The room was still, the blankets warm, and his pillow kind, but his thoughts had been stirring for two weeks with no end.

  The apothecary had been keeping Aric bedridden, but she had stepped out after applying the cooling paste and resetting his bandages.

  He lifted the blankets, swung his legs over the bed, and sat up with great strain. The burns were closed, but the worst of them were still healing beneath painful scabs.

  His feet met the cold stone, yet his legs hesitated, as if they felt safer tangled in the bedsheets. He took a deep breath, braced himself, and leaned forward.

  Skin pulled tight. Pain flared where scars were beginning to form. His teeth clenched as he took a step. Then another.

  Through the door, the courtyard of Fort Tarasian breathed life. Laborers walked with practiced purpose, merchants bargained with disarming smiles, and off-duty hunters lingered in small groups.

  A faint smile touched his lips as he watched children run between strangers, laughter full of ignorance and youth.

  He glanced at his arm. The hunter’s mark remained, standing firm on damaged flesh. He looked back to the courtyard, and felt the smile fade.

  When he was a child, the world had been black and white. At twenty-one years of age, it had begun to blur into shades of grey.

  “Aric,” Rue said as she approached. “Why are you out of bed? Surely your wounds aren’t healed.”

  Aric’s smile returned despite himself. Rue had visited him every day since their return, her worry never quite easing. Even when sleep claimed him, he remembered the sound of her voice, and sometimes Merac’s, too.

  “I felt like I’d go mad if I didn’t get some air,” Aric replied. “It’s been more than two weeks. I feel much better.”

  “You feel better?” Her head tilted and her face tightened. She put a hand on his shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze.

  Aric drew in a sharp breath through clenched teeth before he could stop himself.

  “Yeah,” Aric chuckled. “Doesn’t hurt at all.”

  “Come now. Get back in bed,” she said. “Be thankful it was me who found you and not the apothecary. She might’ve added more burns to you for all we know.”

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  “Good point,” Aric admitted, the thought alone making his face sink. He took a small step, pain crawling up his leg.

  “Here.” Rue slipped an arm around his waist. “Lean on me if it helps.”

  Aric’s eyes widened. He didn’t know how to respond, so he didn’t, but he felt the attention settle on them.

  A few of the men passing by slowed their pace. Some looked away too late, others didn’t bother at all, their gazes fixed on her steadying him.

  “Stop babying the boy!” a rough voice shouted. “It’s about time he grew his balls back and got out of bed.”

  Merac pushed through the crowd toward them.

  “You’re screaming again, Merac,” Rue said, shaking her head.

  “It’s fine. Half of these men are staring at you anyway.” He shrugged, pointing at a few of the onlookers. “See.”

  The men stiffened as his attention snapped to them. Faces flushed, they broke apart and hurried on, having somewhere to be all of a sudden.

  “They spook like rodents,” Merac laughed, turning his attention to Aric. “It’s good that you’re up. Now I won’t have to drag you around. There's a feast for the eastern hunters in two hours. You’re expected to attend before night nears.”

  “I'll go change now,” Aric said. “It may take me a while, with the shape I’m in.”

  “I, or the apothecary, can help if you need,” Rue added.

  Heat crept into Aric’s cheeks, his thoughts scattering at the offer. Merac chuckled at Aric’s awkwardness.

  “Don’t tell me the idea of two girls dressing you got you all flustered?”

  “Not everyone has a child’s mind like you, Merac,” Rue quipped with a smirk. “Neither the apothecary nor I would dress you, even if your arms went missing.”

  “Careful.” Merac winked. “Keep getting feisty and I may fall for you.”

  Rue exaggerated a shiver. “Please. For both of our sakes, don’t. Besides, I thought you liked quiet, soft-spoken girls.”

  “No. Women, I like them with claws,” Merac said, turning his back to them. “But you’re too pretty for my liking anyway.”

  Aric glanced at Rue and caught the relief on her face. “That’s the first time I’ve been thankful a man thought of me as pretty.”

  They laughed together as Rue helped him into the infirmary.

  “I’ll leave you to get dressed,” Rue said, pausing at the door. “But call for me if you need a hand.”

  She lowered her head, her green eyes held his. “If it means anything to you, I like that you get flustered around women. Any girl would much rather have that than an overconfident man.”

  His cheeks went red again, but he didn’t turn from her this time. Aric smiled and nodded.

  “Thank you. I’ll see you there.”

  Sunlight bounced off the mirror, catching his eye as he undressed. He leaned closer, examining the damage across his forehead. Aric was relieved the wounds on his face were healing well.

  His reflection lingered, looking for the man he had been yesterday—or perhaps two weeks ago.

  Yet the mirror remained fixed in the present, the same as him.