"What did just happen?" Leah asks when Eva is close.
"What do you mean?" Eva says, as she removes her jacket from her armor and picks up a towel that Lucien gives her. "Thank you."
"I mean the giant and Valzun!"
The youngest of the Drakos wipes the blood from her face, hair, and hands.
" Well, I killed the giant."
"Yes, but how?" asks Isabel, curious.
"Eva approached behind the giant and severed his heels. The giant has lost his balance and Eva has taken advantage of his body to jump on him and stab the dagger in the carotid," explains Lucien, proud of her, while cleaning the parts that she does not reach well.
"Wow, you've got good eyesight," says Leah.
"All the better to see her with," Lucien says, looking so intently at Eva that she turns red.
"Well, I think we should go back to the Auction House," Eva says as she gets up from the chair she was sitting on and walks to the exit.
"But, what about Valzun?"
"I'll explain it at the Auction House."
***
Half an hour later, they arrive at their suite.
"Okay, we're here. Talk," Leah says, a little impatient
"First, healing," Lucien says as he gently pulls Eve to guide her to one of the sofas in the suite.
Eva sits and watches Lucien's every move. The shifter enters their bedroom and, five minutes later, comes out of it. He approaches the dining table, grabs a chair and brings it up to where Eva is sitting.
"Now, take off your clothes and weapons so I can heal you," Lucien says while leaving a brown jar on the side table, she comes over to help Eva with the clothes.
Eva turns red, but she listens to what he says. With his help, she removes the weapons, jacket, t-shirt, pants, and boots that make up her armor, and leaves them on one side of the basement. Thus, Eva is now only wearing her underwear.
"Sit down," he says softly as he removes the lid from the jar.
"What's that?"
"It's an ancient remedy for wounds. The recipe was from L's mother, and it's very effective. I know it smells a little bad and it looks really good, but please, bear with it."
Lucien begins to apply a greenish concoction onto the wounds.
"That smells like someone had gathered dung and a couple of fish scraps and left them out in the open for a couple of hot months," Eva says, trying to get away.
"Don't move and just let me heal you," Lucien says worryingly, holding her gently so she doesn't escape.
Meanwhile, on one side of the suite, Isabel and Leah are watching as the couple is being all lovey-dovey, and even they seem to have forgotten their presence.
"As much as I like to see my sister being smeared with a slimy, disgusting concoction, we're missing the point."
"Sí, what happened to Valzun?" asks Isabel.
Eva sighs.
"Arlor wanted me to protect his brother, and the only way to do that was to incapacitate him so he wouldn't make it to the second round. Some time ago I read a book about acupuncture. In it, I learned that by pressing specific points on the body, you can make someone unconscious."
"So that's what happened to him?" asks Leah.
"Yes."
"Does his brother know?"
"I didn't tell him, but I think he saw how I was incapacitating his brother.
"I don't think Valzun will be very happy when he wakes up," Isabel says.
"Well, better than dead," Leah says to Isabel.
Isabel shrugs.
"I've already put the medicine on you. You can get some clothes on now," Lucien says, moving away and closing the jar.
Eva nods gets up and goes to the bedroom. Once dressed, she points to her armor and asks. "Leah, can you clean my armor, please?"
With a snap, Leah cleans the armor.
"I think we should have dinner and go to sleep. Tomorrow we have another long day ahead of us," says Lucien.
The girls nod and get ready for dinner.
***
A few hours later, in the couple's room.
They are cuddling in bed when Lucien whispers, "Promise me you'll be more careful in the next round. Seeing you hurt has been one of the most terrifying things I've ever experienced."
"I'll try," Eva says, kissing him on the lips.
"At least you're being honest," he says as he hugs her more tightly. Eva giggles.
A few minutes later, they both fall asleep.
***
The next morning, after breakfast, they decide to stop by Arlor's room, to see how Valzun is doing, before going to the Arena.