I swallowed and my eyes dropped to the growing bulge barely hidden by the low-slung briefs that wrapped around his hips. The desire that always simmered in my blood around Torran flamed higher. “You could renounce the life debt,” I suggested. “If you’re not too hurt.”

He shook his head immediately. “Not until we’re out of Valovian space.”

I licked my lips. “You could, ah, help yourself.”

His eyes brightened as the silver grew. “If I wasn’t hurt, I would, cho akinti. But for now, I’ll just enjoy your hands tending to me, if you don’t mind.”

The endearment washed over me. I didn’t know what it meant, and I was too shy to ask, but his voice caressed the words like they were precious.

Like I was precious.

I returned my hands to his ribs. His chest expanded, but he didn’t say anything, so I smoothed the salve over the worst of his bruises.

And there were a lot. His body was littered with so many deep purple marks that I worried about internal bleeding. I didn’t know what I’d looked like before Havil healed me. Maybe I’d been just as bad, since I’d felt the telekinetic crushing me with my armor, but I winced at every bruise on Torran. If he hadn’t been protecting me, he could’ve protected himself.

“Why did you let her hurt you like this?” I murmured.

“Because the moment I took my concentration away from you, she would’ve killed you. It was all I could do to keep her from crushing you or your mind, and you were still severely injured. I didn’t expect a telekinetic of my level. We are very rare.” He said it without a hint of boasting. “My pride nearly cost your life.”

I perked up. “If telekinetics at your level are rare, does that mean you know who she was?”

Torran sighed and closed his eyes. “I believe she is one of Empress Nepru’s Fiazefferia.”

I sucked in a breath. That was a word I knew. It roughly translated as Sun Guardians, and while I didn’t know much about Valovian culture, even I’d heard of the famed Sun Guardians. Part assassin, part protector, and part advisor, they were the empress’s right hand, and their identities were guarded at the highest level.

They were also known to be fiercely loyal.

“Did she betray the empress?” I whispered, already suspecting the truth.

“I don’t know, but it would surprise me if she did. More likely the empress sent her to infiltrate Morten’s team and keep an eye on his plans.”

“But she had Cien. She put him in an explosive vest and hurt him.”