She needed to check his wound. Pulling the sheet down, she exposed his torso. A blood-soaked towel covered the injury. Slowly, she lifted it, thankful it didn’t stick to his skin. The skin appeared slightly puffy and red. However, it didn’t seem unnaturally swollen, nor was there any indication of infection. The stitches were small and evenly spaced. Dexter had done a surprisingly respectable job of sewing Colbert’s skin together.

“Do you think I’ll live?” Colbert asked, startling her.

She straightened, embarrassed he’d caught her with her face mere inches above his chest. “I do.” After placing a clean towel over the wound, she pulled the sheet over him again, not wanting him to catch a chill. “Do you need anything before I leave?”

“Have you seen Finn?”

“No.” He hadn’t been in the room when she arrived.

The door opened. Dexter entered, Finn right behind him. The dog wagged his tail.

“There he is,” Colbert said, a smile lighting up his face.

“I just took him out for a quick walk.” Dexter stopped, apparently having just noticed her. “What are you doing here?” His gaze focused on Reid.

“I came by to check on your brother. Now that I know he’s okay, I’ll leave.” She removed the wet towel, tossing it back in the bucket.

“Thank you,” Colbert said.

She smiled kindly at him. “Any time.” Reaching down, she scratched Finn’s head before exiting the room. At the doorway, she glanced back. Dexter sat in the chair Reid had just vacated, clutching his brother’s hand. It almost seemed as if he were apologizing. Again, she wondered how exactly Colbert had gotten hurt.

After putting on one of the dresses Nara had commissioned for her, Reid left the palace, eager to explore the city. Of course, it wasn’t nearly as fun on her own as she’d thought it would be. A pang of loneliness filled her when she thought about Harlan preparing for his own wedding back home.

Reid wasn’t sure if someone from the palace had followed her, and she didn’t care. All she wanted was some fresh air, to peruse some of the shops, and to find the bookstore where she’d bought the map the last time she’d visited. Ackley had insinuated they would exchange correspondence through there. Not that she knew how it would work, but knowing Ackley, he already had a letter waiting for her.

After grabbing a bite to eat at a local bakery, she found the bookstore with ease. When she entered, she spotted the same worker as before. The woman stood on a ladder, searching along the top shelf.

Ackley had mentioned exchanging correspondences in a book. Meandering along the far aisle, Reid browsed the vast selection, hoping a title would stand out. Not finding anything of interest in the first aisle, she went down the second.