Bisma cut off the dream before it got out of hand. It could never be a reality; she would never abandon her sisters and the duties she had as their baji.
‘Let’s do the rest,’ Bisma said, clearing her throat. She reached for a leaf and began wrapping Mei’s upper arm. Xander got to work on her other arm, and they covered Mei’s skin until every inch was beneath a curing leaf.
It took a great deal of time because they had to ensure the tiny teeth of the leaf were sinking into her skin, then they had to wait for the poison to be sucked out. It was tedious work. After a few leaves, Bisma was already tired, and she saw that Xander was, too, his usually chipper mood dimming.
‘I can do it on my own,’ Bisma said. ‘You don’t have to.’
He arched a brow, looking across the table to her. ‘I’m positive you can,’ he said. ‘But not as good as me, surely.’
She narrowed her eyes, a fire flaring inside her. ‘Is that so?’
‘Go on, then,’ he said. ‘Prove me wrong.’
She scoffed. ‘As if that is a difficult task.’
Bisma got back to wrapping Mei’s skin, working faster than before, and she saw Xander do the same. They were racing to see who could get more done.
They had to wrap some areas multiple times because the leaves could only hold so much poison, but eventually they did it. It took a great deal of time—a few hours, at least—and by the end, they were both exhausted, but Bisma had done more. She ended up on Xander’s side, finishing Mei’s leg while Xander worked his way down.
‘Ha!’ she said, when the last of Mei’s skin cleared. ‘I win.’
Instead of being vexed, as Bisma had expected, Xander surprised her by laughing. He looked almost … pleased. She gave him an alarmed glance.
‘Since when are you so graceful in defeat?’ she asked, eyes narrowed. ‘You do realize I beat you, don’t you?’
He smiled, shaking his head. ‘Just happy to see you back to your ill-tempered self.’
She realized then that he’d done it on purpose. He had known that putting a competitive angle on their task would make the time pass faster, and indeed, it had. Tenderness for him poked her heart so powerfully, it was painful.
For a moment, Bisma considered doing something she would surely regret. But before she could act, a figure entered the greenhouse.
She and Xander both turned to see a slender woman in a long gown with intricate embroidery. It was a deep wine color that was striking against her creamy skin, and her copper hair was pulled back into a simple twist.
The famous and accomplished Eleanora Chapman.
‘Mother,’ Xander said, tone both vexed and affectionate.
‘Oh, I’m sorry, darling. I didn’t know you had company,’ she said, smiling fondly at him. ‘I was just checking in.’ Her green eyes turned to Bisma, who suddenly felt raggedy and unkempt.
‘Yes, just working on something,’ Xander said.
‘Why don’t you and your friend join me for breakfast and tell me all about it?’ Eleanora asked.
Xander turned to Bisma, and she felt like shrinking. A breakfast at the Chapman Estate was much too fancy for the likes of her; she doubted she would even know which fork to use. Rich people like Xander had multiple forks with their meals, which was just absurd.
Bisma shook her head.
Xander looked disappointed for a moment, but he turned back to his mother, saying, ‘No, thank you, Mother, we’re alright.’
‘Of course, dear,’ she replied. Her gaze turned curiously from her son to Mei on the table.
A protective edge came over Bisma; she stood in front of Mei, blocking Eleanora’s view.
Eleanora smiled, then turned and left.
Releasing a breath, Bisma turned to Mei, and Xander came to stand beside her.
‘It’ll be a bit before she wakes, I think,’ he said. He stretched, cracking his neck, then sighed. ‘I’ll be back.’
