Page 24 of Marked

Blair gritted her teeth as she tried to sit up, her body protesting with every movement.

She couldn't pinpoint the intense pain; it moved as she used different body parts.

Today she was going to challenge herself.

She wanted to see how much she had healed and in order to do that, she had to push her body and the many muscles that were still recovering from injury.

She glanced over at the clothes laid out on the chair by her bed, just a simple shirt and shorts.

It seemed like such an easy and insignificant thing that she had taken for granted previously, but now, she would have to endure multiple layers of discomfort just to get dressed for the day.

Since waking up, she had spent time rehabilitating herself by doing the simplest things.

Damien had hovered, helping in any and every way.

Not letting her do anything on her own. Although thankful, she had reached a point where she needed to prove to herself that she was regaining her strength and could conquer this chore.

She had been told nothing had been broken, but the cuts had come close to tearing numerous muscles.

Damien had explained it all, walked her through how two different Healers had come and attempted to repair what they could.

With two Healers, they had been able to work quickly to start the healing process.

Although it seemed like there were no big injuries, the whole ordeal left Blair with numerous scars and bruises.

Not to mention the soreness that always plagued her.

"You can do this," she muttered to herself, wincing as she tried to lift her arm and pull her shirt over her head. Her body screamed in protest, and she let out a groan of frustration.

"Need a hand?" came a familiar voice from the doorway.

Damien, of course.

She turned to him with a raised eyebrow, caught between annoyance and amusement. "If it isn't my babysitter." She tried to sound sarcastic, but the pain in her voice was almost like a plea for help.

Damien leaned casually against the doorframe, his arms crossed, looking impossibly appealing in contrast to her awkward flailing. "Out of all the things you could call me, you settle on that?" he asks with a smirk." Does that mean you're calling yourself a baby?"

Blair shot back an offended glare, even though her arm was stuck halfway through the sleeve, and her face was red from the effort. "I'm not a baby. I’m just..." she grunted, trying to shimmy her arm farther into the hole. "I'm just... ugh - having a minor setback."

Damien's smirk deepened as he watched her with a mix of affection and amusement. "Yeah, a minor setback?" His eyes rolled playfully." Let me help. "

Blair responded with a dirty look even as her shoulders sagged. "Fine, but I'm not letting you dress me like I'm some sort of helpless-"

"Relax," Damien interrupted with a chuckle. "I'm still going to make you work for it."

Blair narrowed her hazel eyes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Instead of answering her, Damien stepped closer, his shadow flickering at his feet as though they felt playful. His blue eyes glinted with mischief as he stretched out his hand. "Here's the deal, feisty. Get the shirt on as far as you can, and I'll pull it over your head for you."

"What if I don't need your help?" she said, raising an eyebrow. "What if I can handle this?"

He chuckled, the sound smooth and warm. "Just shut up."

Before she could respond, he stepped closer, tracing his eyes from where the shirt hung on her body. Shifting his gaze, he followed the skin up her arms to her face.

"You went up against some crazy strong people, almost died because of it, and now you're going to let a piece of fabric win?" he asked with an antagonizing grin.

She shook her head, scoffing, "No," she said, trying to pull her shirt down, her frown deepening as her muscles continued to protest the motion.

Damien took another step closer, his body almost flush with hers, the darkness of his shadow rising and swirling around her. "Alright, I'll help you now." His voice was soft, but the teasing undertone was unmistakable. "But.. Can I get a please?"

Blair raised an eyebrow at him as he stood just out of arm's reach. "You're ridiculous. Maybe I'll just hire help instead. I'm sure there's someone capable of getting me dressed."

Damien's grin widened. "Oh, trust me, you wouldn't want that." His finger skimmed her back as he grabbed the seam of her shirt. "They would be missing limbs... and eyes."

Blair chuckled, even as her body fought back. "That sounds a little unhinged, even for you."

