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We need to get her home. Varrik can keep her in check after that.
There’s a knock at the door.
‘We found one,’ comes Kal’s muffled voice through it.
My eyes narrow as I unbolt it and open it. Grey and Kal stand outside.
‘Well? Where’s the healer?’ I snarl.
‘He’s coming,’ Grey says, coming into the room.
I step back, glaring at Kallum.
His eyes find her clothes on the floor, and he flinches, having the good sense to step back as I advance on him.
‘Did you think I wouldn’t find them?’ I snarl.
Kal puts his hands up in the air in front of him. ‘Yes. No. I mean … it’s not what you think, Dane.’
‘What is this? What’s going on?’ Grey asks.
‘This!’ I go to the bed and tear off the blanket. I turn her onto her side so that Grey can see the welts.
His expression turns thunderous.
‘Those look recent!’ he says very quietly. He turns on Kallum. ‘Was this for that fucking wager?’
Kallum is shaking his head. ‘No, I promise you it wasn’t.’
‘Why, then? And when?’
‘When they went to gather firewood,’ I mutter, quirking a brow. ‘That’s when you whipped her, isn’t it, Kallum?’
‘She wanted it. She needed it.’ Kallum looks at her, his expression softening.
‘What are you talking about?’ Grey hisses, advancing on Kallum, and even I’m surprised at his level of rage on behalf of the Harbinger, a human they both maintain they despise as much as I do.
Kal draws a hand through his blond hair, tugging on the ends hard. ‘You don’t understand. She feels guilt, and she …’ he swallows, ‘she was being crushed under the weight of it.’
‘So you beat her?’ I grate out.
‘I gave her what she needed.’ Kallum corrects, looking us in the eyes.
‘And did she thank you for it?’ Grey snarls.
Kallum huffs. ‘Not in words, but it gave her solace. She admitted it to me.’
‘We will speak to her about it when she wakes,’ Grey says quietly.
I give him a look. ‘She won’t speak to us.’
Kallum smirks. ‘She speaks to me.’
I snort angrily. ‘Because you beat her if she doesn’t.’
He shrugs. ‘She wanted me to do what I did. She held herself still while I punished her, and she will ask me to do it again.’
Grey’s eyes flash. ‘If she does need this as you say, then we will decide what to do about it. She’s all of ours until we get home.’
