She tried her best not to move, but it stung. “Any others hurt?” she asked as he rinsed his washcloth.

“None from the Guild. Everyone else was smart enough to stay out of the way. You’re lucky the Red Shields arrived before that beast did you any true harm.”

Kyra wondered what Rand’s reaction would be if he knew that she’d put herself in harm’s way in order to help a nobleman. And not just any nobleman—the knight who’d overseen the herbalist’s rent collection. Kyra wasn’t sure herself why she’d done it, though it gave her some perverse satisfaction to think that the wallhugger owed her his life. For all his expensive weapons and training, he’d be dead if it weren’t for a city girl with a rock. And soon she’d take back those herbs he’d wrested from the storekeeper.

“Any news from the southwest district?” she asked.

“Alex was down there. Said the barbarians didn’t make it that far. Your friends at the Dog are likely fine.”

Could be, but she was eager to get back and see for herself.

“How is she?”

Kyra looked up to see James, arms crossed as he appraised her condition. She had wound a sheet around herself for modesty as Rand tended her back, and she pulled it more tightly around herself.

“I’m fine,” she said.

“Will she be able to climb?” James asked Rand.

“She’ll heal up well enough. The scratches aren’t deep.”

James bent over her, pushing her lightly forward to look at her back.

“I’ll take over,” he said, waving Rand away. Rand raised his eyebrows but gathered his things and left.

Kyra leaned forward and studied the floor, oddly aware of James’s movements as he stepped behind her. There was a rustle of clothing as he sat down, and the sound of the washcloth being wrung. James didn’t use any less pressure than Rand, but his touch was quicker, more precise, and less painful.

“You should have been more careful,” he said after a while.

“I know.” Kyra shook her head. “Just panicked, I guess.” She drew a sharp breath as James touched a particularly sore spot.

“Easy.” He laid his hand at the base of her neck and squeezed gently. Kyra slowly let her breath out, and James continued cleaning.

“Just stay out of the way. You should know how to do that.” He dabbed the area dry. “Hold your arm out.” James took her wrist between his fingers and guided her arm to the side, pressing a bandage to her shoulder and expertly wrapping it with a long cloth. “We’ll have to move back the raid a week or two. Keep your shoulder clean. Change the bandages every day, and come back when you can move normally again.” He stood up to leave.

“James—” Kyra called before he moved out of earshot. He stopped.