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I tried to sit up, gasping at the amount of time I had been unconscious. “The injured?—”
Riddick held me down. “Easy, Ember. Your patients are fine. We checked on them all multiple times.”
“Branson, is Branson?—”
“Embarrassed,” Branson answered from the doorway. He walked into the room fully so I could see him without moving, dropped to his knees beside my bed, and gently took my hand in his much larger ones. “I’m so sorry, Ember.”
“Why are you apologizing?” I asked with a frown.
“You’re hurt because of me, because I didn’t listen to you, and I almost bit your face off.” He rubbed his thumb across my wrist and looked at my small hand in his giant ones like it might break.
“I’d do it all again without hesitation,” I said and smiled. “Though I would muzzle you first next time to avoid the whole biting my face off thing.”
“You’re lucky the cheetah had been there,” Branson whispered. “I’m lucky he was there.” He said the second part so quietly, I almost didn’t hear it.
“I’ll be right as rain in another day, Branny Boy. Don’t fret,” I said as cheerfully as I could.
He raised his head and scowled at me. “Don’t do that.”
“Do what?” I asked.
“Hide behind your humor.”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not hiding behind anything.”
“I’m leaving,” he said, making me freeze, not even drawing a breath. “Once we figure out what’s going on with that giant bear, I’m going to leave. I’ve overstayed my welcome and it’s time for me to go.”
“No, Branson, you don’t?—”
He set my hand on my stomach and stood, looking at Kieran. “Meet me in the living room in ten.”
Kieran nodded, frowning at the bear as he left.
Tears built in my eyes, but I blinked them away before anyone could see. “I suppose it was inevitable,” I whispered. “You all had lives before me and can’t stay here forever.” Sighing loudly, playing off my sadness, I smiled over at Riddick. “Speaking of that, has the prince said when he’ll send you a pick up?”
“I’ve requested a couple more days’ leave,” he replied, scowling. “I want to help them look into the strange creature.”
“It did look a little strange,” I agreed. “Having you back them up would make me feel better while I’m laid up in bed. Thank you.”
“Do you need anything? Water? Food?” He squatted down beside me and aside brushed hair that had fallen out of my face.
“Could you carry me to my bathroom? A hot bath with Epsom salt will help my muscles heal faster.”
He nodded. “Let me get the bath ready first.”
“Thank you. The salt is in a bucket under my sink.”
He nodded again and walked into my adjoined bathroom. Second later, I heard the water filling the tub and the sound of salt pouring into it.
After carrying me into the bathroom, he gently lowered me into the bath still in the nightgown I’d been wearing. I wasn’t certain who had changed me, but my eyes widened when he lowered me into the tub still in it. I’d planned to try to strip myself and climb in.
“Oh,” I exclaimed.
He sat on the chair in the corner of my bathroom, an item used mostly when I was giving Winnie a bath in my tub. “Sorry,but I didn’t think you’d want me to strip you and I don’t think it’s safe to leave you alone. You might slip under the water.”
“It’s okay,” I said as the warm water began to soothe my aching body. Closing my eyes, I exhaled slowly.
“You don’t have to hide your emotions, you know? If you don’t want them to leave, tell them.”
