Page 106 of Wedlock (Vampire Bachelor Games #3)

The physician tut-tuts over the stab wound to my torso and adds a few final stitches before bandaging me up.

“Silver is not a metal to be trifled with, Lord Dragonspur,” he mutters, staring at me over the top of his spectacles.

“I suggest you practice your swordsmanship with iron or gold if your challenges are going to be so realistic. As for your hand, that will take a week or more; your back should be repaired within a day.”

I grunt and shrug on my shirt, ignoring Mother, her hand to her mouth, eyes round where she stands on the other side of the room.

“Thank you, Doctor,” I mutter, “that will be all.”

He shakes his head as he leaves, and I lie back on the bed and stare up at the canopy.

“How could you?” Mother demands for the third time since I’d been carried back into the castle by my men. “How could you, Falcon?”

“Give it a rest, Mother. And what part of ‘prisoner’ don’t you understand? Get back to your wing and get out of my business. It’s nothing.”

“Nothing? Nothing?” She shakes her head, ignoring my question.

“You come back from a visit to God only knows where bleeding from half a dozen cuts, your ear hanging off, two fingers in your pocket, a wound so deep the doctor says it’s a miracle you survived, and all you have to say for yourself is ‘it’s nothing’ — tell me at once why you’d put yourself in such peril when you have a virtual army at your disposal. Who did this to you?”

“Jag. If you must know. But if it makes you feel any better, he got as good as he gave.”

“Oh, my god. Did you kill him?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” I snort, “do I look like I killed him?”