“Yes,” breathed Kade.
Hokda turned to Killian. “Do you need me to strap you down or can you stay still like a good boy?”
“Strap me down,” Killian growled. He didn’t trust himself not to actually go for the healer if pushed too far. He wouldn’t risk fucking this up for Kade because he couldn’t control himself.
As leather tightened across his chest, hips, and ankles, Killian tried not to panic. His mind raged against being tied down so completely, without chance of escape, it reminded him of his time in chains in the dungeons. It was only with ironclad control he forced himself still, forced himself to show none of the acrid fear that he could taste like bile on his tongue.
Resting his head on the hard table, Killian stared straight ahead, his jaw clenched tight.
“Right.” Hokda rubbed his hands together. “Your practical examination is made up of three parts, three different types of common physical injuries you may have encountered during your training elsewhere. You are expected to know how to handle these injuries before entering my service.”
“What are they?” asked Kade.
Hokda clicked his tongue. “Where’s the fun in that? You’ll see. Patience.” Kade trembled. “You may forfeit at any time, for any reason. Are you ready to begin?”
Kade risked a glance at Killian, his eyes wide and wet, but he squared his shoulders when their eyes met and he nodded. “Yes.”
“Perfect.” And then, to the surprise of absolutely no one in the room, Hokda pulled out a long, curved blade, it gleamed like it had been freshly sharpened. “Captain, darling, try not to make too much noise, yeah? Let your brother concentrate.”
Fucking Hokda.
Killian was going to kill him when this was all over.
Killian barely flinched at the glide of the silver blade across his stomach, the feel of it smooth as Hokda had a sure and steady hand.
Kade had turned away, not able to bear watching. Something Hokda reprimanded him for.
Gritting his teeth, Killian leaned into the pain, embracing it. The air was cool on the hot wound. Hokda hadn’t gutted him, but the cut was deep and long enough that it pulled and threatened to tear more with every trembling flex of Killian’s muscles.
Blood dripped down his stomach into the waistband of his trousers. Killian’s lips thinned.
Testing his restraints, Killian waited, ignoring the short back and forth between Kade and Hokda. They sure were taking their time, just fucking chit chatting while he was bleeding out.
Soon enough, he felt the warmth of Kade’s hands on his stomach and his eyes snapped open.
Kade hovered over him. “Breathe. Breathe. I’ve got you. I’ve got you.”
“Aww,” mocked Hokda. “How sweet.”
Kade’s eyes hardened and then Killian felt the pull of his magic. It stung all the way through. Kade’senflowing through him, calling on Killian’s own to answer and stitch him back together. It wasn’t warm or painless. He sighed when Kade’s hands lifted off of him. He was both relieved that it was over, and dreading what undoubtedly worse things came next.
“Mm.” Hokda tapped his quill on the ledger he carried and scribbled something quickly. “It’ll scar.”
Kade flushed scarlet.
Killian had a harder time acting like the burns didn’t affect him. He grunted and groaned and—a bit ashamed to admit—whined high and long as Hokda dragged his hand across the same part of his stomach that Kade had just healed.
Hokda’s magic twisting, perverting his ownento work against the natural flow of their healing and bend the elements to his will, bursting each of Killian’s cells slowly.
The smell of burning flesh filled the room.
Hissing, Killian tensed, his muscles straining against the restraints. The leather creaked as it fought to keep him in place. It was a slow torture. The pain excruciating. The burning heat stripping away each layer of skin, one by one, leaving a charred, bubbling mess in its wake.
Kade twitched, like he wanted to reach out and take Killian’s hand, but decided against it.
Killian almost asked him to, wanting the distraction of Kade’s hands on him. But they weren’t alone, and that wasn’t why Killian was there.
Trembling, sweat dripped down Killian’s skin, but he felt cold. So, so cold except for the fire of Hokda’s hands.
