Raven of Water

Chapter 27: Amnesty

I sighed, counting down from ten and forcing myself to cut off the water when I reached one. Shivering, I stepped out of the shower, grabbing a large towel off the counter and wrapping myself in it. I muttered a curse under my breath when I saw that my feet were still bleeding, and the sight of the wounds reminded me that I felt stinging pain with every step I tried to take.

"Lex," Kai's words were accompanied by a soft knock on the door, and I scowled while grabbing another towel and wrapping my dripping, knotted hair up. There wasn't a hairbrush in sight, and I really didn't feel like asking Kai where he kept his toiletries and brushes.

When I said nothing, the man added. "Can I come in?"

"I..." I faltered, staring down at my injuries. I looked awful, but there wasn't any hiding myself from him here. So, I sighed before shrugging. "Yeah. Whatever. Come in."

The door clicked open, and Kai pushed it in to reveal his dark visage. My breath caught as I saw his face partially illuminated by the fire flickering behind him, and in that half darkness, I noticed he was holding a cloth in his right hand.

When the man saw me, his eyes cut to my injuries before he schooled his expression, appearing calm as he stepped into the space which suddenly felt too small.

"Here," he said, holding out what I now realized was a black robe.

A glance told me that the robe would be too large for my frame, though I thanked him and grabbed it. I was grateful that the robe was soft and warm as I slipped it on then turned so that Kai wouldn't see my nude body as I stepped out from the towel then cinched the belt tight over the waist of the robe.

"I have food for you. And a first aid kit."

"How magnanimous of you." I rolled my eyes, taking a deep breath and looking at the man standing behind me, his scowl reflected in the glass of the mirror. It was easier to look at a reflection than at him. I wondered why that was...

The shadows of the bathroom made his scowl seem deeper than it was. "I didn't realize how badly you're injured. I'm sorry. I should've given you the kit before you showered. I think there are some painkillers in there, too."

I laughed darkly, glaring at his reflection and my own swollen eye in the dark surface of the large mirror. "Yeah. The black eye didn't give my 'hurtness' enough, did it Kai?"

My passive aggressive sarcasm had him flinching.

"Lex," he said, looking pained in his reflection and leaving me to snort and turn on my heels before limping past him without looking at the real him.

When I entered the living space and saw all the food laid out on a coffee table, I paused. To say the man had gone overboard with the food was an understatement: fruits, vegetables, snacks... The sight prompted a grumbling in my stomach that reminded me I was, in fact, starving.

Ignoring my pain and the man whose presence had me biting my lip, I made my way over to the space in front of the fireplace, lowering myself to the ground between the fire and the table before finally forcing myself to look at Kai.

"Alexandra, let me help you." He stood next to the bathroom door, his arms crossed over his chest as his eyes pleaded with me to understand something that I couldn't comprehend.

"I have a feeling I don't want the kind of help you're offering, Kirroz..."

The man was still in his Raven body, and his gaze narrowed before he uncrossed his arms then ran his hands through his hair in frustration. He looked like the past Kai, but he was also different.

More expressive, perhaps?

"I know you're hurt and angry."

"Understatement of the fucking year, Kai."