Page 49 of The Dragon King's Assassin

I nodded. “Fairly.”

“A deep chest wound will take a bit of time to heal. I'll send someone to ask around, see if any injured Argaivs have been seen.”

“He got me in the back,” I said. “If it wasn't for one of your kind, I'd still be groaning in the King's bed, and not in a fun way.”

“What do you mean?”

“A Neraky doctor patched me up. He used some kind of magic potion with srapa venom in it to speed my healing. That shit is powerful! I'm completely healed.”

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Ry asked. “Our doctors don't have magic potions. The only thing magical about us is our ability to go from breathing water to air. And srapa venom is used for numbing, that's all.”

“Look for yourself.” I turned and lifted my tunic.

Teng pushed it further up, taking my belt with it. “What am I supposed to be looking at?”

“That's where I was stabbed.”

“There isn't even a scar, Lock.” Teng dropped my tunic. “That's impossible. I think you must have hit your head.”

“As a matter of fact, someone did hit me on the head, but that doesn't change the fact that I was stabbed. The doctor came by to check on the wound this morning. Why would he do that if I had just imagined it? Oh, and I was bandaged.”

The Nerakians looked at each other, then at me. Their steady stares sent a zing of panic down my spine.

“No. I know I was stabbed. I didn't imagine that. It was fucking deep. And I was lucid this morning when the doctor came by.”

“Whatever healing potion that doctor gave you, it didn't come from our people,” Teng said. “But I'd sure like to get my hands on it. Is there any way you could get me a vial?”

I blinked. “Yeah, sure. I'll sneak into the doctor's room and get you one.”

“You mean the hospital?”

“I don't know if there is a hospital at the palace. It's not as if Dragons need a doctor.”

“They're not invulnerable,” Teng said. “None of the immortal races are. We still need doctors to help us heal.”

“True. If Dragons were invulnerable, I wouldn't be in this mess.” I shook my head. “But they do heal rapidly. I saw it for myself. The King cut his hands and before I could bind them in bandages, they were healed.”

“Fuck, that must be nice,” Ry muttered.

“It must be nice to live forever,” I shot back.

Ry chuckled. “Yes, it is. Though it can get boring.”

“Unless you're a pirate.”

“One does what one must to keep oneself entertained.”

“What the fuck kind of talk is that?”

“It's classy talk. I figured you'd understand it now that you're rubbing elbows with those rich assholes.”

“That sounds kinky,” Teng said.

I snorted a laugh, then jerked my chin at Teng. “Back to business. What have you got for me?”

“A lead on the hooded man.”

“You found him?”

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