Ka'z lay motionless atop a bed of fresh hay, his chest rising and falling in slow, uneven breaths. Layers of clean cloth wrapped around his torso, shoulders, and limbs where Lady Zira and the other had dressed his wounds.
Beneath the bandages were bruises had already spread across much of his small body while several cracked scales had been carefully splinted to prevent further damage. Even in his sleep, both arms remained tightly wrapped around the steel staff taken from Boi. Every attempt to pry it from his grasp had failed.
Za'r sat quietly beside the bed, her hands folded neatly upon her lap as she watched him sleep. Dark circles rested beneath her eyes from exhaustion while the lingering ache of complete mana depletion still weighed heavily upon her body.
Every now and then her gaze drifted toward the cracked scales along Ka'z's cheek before returning to his peaceful face. Had she arrived only moments later, she wasn't sure she would still be watching him breathe.
