Page 44 of The Dragon King's Assassin

“And just like that, I'm cast aside for the Dragon King,” I muttered. “Not that I blame her.”

I heard the King's footsteps, then the distant sound of his voice. After a few minutes, he returned.

“Can I get something to eat?” I asked.

He spun in the doorway and left again. Ren turned and followed. I grinned and leaned back against the pillows. The King was waiting on me. Teng would never believe it. Then I frowned and slid my hand around to the bandage on my back. It really should hurt more than it did.

“Don't touch that!” a man snapped at me as he entered the room with Taroc. He was Neraky, with dark green hair braided back from his face, and a pair of blue eyes that were narrowed at me.

“Sorry, Doc!” I held up my hands in surrender. “I was just wondering why I wasn't in more pain. What was in that potion you injected me with?”

“Venom from the srapa serpent.”

“Oh, all right.” Then I processed. “Wait, what?! Those things kill sharks!”

“You are not a shark,” he said crisply. “For one thing, you don't breathe water. Now roll onto your stomach so I can inspect the wound.”

I looked from the doctor to Taroc, who shrugged. Right, he didn't know shit about humans and our fragile anatomies.

“Fine,” I grumbled and rolled.

The physician removed the bandage and made a strange sound.

“What is it?” I looked over my shoulder to see him exchange a look with Taroc.

“Nothing,” the doctor said and cleared his throat. “You're nearly healed.”

“Nearly healed?” I tried to see my wound, which was, of course, impossible. “Shit, your potions really are magical.”

“Magical?” the doctor asked.

“Yes, I told Lock about the magical potions you use to speed healing,” the King said in an odd tone.

“Oh. Yes. Those,” the physician said. “I don't think of them as magical, but, yes, my potions have amazing healing properties. The process of creation is detailed and the ingredients are a secret.”

“I guess that's fair. You don't want everyone to know how to make your potions.”

“No.” The doctor cleared his throat. “No, I don't want that.”

“So, can we leave off the bandage?”

“Yes, I believe we can,” he murmured as he poked around my back. “Any pain?”

“A little, but it's inside and more of an ache. Like an overworked muscle.”

He made another strange sound.

“Words, Doc. I need words,” I said.

“I can give you a light pain medication to take if the pain increases, but you should be fine by tonight. Until then, I want you on bedrest.”

“Bedrest, eh?” I looked over my shoulder again, this time at Taroc. “Well, if you insist.”

Taroc grimaced at me. “I will not be joining you in bed, Lock.”

“And how do I protect you if I'm in bed and you're not?”

“I will have to appoint a new King's Guard.”

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