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He left me the day after our esposmata, even if it was fake, and then acted like I’d made all the wrong choices. If he’d been here, he could’ve had a say.

“Lift your arms. I’m going to wrap it,” he said finally.

“I can wrap—”

“No, you can’t, not without risking smudging it and delaying the healing.”

“I’m fine. I can handle it myself. I’m sure there is somewhere else you need to go. You don’t get to act all concerned now.”

“When am I not concerned?” he asked, his voice strained.

Someone would’ve thought he’d taken the lashes with me. I wasn’t sure which one of us would crack first.

“Just do it,” I said, not willing to hash it out with him. I was on the brink of snapping, and so was he. All I wanted today was a nice, dark corner to regroup, and try to get a handle on all the turmoil that wanted to explode within me.

He handed me the beginning of a piece of fabric to hold in front of my chest, and then wrapped my back as gently as someone wrapping priceless china. When that was done, he held out a shirt for me, before helping me get dressed and pulling my hair out.

“Do you need help getting—”

“No. I’m fine.”

He finally took me at my word, or maybe he wasn’t looking to fight right now either, because he walked out of the room.

He was waiting in the kitchen with Luisca when I came downstairs a few minutes later.

“How are you feeling?” she asked, putting tea in front of me.

“Much better.”

She smiled at me, but both of them watched as I sat down stiffly, as if they were taking notes to compare later.

“I told Tiber I’d help him with some of the things that have to get done around here,” Kaden said, looking at me as if he were suddenly unsure of how to exit the house and monitor me.

“She can help me in the garden today if she gets restless,” said Luisca, who was watching Kaden, who wasstillwatching me.

Kaden narrowed his eyes and then finally looked at Luisca. “I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.”

“I won’t let her exert herself.”

He took another moment and finally nodded. “Okay,” he said, then gave Luisca a warning glance on his way out the door.

* * *

It was our first night having dinner since Kaden had returned and attempted to hunt Mason down like a dog and kill him. Since Kaden and I had clashed. It was probably understandable that the mood wasn’t altogether cheery.

“The roof repair is almost done,” Tiber said.

“Yes. I noticed. It looks good,” Luisca replied.

I nodded. I wasn’t sure if Kaden even acknowledged the comment. It was hard to know, since I was trying to avoid looking in his direction.

A few more minutes of silence passed.

“See those skies? Looks like a lot of rain is coming in. Guess we’ll be testing it out soon,” Luisca said, glancing around the table.

I thought I heard an “uh huh” out of Kaden.

“Yep, getting wet and chilly out there,” added Tiber, the only one really taking the bait.