Page 27 of Stone Seduction
The door opened and a red-headed human servant in a pristine gray uniform strode in.
“Gentleman,” she said, holding a green medikit in her hands. “The most gracious of Weaver Seth asked me to bring you this.” She placed it on the table and bowed.
“Thanks,” I muttered.
Dane grabbed it. “Cheers.”
“You are most welcome. Please offer those same thanks to Weaver Seth. His kindness knows no bounds.”
Did she have a sickbag with her by any chance? Because anymore of that and I’d be bringing up my supper.
“Noted,” I answered instead.
She left the room.
“Right, let’s get to it,” Dane said, opening the pouch.
I rested my chin in my hands, elbows on the table. “Shit. This is…I don’t even know what to say.”
“Here for you when you do, bro.” He opened a tube of Skinbliss Cream—a healing balm manufactured in Gula, my home world.
“Thanks, bud.”
“Don’t bottle it. Always vent that noxious gas.”
Dane always had my back, his listening skills were unparalleled. He was like the gargoyle version of a healing crystal, the best support you could ask for.
I wanted to tell him about the lie sitting in my chest like a spiky iron ball. It’d help vent the worst of the gas. But I kept the secret, knowing the risks. I trusted him, but not this tower. Speaking it aloud might shove the truth into the wrong hands, circling back to Luke.
“I’m…I screwed up.”
He rubbed cream into my neck. “How so?”
“By letting this happen.”
He grunted. “You let nothing happen, bro. Things got out of control. No one’s to blame. These humans have shown they’re relentless.”
“And they’ll push harder,” I said.
“Maybe. Doesn’t mean they’ll win.” A dreadlock fell over his face. He flicked it back to join the others.
The cream helped my neck, tingly in my cuts, planting buzzing kisses on my skin.
Bliss.
My friend found an oil in the medikit—similar to human ibuprofen gel. “Want me to do your knees?”
“No. I’ll do them.”
I rolled down my leather trousers, working the oil into my kneecaps. They thanked me with a warm hum.
More bliss.
“Let me fix us some drinks,” Dane said.
Before he moved away, I looked him square in the eye. “What if Ember gets him?”
My hands were shaking, a sudden influx of fear smashing into me. I tried shoving it away, only making it worse. Terrible ideas crawled inside my head, suggesting a life without Luke in it.
