I arched a brow at Sagitta, who stared back at me with an expression that probably translated as:I know, but what the hell am I supposed to do about him?
“So, are there any other healers at this temple?” I asked, trying not to sound as irritated as I felt.
“Ha, ha, no. You’re looking at the only one.” Hartford tilted his head at Sagitta. “Gotta suture you up now. Want to hold your boyfriend’s hand?”
I blushed even though I knew he was just trying to get a rise out of us.
“No,” Sagitta said, icy and sharp. “Just stitch me up, please.”
Hartford chuckled. “You Sangkaew boys always wanna look tough. But all right.”
Dread crawled down my spine. I’d gotten stitches before and they hurt like hell, and those were just for a normal mortal injury. How badly would these supernatural stitches hurt?
I strode over to Sagitta’s side and took his hand.
His eyes, which had been clenched shut, snapped open wide as he stared at me.
“It’s my fault you got hurt,” I said, rubbing my thumb across the back of his hand. “The least I can do is help you through this.”
His gaze wavered with emotion. Then he closed his eyes again and gently squeezed my hand. He didn’t need to say ‘thank you’ out loud for me to understand his gratitude.
For all his attitude, Hartford was skilled—and fast. A minute later, Sagitta’s wound was neatly stitched and all cleaned up. It looked less like a nasty bite and more like a fading paper cut.
“Wow,” I said. “I’m impressed.”
“Am I good to go?” Sagitta asked, already sitting up.
“Yup.” Hartford snapped off the gloves and tossed them in the garbage, then looked at me. “You thought I was a hack, didn’t you?”
“Uh, I probably shouldn’t answer that...”
To my surprise, he let out a short laugh. “You’re all right, kid. Just don’t get possessed again. Sagitta works hard enough already. He doesn’t need to be your babysitter, too.”
I winced at a sudden pang of guilt.
“I’ll try not to,” I promised.
For Sagitta’s sake, I prayed hard that the exorcism took.
Although he had a slight limp, Sagitta was able to walk on his own. I’d enjoyed carrying him, but even my big, buff arms needed a break. Besides, I was just relieved to know he felt better.
“What was in that weird green bottle, anyway? An ultra-magical potion?” I asked as we stepped outside the doctor’s office.
Sagitta shuddered, as if recalling the taste. “You don’t want to know...”
The morning sun’s rays slanted through the roof and across the polished wooden floors. I raised my hand to block the light. Something about the early morning atmosphere filled me with hope, like I was awake before the city itself and I could do anything I wanted.
“So, now what? Do we go back to my place?” I asked.
Sagitta looked thoughtful.
When he didn’t speak for a while, I said, “You must be tired after that big commotion. You could still sleep for a few more hours.”
“Why was there an imp in your apartment?” Sagitta mumbled as if he hadn’t heard me.
I frowned, frustrated at my own ignorance. I barely knew anything about Sagitta’s world. Being possessed by a demon didn’t even bless me with any secret, arcane knowledge. All it did was give me an annoying, donut-obsessed voice in my head.
And now that voice was gone, and I was no help at all.
