Well. I have stitches. Hundreds of them. Not to mention superglue. They are holding my skin together. It looks wickedly raw and very dangerous. Not to mention painful. “It’s not green any longer!”

“No. There are no signs of infection or of poison, thank the goddess,” Barlaam said, carefully inspecting every inch of my arm. “Kindara’s demon find has saved your life, Jume. If this attack had happened even a week ago, I’m sorry to say we wouldn’t be seeing the same results. You’ll need to stay still for a week or two. Let the skin heal over it. Nothing strenuous. Bed rest completely. I’m going to have you assigned to one of our private rooms three floors up, with a junior healer to care for you. If you need anything, she’ll fetch it for you. Try to keep as still as you possibly can. Thank you…for being willing to test this out. I know how terrified you must have been.”

Well, I hadn’t exactly had a whole lot of choice, had I? But I didn’t say that. My mother had raised me to be more polite than that. I said something appropriate, though I can’t remember what it was. 

Then I looked at the Predatoi staring at me. 

He had pulled a digital camera from his pocket. “I need to take photos of the wounds now. Thadd took initial photos after he stitched you up. While you were unconscious from the damned demon brew my brother-in-law provided to my sister.”

I nodded. Part of my job with Theo had been to make copies of assault photos. It was never easy to see. And I’m not exactly thrilled that my photo will forever be in a file in Theo’s office for any law clerk or justice worker to see whenever they wanted. All it would take would be them getting curious about demon handiwork. 

But our system of justice did work well. Up to a point, anyway. 

To be honest, the entire conversation was starting to exhaust me. I lay back against the pillows while he took his blasted photos. 

“So tell me, Jume,” Cormac said. “Why would a demon assassin come after you? And what was the exact message he shouted?”

My eyes flew open, and I just stared into his. “I don’t know. I don’t know why any of this keeps happening to me. I’ve never done anything to anyone to deserve it!”

After that, Kellis lit into him. So badly I thought he was going to fire her on the spot. But he didn’t.

He just turned to me after Kellis was starting to wind down. A sharp pain went through my head at his look, and I closed my eyes quickly.

“I’ll find out the answers for you. I damned well promise that. You just…keep yourself safe in the meantime.”

I nodded, thinking the whole time:

Just how in the three hells am I supposed to do that?