Page 14 of Diamond

I shake my head as I continue to speak. "It is my error and a wound to my honor."

Despite my injury, my chest hurts, not just with pain but with regret. If I were at full strength, I'd challenge this manticorid for what I see as a grave violation, a young and fragile female being taken advantage of. Yet something in Ree's confidence tells me she is no victim, and it unsettles me further.

7

Kuret

Ree's brow furrows in confusion, the odd patch of fur above her eyes shifting as she scratches the top of her head. Her scaly arms caught my attention. "He is my, uh… donor? But no honor has been wounded," she assures me, her eyes shifting to my injury. "How about we take care of that one in your stomach? I will show you how to use the genali tools so you can heal any later wounds yourself."

I nod, lowering myself against the tree with care. Pain radiates through my body but I hold back a grunt.

Ree comes closer to me, dropping to her knees. Her attention is fixed on my hands as I start to undo the front part of my armor, revealing the shirt underneath. I bite my tongue to keep from making a sound.

"May I help?"

The question stops me; I glare at her, my brows drawing low in affront. Thivoll puffs out his chest and takes a step toward us, but he stands in place when I do not move.

"Is that a violent question?" she asks, her voice quiet, almost unsure.

"It is an insult."

A soft gasp escapes her, and she lowers her head. "My honor is diminished. I am a healer. I meant no offense."

"As you said, no honor is lost." I reply, softening. "You are different, but you are not offering violence. You may help."

A smile brightens her face at my words, and I offer a small one in return.

Her eyes lingers on me, traveling from my face to the point of injury, while her hands continue to help me undo my breastplate.

Once the armor is removed, I lift my shirt, exposing the bleeding wound. Ree leans in, assessing it closely. "I'll grab a tool," she announces, reaching for a pouch like the one I stole from the hunter and tears into it, pulling out a small, silver tool. I recognize it, but I don't know how it works.

Thankfully, Ree explains it to me. "This will tie your wound together. The ties will melt when your body no longer needs them. It will hurt when I use it," she warns, looking up at me through her dark lashes. "Did you get one from the other genali?"

"I did, but I left it under a bush," I admit.

"That is good." She nods her head. "Watch how I use it and ask questions as needed. May I touch you?"

"You may touch me."

"Okay. This will hurt," she says and I smile at her, watching as she returns a quick one before focusing on closing my injury. She assesses it. "Did it hit anything vital? Can I close it up?"

"It is only on the surface," I respond, amusement threading my voice as I observe the fuss she is putting up. Healers on my planet are vastly different, elderly males who are thorough to a fault. They ask no questions, yet their methods can bring even the strongest of protectors to whimper.

"Good," Ree says, digging into her pouch. "I am grabbing another thing."

I smile again, a stiff laugh following because I do not want to offend her, but she looks up and grins back at me before speaking again.

"This will clean your wounds," she announces as she sprays a liquid onto the wound. It burns slightly, but the pain fades quickly, turning into a prickling sensation as the clipping sound of the instrument echoes through thetrees.

When she finishes closing the wound, she leans back on her knees, carefully inspecting her work. Her companion growls something in his gravelly language, and she turns to smile at him.

It discomforts me how little I know about her and her manticorid companion. My honor will not allow me to leave a vulnerable woman at the mercy of a creature she clearly can't defend herself against, especially not after her aid. At the very last, I must ask if she needs help.

"You look too young for a donor," I remark as I adjust my clothes. "Your teeth are worn. Are you actually old?"

"No.Humansjust don't have that many natural defenses." She laughs and I cannot mask the shock.

She is a human; I remember her saying that before. How many other races are out among the stars?

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