The other injuries were far more severe. Deep cuts marred her arms and legs, weeping a viscous, yellowish fluid. I avoided pressing too hard as I worked, keeping my movements slow and deliberate. Yvonne handed me a soft cloth to wipe away the discharge before applying the cream. With each pained whistle that escaped through Georgie’s teeth, my heart ached.
Once I and Yvonne had hoisted her onto her back, Georgie paused, taking a moment to calm her labored breathing. I bit my lip, a grimace forming at the sight of the wounds. I knew Georgie bore the injuries from when I had carried her, but I hadn’t expected there to be so many and so dire.
Yvonne took her girlfriend’s hand, smoothing her sweaty hair from her face and moving it behind her ear as I scooped a handful of the cream and spread it on her back. Georgie flinched, but eventually, her entire body relaxed.
I caught her smile. “That’s better,” Georgie said with a sigh.
“There,” I said when I was done and then dragged the blanket back over her exposed body. “How is it?”
A tear slid down Georgie’s cheek. “I can still feel them, but . . . they don’t hurt anymore.”
I nodded, pleased that I could do something to help. “You should rest now. When you wake up, I think your fever might be gone as well.”
“Thank you. I know they are small words compared to what you did, but it’s all I have for now.”
I shook my head, dismissing her with a flick of my hand. As long as she was better, I didn’t need gratitude or for someone to put me on a pedestal.
“I don’t know if I could ever repay you, but I wish I could. I owe you so much more than my life,” she whispered. “You offered me more time with her.” Georgie smiled, glancing at Yvonne. “And more time to think about Sara, my daughter. Thank you again. I hope you’ll win. God knows you deserve it.”
My heart faltered, my chin slowly sinking into my chest. I wiped my hands on the cloth to keep myself busy. “You guys do too. The others as well.”
“Yes, but there’s only one winner.”
I watched as Yvonne slipped into bed next to Georgie and leaned down to kiss her forehead. I hoped Georgie wouldn’t ask the one question I couldn’t answer.
“Where did you get the cream?” Yvonne asked. I rolled the now empty container between my fingers, and when I opened my mouth to speak and silently closed it again, Yvonne understood. “It doesn’t matter. Thank you, Charisma.”
“Do you want something to eat??” I asked, grateful that Yvonne didn’t press for more.
She shook her head. “No, I’ll go out in a bit and bring her some food.”
“All right. I’ll see you later?”
Yvonne nodded, and I slipped out of the room, finding Theo still waiting.
“How is she?”
“Better.”
We ate, and like every single time, I feasted on the sweets first before any meats or carbohydrates. Three seats were vacant in the cantina, and as I took notice of it, the food felt as if it was sliding down my throat like stones.
Chapter 17
Charisma
“Iassumed that you would be happy about the changes,” Eros said later that night after he let me in. Tonight, he was dressed in fine linen, the crisp fabric a welcome change from yesterday’s lack of clothes.
I shook my head as we ascended the stairs. “It’s your house, Eros. If I say I don’t like the floor, would you change it?” I gave him a look but received a contemplating stare in return.
“I could arrange that.”
“No,” I said, stressing the word. “The right answer is no.”
The entire conversation seemed to bewilder Eros, and his eyes squinted as if trying to make sense of it all. “I am having trouble understanding. Why is it considered wrong to appease you, mortal?”
I stopped in front of the library door, remembering his promise of a quiet reading time while he finished his book. The notion was so appealing that I immediately agreed, even before he could finish proposing it.
“Why would you even want to please me?”
