Page 29 of Veil of Web and Ruin

‘So you want to tell me what you were doing to get beaten like this?’

It’s not the first time Ruben’s asked, but it’s the first time I’ve felt like I can actually form an answer. ‘Honestly? Just trying to get home,’ I reply.

Evelina boiled me up a cup of nettle tea, which I’ve sipped slowly as it cools. I know there’s no magic or even medicinal herbs in it, beyond the nettle, but it goes a fair way to easing the tightness of my throat. Now, though, she retreats to thefar corner of their shack, trying to give us some semblance of privacy, while Corem has gone outside to keep watch over Kay with Jack.

‘This happened coming home?’ Ruben arches an eyebrow, clearly not quite believing my claim.

‘I swear. I was on my way back home, and Tella caught me.’

‘Tella?’ Ruben’s jaw locks. ‘You said it wasn’t that bad. You told me you could handle him.’

‘I thought I could,’ I reply, aware of the fury flashing in Ruben’s eyes.

In a moment of lapsed concentration, he pushes the fabric a little too hard against my skin, causing me to flinch.

He winces in turn, like he’s the one in pain. ‘Sorry.’ When he eventually talks again, his voice is lowered to a whisper. ‘You should have come to me.’

‘I thought I could deal with it myself. Besides, we’re just friends, remember?’

‘Exactly,’ he spits back through gritted teeth. ‘I look after my friends. I don’t let things like this happen to them. Any of them.’

‘Now you’re starting to sound like Rula,’ I reply, huffing out a laugh, only to instantly regret the throbbing it causes across my sternum.

‘So Rula had something to do with this?’ he asks, reaching out to stroke my bottom lip. The tenderness with which he touches me contrasts sharply with the manner in which Tella undertook the same action. If Rula hadn’t turned up when she did …

‘No … this had nothing to do with Rula,’ I tell Ruben truthfully. ‘But I think she’ll deal with him.’

‘Youthink?’

I can’t cope with the interrogation now. What I need is sleep. It’ll only be a few hours before I need to get up and take Kay to Rula, and there’s no chance I can risk being late for that. Notafter everything I did to make it happen. Nervous about what I’ll find, I tentatively pull the ice away from my ribs and look down.

It’s not pretty.

The bruises are already blossoming purple and spreading down to my stomach, which means I’m going to have to be pretty deft when I get dressed or wash myself for the next few weeks, or Kay’s going to see the injuries. I need to search through my stores, see what I’ve got that’ll help ease the bruising.

‘How does my face look?’ I ask Ruben.

‘Other than startlingly beautiful?’ he says. I let out a groan at his cheesiness, though the smile he gives me warms me far more than I expected. ‘You’ve got a split lip and you’re going to have a bruise here’—he gently brushes his finger across my forehead—‘but other than that, you’re good. I think your knees are pretty banged up though. I mean, I’d be willing to go again like this afternoon, but you might want to wait a little.’

A genuine laugh leaves my lungs, only to instantly turn into a coughing fit, which makes my ribcage burn in pain.

When I finally catch my breath, I lift my gaze back to meet Ruben’s. ‘I guess I’ll just have to tell Kay you and I had more fun than expected?’ I joke, flashing him a grin in the hope he’ll reciprocate, but he doesn’t.

‘Rose, you need to stay safe. Whatever you were doing tonight?—’

‘Was a one-time thing,’ I cut across him, placing my hand on his. ‘And I wasn’t lying. This didn’t happen because of that. It was just me in the wrong place at the wrong time.’

‘With guys like Tella, you don’t get a right place or time,’ he mutters, and I can’t help but feel he’s right.

I lift my hand to his cheek and tilt his head upwards so that his eyes meet mine again. ‘Thank you. Really,’ I say. ‘For this. And for keeping an eye on Kay. You really are the best friend I’ve got out here.’

‘Right,’ he says softly. ‘Friend.’

Ignoring the poorly hidden longing in his tone, I push myself onto my feet. ‘I should get back,’ I say before glancing over at Evelina. ‘I really am so sorry about all this,’ I tell her again. ‘If you need any tonics for anything, just let me know.’

‘Don’t worry, Rose. I’m sure you’d do the same for us,’ she replies. ‘But if you can tell my husband to get back in here before he freezes to death, I’d appreciate it.’

‘Of course,’ I promise.