Only the burn echoing in my throat as I swallowed stopped the perverse impulse to argue with Ronan. He was right.
"He was waiting for me, Ro," I said as Ronan set me on my bed. "Almost no one even knows where I live. You and Hunter and...Goliath. He could've seen me the night they found Beth's body, maybe? Followed me a different night?"
My words were tumbling from my lips faster and faster as the nerves set in. I was starting to shake, the strange calm after the attack dissipating, leaving behind the terror of nearly dying.
"Shhh, nut," Ronan murmured, kissing my forehead and stroking my shoulders. "You're safe now. We'll sort it out. First, let's get you changed." He petted me as he worked, fingers quick on my buttons. "Goliath was still at the theater when we left. He's in the last act, remember?"
I sighed and nodded. "He's too sweet anyway. I'm sorry, I'm all—"
"Hush," Ronan whispered, stroking up and down my spine until I calmed again.
Nireas brought in a pot of water and a candle as Ronan was pulling my dress gently over my hips. I glanced down at where Nireas stared and saw the blood soaking the collar of my slip and streaked across my chest.
"It's all right," I told him.
He blinked at me and shook his head. "No, it isn't."
Which was true, I supposed.
"Do you have bandages for your fingers, nut?" Ronan asked.
"Probably handkerchiefs we could cut up," I said, nodding my head toward the top drawer of my dresser.
Nireas set the candle down and approached me slowly, as if I might run away from him. Because you did, I reminded myself.
Ronan stepped away from me, and I turned to Nireas, whispering, "I'm sorry. I should've—"
Nireas shook his head. "I deserved it. It will wait," he added, glancing briefly in Ronan's direction.
He pulled a wet, clean cloth from the pot of water and stared down at me, frowning. "I should've warmed this up. I started a fire in the stove."
"It's fine," I said again, lifting my chin. "You'll see."
Ronan brought me an old sweater from my dresser, a little moth-eaten but warm, and slid it over my shoulders as Nireas started to wash my throat.
In spite of their brief snapping at one another when Hunter had arrived, Nireas and Ronan worked easily with one another as they patched me up. It occurred to me that I'd never actually seen the two interact before. Their personalities were so different, Ronan all play and Nireas so quiet and calm, observing everything.
"A few raw spots, some bruising," Nireas murmured, eyeing my throat.
"Someone should tell Reddy," Ronan said, but he and Nireas only exchanged a long look before he said, "It will wait."
When the backdoor rattled, Nireas bolted from the room and Ronan stood between me and the doorway as he changed me into my nightgown.
Hunter appeared first, jaw still clenched, frustration lining his brow. "I think there was a carriage waiting around the block. The scent vanished abruptly. No one there to ask any questions." His gaze scanned me, and while he frowned deeper at the sight of my throat, his shoulders lowered slightly.
Ronan stepped back as Hunter crossed to me, Nireas hovering in the doorway with his head ducked low.
"You left the theater early," Hunter said, tipping my chin up with a gentle black claw, examining me, no doubt cataloging all the damage done by my attacker.
"I forgot. I was tired...and distracted," I said, glancing over Hunter's shoulder at Nireas briefly. "I didn't mean to miss you."
"You put yourself in grave danger, little one."
"I know. I'm sorry," I said softly, looking again at the other two to include them in the apology. "There's something...something I need to tell you all, actually."