Page 91 of Bones
“Yeah,” I whispered. “I just—” I struggled to describe what I felt. “Thank you for showing me that.”
I could hear the smile in his voice. “You’re welcome. I thought you might like it.”
When the last of the lights faded, he turned Vi’s head with the reins and clucked his tongue at her to get her to start walking. I tried to get a hold of myself, but the emotion lingered, pressing against my lungs. He was always so kind to me, and I didn’t deserve it, that was for damn sure.
“How’d you feel today?” Trey asked.
“Still tired.”
“Well, I’d expect you to be tired for a while after all that healing you did. Guess we can’t do much else but wait and see if it gets better.”
I hummed a noise of agreement.
“You healed somebody today, didn’t you?”
“Yeah.” I tried to focus. “Um, that guy from the kitchen.”
“Nabu?”
“Yeah. Just about cut his thumb off.”
“Did it still hurt? Healin’ him?”
I frowned. “A little. But less than yesterday I think.”
"Well, that's good." He sounded relieved. "Maybe it'll get a little better every day."
“It’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry. I can work?—”
“Bones,” he interrupted, “I’m worried aboutyou, not your work.”
I fell silent, my face warming again. When he sighed, his warm breath ghosted down my neck.
“Madame arrested a few more people today.”
I stiffened, nausea trying to crawl up my throat. I hadn’t been summoned to Madame’s dungeon since before the sickness, and I’d almost convinced myself that maybe I wouldn’t have to help her torture people anymore.
“I’m sorry,” he murmured. “Gods, I wish I could do something to make her stop.”
I remembered Apple telling me Trey had been one of the rebels. The fear that I’d enter that dungeon room to see him restrained to the chair surged back.
“Don’t,” I choked out, my voice laced with panic.
“Don’t what?” he asked, sounding alarmed.
“Don’t…don’t—” Gods, was that the only word in my head? “Don’t make her mad,” I managed to say.
He paused. “Why?”
“I can’t—” My voice cracked and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to force all the emotion in my chest back down where it belonged.
“Bones, talk to me.”
“I can’t watch her hurt you.” The shaky words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them, and my eyes burned.Well, fuck.
He let go of the reins with one hand so he could wrap that arm around me, squeezing me tight. “It’s ok, Bones. I’m not gonna do anything stupid,” he said so gently that my stupid eyes overflowed. “I promise.”
We rode in silence as I swiped at my wet cheeks and tried to get a hold of myself. His arm stayed tight around my waist and his solid comfort helped. As we neared the gate, a figure peered over the wall.
