Page 154 of Phoenix's Fire

"Stay. Still!" she demanded.

"You didn't say it'd hurt!" I huffed.

She lifted a brow. "I did."

"When youdidit!"

"Stop acting like a boy in sermon," she chided.

But someone else laughed at that. "Not so much fun when you're the one being healed, huh, Tobias?"

I twisted to see Gideon on the bed behind me. His shirt was off and an older woman was cleaning the blood from a gash along his ribs. I simply grunted in reply and turned back to Callah, aware I'd have to be careful what I said.

"This could be infected," Callah warned.

I nodded. "So I'll wash it."

"Tomorrow, I will change the bandage and clean it again," she assured me. "If you tell Mr. Cassidy, I can attend you instead of my afternoon sermon."

"I..."

"I'll handle it," Gideon said, clearly listening in. "At least one of those women knows her place."

"To serve and nurture," Callah said as if she was agreeing. "We cannot risk losing any more of our brave hunters."

"Careful, Tobias. If I wasn't in mourning, I might take an interest in your girl."

Callah continued to wrap my arm, but she ducked her head. I was pretty sure her cheeks were even turning pink - or maybe red with anger.

"Our fathers were cousins, Mr. Kobrick. You're not on my list."

"Ah, right," Gideon said, but he sounded like he already knew that. "Shame. You are a beautiful woman, Callah."

"I wouldn't know such things, sir," she mumbled.

"Lay off," I snapped.

Which made Gideon chuckle. "Just make sure you keep this one in line, Tobias. She's likely to go bad like the other two."

"Like yourwife?" I asked. "Or could that have been the fault of the husband?"

"You stupid - "

"Enough!" Mrs. Worthington bellowed from the far side of the room. "Deal with your pain like the men you should be. If you damage each other, I will report it to my husband!"

"Sorry," I mumbled.

Gideon just grumbled like he had a lot more he wanted to say. Callah? She had a little quirk to the corner of her mouth. When she glanced up, those pretty eyes of hers were sparkling.

"You can enjoy lunch with me, Mr. Warren, and then I will change your bandage after. I wouldn't want to destroy your appetite after such a long trip."

"Hey, I'll get you something pretty next time," I promised.

"Maybe something pink?" she asked.

"I dunno..." I said, ducking my head a little more to make this discussion sound private. "All I saw this time were little yellow ones."

Her fingers slowed, then stopped. Carefully, she pressed against my hand, then began wrapping again. What she didn't do was look up. Not at the mention of that color.

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