Whispers (Book 3 of Wielder series)

Chapter 15 - The Bond

Alie sucked in a breath and pulled her injured arm out of Evan's grasp. "Ow!"

"Well," he sighed, "I told you not to move."

She scowled at him. "It's been days. Why is it still so tender?"

"Because it takes time for the body to heal," he chuckled, reaching for her arm again. "Not everything should be fixed instantaneously with magic. Now hold still this time."

Grumbling, Alie let Evan gently take her elbow in one hand. In his other, he patiently passed his wand over her shoulder. His expression, as usual, was soft, but focused. Though, this time, Alie noticed a bit of a smirk twitching at the corner of his lips.

"What?" she asked grumpily.

Evan shook his head. "I was just thinking that when I saw you in the arena with all those other prisoners, I didn't think the worst injury you'd endure was a dislocated shoulder." Satisfied with whatever assessment the wand had given him, he let the magic at its tip flicker out and set the device in his lap. Then he ran his fingers along the curve of her shoulder, testing the placement. "Are you always this lucky in battle?"

"Hardly," Alie snorted. "Luck has nothing to do with my successes."

He lifted a knowing brow. "But magic and enchanted weaponry does?"

Sighing, Alie looked away. "Guess I shouldn't have relied on them so much, huh?"

"There's nothing wrong with relying on them. They were essential tools to your survival." He lifted her arm, causing the ache that ran down to her elbow to return. She winced. Noting her pain, he lowered her arm, then picked up a small device no larger than her palm that Evan had called a "warmer." When he pressed it to the underside of her arm, it acted like a heat pack, providing warmth and soothing pain in her muscles.

"Still. I should have worked on fighting without them, in case I ever didn't have them."

"There was no way to know you would have to prepare for something like this," Evan disagreed. He moved the warmer to another spot, rubbing the muscle in little circles where it had just been. "He never should have had you fight in the first place."

Alie blew an annoyed breath between her lips. "It's officially not the worst thing he's ever done to me."

"That doesn't make it any less cruel. Or wrong." Removing the warmer, he took Alie's arms in both his hands and began to lift it. "Relax," he urged when she began to stiffen. "Or you'll agitate it further."

"I think a broken bone would have been less painful," she moaned. She closed her eyes and held her breath, trying to keep her body fluid as Evan tested the range of motion in her shoulder. While the blinding pain had disappeared as soon as he'd come and popped her arm back into its socket, she couldn't shake the horrible ache that remained.

Evan chuckled. "Trust me. It would not."

Alie bit her lip. Evan slowly lowered her arm, then extended her arm out in front of her. The ache intensified. "He's going to do it again," she said, hoping the conversation would distract her.

Evan's focus remained fixed upon her shoulder. "Do what?"

"Put me in the arena."

Pausing, Evan lifted his gaze to hers. Sadness filled his eyes. "I know."

"I don't know how I'm going to make it out next time. The Phantom who locked me back in my cell said something about making sure I can't climb around the cage again. And the woman who helped me win the round said she'd be coming after me first if we ended up in the ring again together."