Damien smiled and winked at her, "You haven't seen anything yet." Tugging the rest of the shirt over her head and shoulders, the fabric finally fell into place.

She sat back against the bed, breathing a little easier. "Thank you for everything you've done for me."

"Thank you?" Damien's voice was light with amusement as he folded his arms again.

"I don't think you owe me that. It's my fault you're in this situation anyway.

" He looked her up and down as he continued, "You healed from the hunters with just sore muscles and a few scars.

Maybe I'm just trying to impress you a fraction of how much you impress me. "

Blair smirked, leaning back, wrestling the soreness that was still very much present in her body. "Maybe if you could make breakfast. I'd be impressed."

Damien laughed; the sound was genuine and warm. "I'll see what I can do. But I draw the line at omelets."

Blair audibly gasped like she was wounded, "Well, now you're just disappointing me. "

Damien subtly smiled, and then a look of concern crossed his face like he was deep in thought. He took a step closer, his eyes meeting hers with a quieter, more sincere look now.

"You okay?"

Blair's heart gave a small thump in her chest, though she wasn't sure if it was from the pain or something else.

"Yeah," she said softly, glancing up at him with a small, genuine smile. "I think I'll survive." Because of you.

Damien's gaze lingered on her for a moment, his expression softening. "Good."

Blair snorted, and Damien tilted his head slightly, "I guess you're the one growing on me."

Blair rolled her eyes but couldn't suppress the smile tugging at her lips. "Well, I did almost die."

Damien shrugged, his smile turning more genuine.

"You're not so bad yourself." she said, feeling a strange warmth settle between them.

He winked, clearly pleased with himself. Blair laughed, and for a brief moment, the pain seemed distant, swallowed up by the comfort of his presence and their banter.

"Help me to the kitchen, please ?” she asked, blinking as if she had large eyelashes.

The warm feeling from her chest continued to spread as she hobbled in the hallway and toward the kitchen. She sat at the counter, eyeing the items already out for breakfast. Damien had set her down, making sure she was comfortable before grabbing her some water and listing the ingredients he had .

They had decided on pancakes and honestly, Blair had not been disappointed. He had used berries from the surrounding area and mixed them in, winking when he handed her the plate.

"Berries, because obviously, that's a tradition now… but just remember what happens when you run from me”, he looked up at her over his plate, “you'll never get far."

She licked her fingers and smiled, "I mean, but I would be so fast right now." an exaggerated pout accompanying her words.

They ate in silence for a few minutes, savoring every bite.

As she finished her plate, traces of blue and purple juice stained her mouth and fingers.

Putting down her plate and looking around the room, she noticed how different it was from the Inn they stayed at when they first arrived.

That one was bare, offering only a bed, some nightstands, and a small bathroom.

This was an actual cottage that had two rooms, a shared bathroom, and a kitchen.

It had been two days since she had first ventured out of the bed and investigated the home they were in.

Her mind shifted to the last few days, contemplating the first memories she could conjure since waking up.

The very first thing she remembered was that the guild's runner had returned. As soon as she was coherent enough, Damien relayed his message. She replayed the conversation many times since then. Knowing she couldn’t ask her questions, Damien had asked them for her.

Without prompting her, Damien had found all the information she had wanted.

He had reports about the people she loved and the students from her class.

It turns out that SilverDawn was safe, and everything remained as it was.

The attack was brief, and the shadows that had attacked left shortly after they presented themselves.

They had been looking for something or someone, and when they figured out it wasn't there, they left.

Although a few adults had been hurt from the chaos of the incident, only one had been killed from trying to stop the shadows themselves.

The information helped her through the healing process.

Blair took a deep breath and stood, setting her fork down next to her plate. Damien immediately stepped close to her, hands out, ready to help with whatever she needed. Blair looked at his hands and up at his face.

"Damien, I am not broken. I just want a bath. That's all." He nodded and stepped away toward the bathroom.