Page 47 of Chained to the Champion
No sympathy, just flat truth.
I gritted my teeth. “I'll be as careful as I can.” But there were more matches to come, more fights, and Vega and I would have to get out of Ignarath somehow. My wings needed to work.
She just snorted. Clearly, she'd dealt with warriors before. So why was she in some dim little quarters instead of plying her trade for the fighters flush with coin who needed tending?
She edged closer, dropping her voice. “That one threatened to gut my assistant if we so much as took a wrong step. She nearly bit me, a fierce one, huh?”
It twisted something in my chest, irritation, pride, something very messy. Something I couldn't let myself name. “Do you have a name?”
“Kazidee.”
I would remember it. “You have my thanks for your healing, but I have no coin to pay you.” I'd earned a little from the first match, but it was difficult to bet on myself when I didn't know the bet makers in town. And I didn't know the rest of the fighters well enough to risk making any official bets on them.
Vega and I could feed ourselves, and we had the room, but that was about it.
Kazidee leveled a hard look at me. “It's been taken care of. Don't worry about it. Now eat and stay still while I tend to you. Don't mess up my work.”
She glared at me, as though waiting for me to argue. I didn't; I was too tired. Even just sitting up had taken it out of me. I had a fight tomorrow.
How was I going to be ready?
It didn't matter. I had to be.
Kazidee huffed and started sorting her herbs, dropping some into the broth on the tray before handing it to me.
“What are you giving him?” Vega asked, sitting up from her pile of blankets.
“The guard beast awakens,” Kazidee muttered. “Healing herbs, broth. If you want him in fine shape, let me do my work.”
Kazidee shoved the bowl at me. I picked up the broth and drank it down before Vega could make any sort of objection.After the first sip, I nearly coughed it back up. “It's spicy,” I heaved, tongue recoiling.
“You will survive, warrior,” said Kazidee.
“You seem like a pretty good healer,” said Vega. “Why did I have to bring him to the outskirts of town to find you? I would think you could get work near the arena.”
Kazidee stood and gathered everything but the bowl of broth. “Learn to be thankful, outlander. My affairs are none of your business. Finish the broth and wait until his strength returns. It should be another couple of hours. Then be gone from this place.”
She left us alone in the room.
“You found a healer,” I said.
“I did.” Vega leveled a stare that dared me to speak against it.
“It was a risk coming to her.” We were in the city for a reason, and I was in the tournament under false pretenses. Our luck with Skorai would run out soon. And Kazidee could be running back to the arena right now to report on my injuries. It would be worth a fair bit of coin to my next opponent.
But I was already feeling stronger. My cuts looked days old instead of hours, and my wing hurt less than it had since the battle outside of Scalvaris.
“It was a risk we had to take,” she said. “Or did you want me to let you die of Dravka's poison?”
I made enough room for her on the pallet and patted the sheets beside me. “Come up here. Sit.”
“You will let yourpetinto your bed?” She raised her brows and pursed her lips.
“Don't,” I said.
I thought Vega might argue. It was what she was made to do.
Instead, she stalked forward those few steps and slid into the bed, curling herself in right next to me. Muscles I hadn't realized I was clenching loosened.
