“What's wrong?”
She withdrew a small bag from her waistband, hidden beneath her shirt, and clutched it against her. “Zayne is hurt.”
Fear jolted through her. “We just saw him—”
“He can't show it.” Her shoulders were slumped. “I leave supplies hidden for him that look like they go with my sewing and knitting baskets, but the needles are sanitized and the material is for bandages.”
If Zayne needed to hide an injury, then he did something he wasn't supposed to in the territories. That meant he got hurt helping Mom and her. He placed himself in too much danger for her.
“He hides the used bandages in a bundle of clean cloth so I don't see.” Adelle opened the bag. “And I always look so I know what pain my son is hiding.”
Kira held her breath when she leaned forward to see inside the bag. Blood soaked the twisted bandages. Nausea rocked her stomach. “He needs to rest.”
“His father has him busy all day. I hate this.” Adelle picked up rocks and dropped them into the bag. Then she followed the fence until reaching a walking bridge that crossed a stream, where she tossed the bag into the water. “There's a current here that will take it to a deeper part of the lake.”
“How many times have you two done this?” Kira asked, watching the bag with Zayne's blood disappear.
“Too many.”
“It's because of me.” Kira gripped the wooden beam of the fence. “I'll get him killed.”
“This is what Zayne does. Don't do that to yourself.”
“How would you feel if he were risking his life to save you?”
Adelle closed her eyes. “You can't take the blame.”
“I have to try getting him to rest.” Leaving, Kira searched through the house until she found him typing at a desk. For years, he risked himself for her. Now he was sitting there in pain, pretending he was fine. He needed relief.
“It's beautiful out,” she said. “Can't you take a break?”
“No. I'm busy.”
“Come on.” If Kira got him into the woods, she might be able to make him rest. “Thirty minutes. I haven't seen you in days.”
After hesitating, Zayne rose, seeming to catch that she needed something. “Fine.”
On their way outside, she searched his face, his body, for signs of pain. He'd lost all that blood. What happened, and where was he injured?
“What?” Zayne asked as they walked across the courtyard.
“Nothing.”
“You keep looking at me.”
No limp. So likely not a leg. “I'm not.”
A quiet groan. Once they traveled into the woods, he glared at her. “Why did you drag me out here?”
“You're exhausted.” She met his eyes. “Sleep. I'll tell you if anyone approaches.”
He looked at her like she'd lost her mind. “Tell me you're joking.”
“I'm not. You need rest.”
“What's gotten into you?” He started back toward the house.
If Kira hadn't seen the evidence for herself, she wouldn't believe it by how convincing he acted. “I saw the bloody bandages.”
