Corvin sighed when he entered the room, relieved, and released a groan of pain. One that he'd been holding back since the forest.
Standing in front of the washing bowl, he looked in the mirror to see if could pull the arrow out of his back. Iris most likely wouldn't return to the room until dusk. He shook his head to gather his thoughts and focus on pulling the arrow. It hadn't pierced through all the way, just the tip poked onto the other side. Corvin grunted, he would have to push it in further or pull it out as it was. Both painful.
Closing his eyes, he wrapped his fingers around the arrow and pushed. Grunting, and muffled groans filled the room at the sharp pang of pain that shot through his shoulder when the arrow fully emerged onto the other side.
Out of breath, Corvin opened his eyes and found Iris standing behind him looking at him through the mirror. He chuckled when he noticed that she was still holding on to her bow.
" You've come to finish what you started?" He didn't bother to turn around, and stared at her through the mirror, unwavering.
The clatter of the bow hitting the floor broke the long string of miserable thoughts floating through his head.
" No," Her voice was barely a whisper," Enough," She took a step forward, closing the distance," So much bloodshed and pointless death," Her lips trembled and locked eyes with him through the mirror, " All of it meaningless," She wrapped her fingers around the arrow and snapped it in half.
In one swift tug, Corvin pulled at the other end and dropped the broken arrow on the floor. Splattering the floor with his blood. And more blood oozed down his back and chest, and felt his arm shaking, as pain began throbbing again in his shoulder.
" We should get that cleaned and dressed," She said as she turned around and pulled a chair for him to sit down.
Pushing himself off the small table, he took the proffered seat, facing her. With lightly creased brows and an apologetic look in her eyes, she took a seat, and tugged on his coat, pushing it off his shoulders. When that hit the floor, she tugged on his tunic, gently grazing his sides as her fingers trailed up, bunching the tunic. All his senses focused on her fingers, her eyes fell on the blood staining his chest and then on the gash in his shoulder. She scrunched her eyes closed as he pulled the tunic over his head.
" If you wanted so bad to undress me," Corvin sucked a breath," All you had to do is ask. Shooting me wasn't necessary," He quipped, but his smile fell when a piercing gaze shot at him, a little punitive.
Clearing his throat, he watched her stand up, rummage through one of the cupboards and return with a water bowl, some bandages, and ointments.
He sucked a breath when the cold cloth brushed over the gash and trailed down his chest to wipe the blood. She placed the flat of her hand on his chest when he squirmed, restless. A silent request to stay still. He complied, and between grimaces, and hisses, his eyes stayed pinned on her face, as she grimaced along with him.
" Turn around," She straightened herself in the chair and waited for him to move. A little disappointed to lose sight of her, he turned around and hugged the backrest of the chair.
Gently, she placed the palm of her hand on his back while she dabbed the wound with the wet cloth, removing the remnants of blood, with the gentlest touch he'd ever felt on him. The healers were nothing more than butchers wearing blue silken robes.
The loss of her touch dragged him back to her. Turning round to face her, he found himself nose to bosom. He knew well the appetising mounds. He'd studied every inch of them from a distance and was familiar with every scar and fading bruise on her body. Even half dead he would have known where everything was.
He peeled his eyes off them when she sighed and leaned in to dress the wound. So close, that he could hear every heartbeat, the sound of her blood rushing, her teeth grinding, and her heady scent invaded his senses. A silent deep breath in to steady his mind and body. Her argent skin was akin to the glow of the moon, his fingers itched to caress the exposed neck. Instead, he fisted his hand, hard. Hard enough that the blood stopped flowing. Her lips brushed on his cheek when she pulled away, to tie the dressing at front. He raised his eyes searching for a clue, and an indication that she wouldn't shrink under his touch. His shoulder had her undivided attention as she deftly tied the knot, and lightly pressed the wound as if to check her work.
" It's done," She whispered, as she straightened herself, and picked up the bloodied clothes and water bowl to place it on the vanity.
" Thank you," He rasped, and cleared his throat, grimacing at the sound of his voice.
Absolute silence was her only reply as she began collecting his bloodied jacket and tunic of the floor, and threw them in a basket by the door. Corvin pushed himself hugging his midriff with his hand, and sauntered to the bed.
The silence was suffocating. A familiar ambience. Perching himself on the bed, he leaned against the headboard and closed his eyes.
" What happened in the forest?" He quietly asked and opened his eyes to find her frozen in her spot.
" I don't know," A sharp breath in," I thought, I'd relinquished my powers when Azra became the Guardian of Ellora," She turned to him, with questioning eyes.
" Liquid flame," He grunted as he pushed himself off the headboard," And then you cocooned yourself in it, and it became hard, but somehow it was impenetrable. It shattered like glass when I pierced through it with my knife," She closed the distance, bewildered.
" I heard you calling my name, but all I could see was ..," She closed her eyes, and took a deep breath. What she'd seen, while encased in those flames, had taken a toll on her, affected her in a way he couldn't possibly comprehend.