now he'll be forever scarred, given he doesn't get any infections and dies."
"Why dump him here, though?"Tala looked around the table.
"So we know what happens to witches we talk to?"Rourke wasn't sure.
"Yeah, but why should we care?"She held up a hand."I mean why does she believe we'd care?If she's evil enough to do something like this to her people, she can't possibly believe we'll feel compassion."
Rourke frowned."She knows Ezra, and he feels compassion."
Silence fell, then Geri nodded."Yeah.He's a weak, flawed witch in their eyes because he has empathy."
