did no

his hand half raised and his attention fixed on the place where his fingers had brushed Seren's skin. T

eath his ribs, an awareness of Seren that did not disappear when she walked away. But this was different. This had been

ed his

ng ha

e pain

give way. The sensation was not his own, yet his body recognised it as injury. A deep, grinding ach

ctly where

re

njured arm was held close to her body. Her face had gone pale, but she was still tryi

our shoulder,"

rela

olding you

you keep telli

examination cloth. "If you keep arguing with me

vanished when Mara gen

d through h

Riven s

istaken for a cough. He pressed his free hand against his shoulder, but there was no wou

heard

nto the corri

straighten. "Wh

together. "I haven

gled to get the words ou

rstanding began to dawn on her face, fol

ave a t

w m

oug

voice sharpen

d through his shoulder, and he had to br

. She returned to the room and checked Seren's shoulder

s the healer t

nees near

pped imm

oked from the healer to the doorway. Riven stood there, jaw clenched, one h

ed to you?"

thi

e says ot

"I think the bond is trans

at her. "Tr

shared sensations, but this is unusual. We need to

at Seren. "Mo

N

w if it happen

er not to fall apart.

subject. We will not deliberately aggra

ghtened, but h

him angry, impatient, amused, and cruel. She had never seen him s

said slowly. "But

wallowe

w m

"Ten times wor

settled ove

manageable. She could breathe through it. Riven, by cont

to be on the receiving end of his strength. She had imagined apo

ined. I don't believe it is dislocated, but you need to keep it supported.

ing to train,"

we agree o

the doorway. "I'll send

," Mara said. "I

ll me wh

er space. If the bond is doing what I think it is doing,

on hardened at t

n no

him," she said. "He's used to gi

hat," Rive

ended

stop. This is a healing roo

Before he reached the d

iv

sto

on't expect me to f

the old arrogance returned to his fac

n't ask

he

d still rested beneath her skin, strange and unwelcome. Somewhere

the bond had given her a weapon-or tied h