Page 21 of Bloodguard

“My name is Leith,” I tell her and want to kick myself. Why would she care what my name is?

She blinks at me, then answers quietly, “I’m Maeve.”

There’s some shift in the air between us. It makes me aware that I’m naked and that she’s standing close to me. I lift some of the peels she placed in the tub and toss them closer to my feet. “What do you do with all this shit?”

“This ‘shit’ is meant to calm you, at least partially.” She scrubs her hands on her apron, clearly irritated.

“The herbs were meant to sedate me?” I ask, realizing I would be more on edge right now if they weren’t. Theyhadlulled me close to sleep, but I didn’t black out. I’m vulnerable in a tub filled with sleeping draught, which is a risk I can’t afford to take. I abruptly pull my knees up, water sloshing, and brace my hands on the side of the tub to stand.

“I can’t treat you if you start thrashing, and partially sedated or not, this is going to hurt,” she insists, her gaze fixed on something on the other side of the room. “Now sit back and let me work.”

When I don’t move, her big eyes lock on mine. “Please, Leith.”

Something in her earnest tone has me sinking down again. Dazzling stupidity? Yeah. Probably.

She wants something from me. They all do. But I’ll play along for now.

The sooner I find out what the healer wants, the quicker I can use it against her.

chapter 10

Maeve

I mix a new batch of peels and leaves in a bowl and move toward the gladiator—the heavily muscled,nakedgladiator. With my head held high, I sprinkle the contents onto the water’s surface, beginning with the area over his groin.

“Something troubling you, Maeve?” he asks. “You seem distracted.”

Good stars. Sometimes there just aren’t enough orange peels in the world.

He chooses to look up at me then and smirk. Of course, even his smirk sets my pulse thrumming.

I return to my workstation. I must fix him. Not fixate on his body.

“Nice place,” he says, taking in his surroundings.

“It’s where I work,” I reply. “Now quiet and let the herbs do their job. I need you slightly numb.” If he’s drugged enough, I should be able to treat him. And if I treat him well, he’ll see that we’d make a good team. He scratches my back…damn, his hands are huge…and I’ll do some scratching of my own.

“What are you thinking?” he rumbles.

I blush, because clearly I haven’t humiliated myself enough.

“Oh, I see…” he says.

He winks at me, and I almost drop the jar I’ve pulled from the shelf. Gladiators don’t wink. They don’t flirt. They puncture chests and make their opponents eat their own lungs.

I shoot him a glare, then take a deep breath. He’s not weak, and he doesn’t act like he’s hurting, even with so many injuries. He’s simply—

Spectacular, if I’m honest.

I grip the sides of the stone table and bow my head, giving myself time to settle. When I’ve gathered my fortitude, I turn and say, “All right, Keith. This might hurt a little.”

His eyes are closed, but he still manages to growl, “It’sLeith, and there’s nothing you can do to me that I haven’t felt before.”

Based on all the scars marring his body, I’m sure it’s true. “You’re a mess,” I admit, and his eyes snap open. “In order to heal you, I must lance and drain the wounds your body failed to fully mend.”

“I thought you were just treating the current ones.” His face could chill even the harshest winter. “How long will it take all this shit to heal?”

“Probably a week.”

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