AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He made a small noise, but I wasn’t sure exactly what it meant.
Anise returned with a bowl of warm water and a cloth, holding them out to me. I took them wordlessly and started cleaning some of the cuts I could see. I was sure the doctor would tell me I’d done the wrong thing, but I couldn’t stand the thought of him lying here covered in blood and dirt.
I was almost done with his chest when the sound of the front door opening caught my attention. I looked up, both relieved and somewhat surprised to find Kuk with a man I didn’t recognise.
“This is Doctor Jones,” he said.
I nodded and got to my feet, only noticing the cramp in my leg as I did. Clearly, I’d been kneeling for too long. “Thank you for coming, doctor.”
The man nodded and headed over to Abrax, seemingly already briefed by Kuk.
“I’m going to go make everyone some drinks,” Anise said, slipping out of the room.
I headed over to my brother and gave him an uneasy smile. “Thank you.”
“What’s going on, Kua?” he asked.
I looked over at Abrax. “I don’t know. He hasn’t said anything. I don’t understand what happened, he was fine when he left me this morning...”
Kuk raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mean why has he been beaten up,” he responded. “What’s going on with you?”
“Oh, I’m just worried. What if he’s really hurt?”
“What if this is all some elaborate trap?” he snapped. “Have you thought about that? He could be here to take you to the Sons of Seth headquarters. You know what they’re like.”
“Abrax isn’t like that,” I said with certainty.
Kuk ran a hand over his face. “You’re normally much smarter than this.”
“And you’re usually more compassionate,” I responded sharply. “He’s hurt.”
Kuk stared at me, bewilderment all over his face.
“It’s not a trap, okay? I trust him. He told me everything last week.” I didn’t add that he’d spent almost every night here since.
“What is there to tell above and beyond the fact he’s part of a cult that wants to destroy us, Kua?”
“It’s complicated,” I murmured.
Something like understanding dawned on my brother’s face. “You love him, don’t you?”
I blinked a few times, trying to process the words my brother was saying. “Love him?” Without meaning to, I glanced back at the bed where the doctor was clearly tending to Abrax’s wounds.
“You’re not doing this for no reason, Kua.” His face and tone softened. “Just, don’t be blinded by it. Okay? What he stands for is still dangerous, even if you think he’s a good person.”
“He doesn’t stand for it,” I whispered, my voice cracking and my eyes stinging slightly, though I wasn’t sure why. “He hates it.”
“And he’s the one who told you that?” His scepticism was clear in his expression, but I wasn’t going to let that deter me.
“Yes.”
“And you believed him?”
“Of course I believed him. You don’t understand...” And maybe I didn’t either. But I knew that what Abrax had told me was the truth, every word of it.
“I do,” Kuk promised. “How can I help?” From his expression, I could tell he didn’t think there was any reasoning with me, but right now, I didn’t care about that. Not when Abrax was clearly hurt.
“Tell Seth I want to talk to him.”
