Page 29 of Bones
“I wasn’t gonna hit you.”
I shifted uncomfortably, avoiding his eyes and hating the heat creeping up my neck.
“Bones, I’mnevergonna hit you.” He sounded sad and it made me furious.
“Madame—“ I started angrily, but he interrupted.
“What Madame did last night was fuckingevil,” he said, his voice low and earnest. “I’m not gonna lie to you and say everyone here is a good person. But I won’t ever lay a hand on you, I swear. Nobody in our crew will. Mac is real strict about that kinda shit. And if anybody messes with you, they’ll deal with us.”
I thought back to Mac grabbing my arm, the rage in his eyes, and how I thought he would hit me.Sure.I’ll believe that when I see it.
After a beat, Trey sighed and sat back again. “What I was gonna say was, I don’t think you’ll have to worry about ending up like our old healer. He obviously couldn’t do miracles like you.”
I tried to swallow past the lump in my throat. My eyes burned.Miracles. No, I wasn’t afraid of being sentenced to death. I was too valuable to be executed, and there were plenty of things worse than death. I learned that lesson while still a child.
“Seriously, you should try these steaks,” Trey said again, his voice lighter.
“If I eat them, will you go awayimmediately?” I snapped.
“Deal,” Trey said with a giant grin.
I rolled my eyes and took a bite, ignoring how my stomach churned. I managed to eat most of one of the steaks before I had to stop. I clenched my jaw and tried to convince myself I was fine.
“You ok?” Trey asked, looking up from his food.
I lurched to my feet and darted around him, sliding down the ladder. I barely made it outside before I hurled up everything I’d eaten into the dirt.
“Whoa,” someone said. “What the fuck?”
The clinic door opened and slapped shut behind me.
“What’s goin’ on?”
“I dunno,” Trey answered.
They gave me some space as I finally managed to stop heaving, to my relief. A handkerchief appeared and I took it without looking at who offered it, wiping my mouth. My face burned again. I hated looking weak like this. I straightened and forced myself to turn around to see Sam standing beside Trey. He was shorter but built the same, lean and wiry. His blond hair was buzzed close to his head and a short beard covered his jaw.
“You ok?” Trey asked again.
“Fine,” I snapped.
“Yeah, looks like it,” Sam said dryly. “I often puke my guts out when I’m fine.”
I couldn’t even muster the energy to glare at him. I tried to offer the handkerchief back, but Sam shook his head.
“Nah, you keep it.”
I shoved it into my pocket and ducked my head, letting my hair shield my face, and tried to slide past them back to the clinic. Trey moved to block me.
“What’s going on? Are you sick?” he asked.
“No.”
Trey gave me a look of disbelief, and Sam’s eyes narrowed. I desperately wished they’d let me just go back inside and leave me alone.
“I’m fine, I swear,” I snapped.
“C’mon, Bones,” Trey said more firmly, “what’s going on?”
