Chapter 23

Mara’s POV

Maeve made Ronan sit by promising to cut his shirt off in front of the entire council if he refused. She washed the blood from the old scar and set a cool compress over it. Ronan endured her examination with the patience of a man who knew protest would only lengthen it.

“The red has faded,” she said. “That does not make it harmless.”

“You sound like my grandfather discussing winter bridges.”

“Your grandfather had sense enough to stay off one when it cracked.”

I watched her fasten a clean bandage beneath his collarbone. The scar might wake again with no warning. It had nearly made him carry me to Severin. Ronan’s hand was open on the table, carefully empty, and I wanted to fold