I sat motionless on the bathroom counter as Kaelen's gentle fingers worked across my face, applying some kind of healing salve to the bruises. The coolness of the cream contrasted with the warmth of his touch. My body ached everywhere, but the physical pain was nothing compared to the numbness spreading through my mind.
"Does this hurt?" he asked, his voice uncharacteristically soft as he dabbed at the darkening mark on my cheekbone.
I shook my head slightly. Everything hurt, but also nothing did. I felt disconnected, like I was floating above my own body, watching this scene play out between us.
Kaelen's green eyes searched my face, concern evident in the tightness around his mouth. "Sera?"
The nickname pulled me back into myself a little. He rarely shortened my name, and the intimacy of it felt like an anchor in the fog of my shock.
"I'm okay," I whispered, my voice still raspy from where those hands had closed around my throat. The memory made me shudder involuntarily.
