Sin: Path of Poison

Chapter 24 Part 1

Blake stepped towards the Crown Prince, defensively putting himself between us. Nomi didn't move, her eyes widened as if still not believing I was behind the screen. Lei smiled at me while the Crown Prince looked confused.

"I need to apply some medicine to the wounds, unless you'd like to call the royal doctor?" I suggested.

"You're not touching him." Blake blurted out, trying to look away from me while also trying to keep an eye on me. I looked down at the Crown Prince while holding the bottle in my hand. The Crown Prince looked briefly at me then at Lei, who tried his best not to look directly at me.

"Let her through." The Crown Prince said to Blake. If he were an animal you'd see the hair on his body stand straight up, clearly not in opposition with the decision. Blake moved the slightest step over.

"I'll need you to remove your robes so I can treat you." The Crown Prince obediently took off his robes, watching me uneasily while doing so. Nomi left the room, moving to her room instead. I placed the medicine down on a table, near his bed, and held up my finger. I quickly stepped behind the screen to grab the last bucket of water and a small clean towel.

"Lei? Can you please ask one of the guards to bring a few more buckets of clean warm water and towels?" I asked gently. He nodded and stepped out of the door long enough to ask.

Dipping the clean towel into the water, I began carefully cleaning his injuries, which were fortunately very shallow. I poured a small amount of the medicine in my hand and began applying it in a layer over his open wounds. Jin's skin rose with bumps.

"Are you cold? We can start a fire." I commented.

"I'm fine, just continue." He said softly, his voice quivered lightly.

"Did I hurt you? I'm trying to be gentle." I added.

"No, no, it doesn't hurt." He replied. I nodded, his eyes were closed. With a knock at the door Lei retrieved the water, one bucket at a time, bringing them to the inner chambers. As I focused on the wounds, the Crown Prince opened his eyes and watched as I attentively looked him over.

"Are you leaving?" He suddenly asked. Postponing my treatment, I looked up at him, our eyes met unintentionally. He took a deep breath as my eyes started to swallow him, I hadn't stilled my mind first. I'd kept my interrogating thoughts to myself while I was in disguise, but now I'd cast that off. Both of us averted our gaze at the same time.

"Not until I take care of someone." I replied, continuing to apply the medicine once again.

"Where will you go?" He asked, his voice wavered slightly.

"Home." I said simply.

"Where is your home?" He continued to inquire despite his voice sounding worse off every moment.

"Southwest of here." I answered. "Demon's Peak, some people refer to it as Assassin's City." I said.

"Have you always lived there?" He asked.

"No. We moved in when we turned seventeen." I replied.

"We? You and.. and that guy you called Torch?" He asked. I laughed softly and shook my head.

"We only met a short time ago." I answered as I finished covering the last of his wounds. I opened a different bottle and poured a medicine pill into my palm. "Eat this." I added. As naturally as drinking water he picked it up and put it in his mouth. Blake nearly choked, it happened so fast he didn't even warn him to stop.

"Where did you live before that?" He continued to probe.

"I lived in various places for a few years, prior to that I lived in the woods." I answered honestly. Walking over to his wardrobe, I pulled out his night robes and set them next to him. "Next?" I asked turning towards Lei and Blake.