Page 89 of Powerless

I tear my gaze away from his and pull on my bow and quiver as I stand to my feet.Struggleto my feet is more like it. Kai stands with me, bracing one hand on my shoulder and the other on my uninjured side. I move to take a step away, annoyed that he thinks I need his help. But my legs feel like jelly, like stone, all at once, proving that I do need his help when I stumble into his solid frame. His chest shakes with rough laughter which only annoys me further.

“Yeah, I don’t think I would have much troubletryingto get this band from you.” He traces a finger across the leather strap, brushing my skin as he does so.

I catch his wrist and look up at him. “Well, if we are going to be partners, you won’t need to hurt yourself bytryingto take my band at all.”

He looks me up and down, brows slightly raised. “So, you agree, then? Partners?”

I contemplate it, considering how I would much rather be fighting alongside the future Enforcer than against him.

I narrow my eyes at him. “How do I know I can trust you?”

He scoffs. “Did me saving your life mean nothing to you?”

“And I’ve saved yours. That doesn’t mean you trust me.”

“And how do you know I don’t?”

We stare at each other.

Plagues, what am I getting myself into?

Maybe it’s because I’m too weak to fight him, or worse, maybe it’s the part of me that doesn’t want him to leave that makes me say, “Fine. Partners.”

I glance from his injured shoulder to the tall stump behind him before placing my palms on his chest, his skin hot beneath mine. I push him back until his legs collide with the stump before pushing his shoulders down until he’s sitting before me.

Mischief dances in those smoky eyes of his as he looks up at me. “What are you doing, Gray?”

“Fixing up my partner,” I say simply, beginning to unwrap his makeshift bandage. I smile before adding, “You won’t be of any use to me if you’re injured.”

“Your concern for my wellbeing is truly heartwarming,” he says dryly.

I ignore him and pull at the stubborn cloth that’s sticking to the skin beneath. I swear under my breath when I finally glimpse the patch of burned, blistered skin beneath his collarbone. It’s inflamed and sticky and I didn’t need to observe the tight set of his jaw to know that it’s extremely painful.

I look at him, finding his eyes already trained on me so intensely that I swallow before asking, “Where is the healing salve?”

His expression is blank. “Gone.”

I try to blink away my confusion to no avail. “You used all of it on me?”

“Without hesitation.” Cool, calm, collected. That’s Kai.

“Well, that was...” I sputter, trying to find the right word.

“Selfless?”

“Stupid,” I finish instead.

I heave a sigh before muttering, “You’re always making things more difficult for me, aren’t you?”

I spin on my heel and walk to the edge of the creek. I can feel Kai’s eyes on me as I kneel, looking for specific plants to make my own makeshift salve with. It won’t miraculously heal him like the Healer’s salve would have, but it will help significantly with pain and inflammation.

Thankfully, most of the plants I need tend to grow near water, so I’m able to find them easily. I grab some more cooked rabbit to nibble on as I search for my ingredients. After a good while of walking up and down the creek while being feasted on by mosquitoes, I finally grind the leaves and stalks I’ve found with a rock. Adding water to the crushed plants, I’m left with a green, thick paste.

I turn to find Kai still watching me when I walk back to him nearly half an hour later. I stand over him, ignoring the feel of his eyes on me as I hold the rock with the salve atop it and take in his wound once again.

“You are full of all sorts of surprises.” He nods at the green goop now on my fingers. “Talented little thing, aren’t you?”

I dab the salve onto his wound, and he hisses when it stings. “Daughter of a Healer, remember?”

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