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“You’re as knotted up as an old tree trunk,” I said. “I may not be a healer, but maintaining the condition of my body and mind is fundamental to my training as a Protector. And this isn’t healthy, Ari.”
“You don’t need to tell me,” he said. “I know it isn’t. But like I said… I’ve just learned to live with it.”
As I ran my fingers down his shoulder blades, I noticed several long, clean scars on the underside of his arms, and on the back of his shoulders. Then I realized there were more—along his lower back and on his hips. I knew about the scar on his pectoral muscle, but these I hadn’t seen. They looked like claw scars. I had a few myself, from fights and training, but these were extremely precise and controlled. It was like they’d been made on purpose.
“These scars…” I said as I continued to massage his back. “How did you get them?”
“My father,” Ari said, then quickly added, “Not in anger. It’s the final test in the traditional T’Wanu healer’s training.”
“Healing wounds that he gave you?” I asked, horrified.
“Yes. Because a healer must know the experience of their patient to treat them effectively. Cuts, burns, stings… I’ve known and treated them all.”
“I’m sorry,” I said to him.
“There’s no reason you should be.”
“It must have been awful,” I said, tracing my fingers across the scars on his waist.
“I’m sure you’d been through painful trials in your training,” he said. “We endure and overcome to excel.”
“Yes, but at the hands of teachers, not our parents,” I said. “It would be unimaginable for there to be such a tradition amongst the Othos. The bond between life-giver and offspring is sacred and must always be protected.”
“Our traditions are different,” Ari said quietly.
He was defending it, but I knew there was pain there. I finally understood why he didn’t like speaking about his father.
* * *
Now that we no longer had individual rooms, we had the awkward arrangement of two beds positioned on opposite sides of the room with a lantern glowing in the middle. Both of us peered at each other over our covers, like a couple of ground squirrels suspiciously guarding our burrows.
“Goodnight, Ari,” I said.
“Goodnight,” he replied.
I peeked at him with one eye. “Do you want me to—” I said.
“Should I?” he interrupted.
And we both got out of bed at the same time.
“I can take care of it,” Ari said.
“I’m already up. And it’s slightly closer to my bed.”
“We’ll do it at once, then.”
We kneeled on opposite sides of the lantern and blew out the candle.
“Good night,” I whispered.
“Good night,” he replied.
My eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness. We both lingered by the lantern for a moment before slinking back to our beds. Who knew what we were waiting for?
I could hear the soft sound of his breathing from across the room, surprisingly comforting.
“Ari,” I said.
