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Eavus put another cringing hand to his side and looked, wrinkling his brow in surprise. Leaves were plastered to his wound. It wasn’t swollen anymore. Gingerly, he touched his shoulder. The puncture was covered in a sticky paste.

Gold flooded the room and then disappeared as the door shut.

“You’re awake.”

Revni picked up his sword from the floor. He started to protest, but he was momentarily thrown by how different she looked. Her hair had been neatly re-braided. Maybe that was it. No, it was her bruises. Her jaw wasn’t purple anymore, mostly green.

“How long have I been out?”

“Three days.”

Eavus swore and threw off his blankets, only to realize he was completely naked. Revni didn’t seem to care, but he covered up again anyway. Three days?! He was a dead man. Five days since he’d checked in?

“How was I out three days?”

Revni shrugged. “Ask the healer.”

He had vague memories of smoke and tea, fingers prodding him, warm hands on the back of his neck. His nakedness now made sense. Infirmary patients had no choice but to wet themselves—embarrassing, but a fact of sickness. Frankly, he was impressed he wasn’t sitting in his own filth. The Dinaeii always smelled like shit. He wouldn’t have expected them to care about keeping someone clean. Or know how to treat a wound.

“Why are we with the Dinaeii? Did the Creonus find us?”

Revni furrowed her brow. “What Creonus?”

“We were on the run.” Every tribe or clan had their own brand of horribleness: the Dinaeii camouflaged themselves in mud so you couldn’t even smell them coming; the Epadi used barbed tips; the Catavarrus had helmets that rivaled Aleterian iron for strength, except theirs had a sharp spire pointing out of the top, the way other groups might have decorated with feathers. Except the Catavarrus, when they got cornered, threw them at you, the needle-like top slamming into a body with all the force of the metal cap behind it. The Creonus, it was rumored, liked to collect captives like trophies. A high-ranking Creonus would have slaves of every color and kingdom—and an Aleterian and an Isfolj would have made a rare pair. Eavus’ memory was spotty—he’d felt terrible—but he had images of looming faces and bared teeth, blades scratching at his face, hiding in a cool, dark cave.

“No. The Creonus didn’t find us.”

The girl was impossible to read. Eavus wanted to strangle her just to get some answers—except he felt heat bloom when it suddenly occurred to him, based on her amused expression, that he might have dreamed the whole thing.

Her lip quirked, and he knew she’d noticed.

“Alright, alright.” But his grumpiness only seemed to amuse her further. “Where are my clothes?”

Revni tilted her chin. His clothing and armor was in a neat pile, which again, surprised him. Nothing stolen, nothing damaged, as far as he could tell. He shrugged the tunic over his head. It had even been washed. What in Hirene’s sky was going on? Dinaeii—what? Hiding him? Healing him? Why was Revni still here, come to think of it? Three days, and the little monster hadn’t run? He had another image—her straddling him, the warmth of her on top of him, then him on her. Another dream, one that made his cheeks color to have had it. But no, that had happened. A scuffle. And also—her half-carrying him because he could barely walk. That was real, too.

Eavus dared a glance. She was just watching him, that same lion look on her face as before. Only this time, not like she was hunted. Like she was resting in the sun, waiting for the cubs to finish their games. Eavus secured his inner belt around his tunic, a little lower than normal to avoid his wound.

“Thank you,” he ventured. “For helping me.”

“You will take me to Colcium.”

Eavus guffawed. She flexed her grip on his sword.

“Let me understand this: you want me to take you to my superiors?”

“There are Isfolj in Colcium.”

“So?”

“I have a birthright. Land my grandfather received in the North. A Council will hear my case.”

“I am not taking you to any cursed Council.” He knew he should stop talking, but it was infuriating. She was his prisoner, his property by all rights of Aleterian law. “If we go to Colcium, it will be to find an Aleterian commander. He will decide what is to be done with you.”

“Sa.” Revni nodded tightly, as if they’d come to some sort of agreement. “Berae will want to speak with you, now that you are awake.”

The girl was infuriating.

Eavus groaned to standing and followed her outside. “Let’s get one thing clear: we are not traveling companions. You are my property.”