Talen

“Whatever.”

“Anyway, this woman was in Hilltop, and I followed her into a house. I made her put everything back, but she got away from me and ran off.”

“How did she manage to get away?”

“Uh…” I stop. I don’t really know what to say. The last thing I feel like doing is telling her all about the woman who eluded me and tossed me off a wall.

“Talen?” Ava sets her cup on a shelf and stares at me. “Don’t you hold out on me!”

I look back at her and sigh. Despite the bruises and black eye, she looks more like herself as she stares me down, demanding answers. Maybe hearing about my bad luck would make her forget her own.

I recount the entire tale, from being unable to track the spy, to finding the rope, to being punched in the face, and finally to falling along with the cut rope.

Ava bites her lip and narrows her eyes as she listens. When I get to the end, she sits up a little straighter, pauses for a moment, and then bursts into laughter.

“Really?” I glare at her, trying not to crack a smile myself. “You’re just going to laugh at me? I was hoping for a little sympathy.”

“I’m trying to picture your face when she cut the rope. It had to have been priceless!”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say with a tight-lipped smile. “It was hilarious.”

“I just didn’t realize you were fallible.” She laughs until she grimaces and holds the side of her face for a moment. “Ouch.”

“I failed you tonight, too.”

“Not your fault,” Ava says. “He wasn’t supposed to be here tonight.”

“I’m still sorry I wasn’t here.”

“I can handle myself,” she mumbles.

I raise an eyebrow at her, but she won’t look at me. I consider reminding her that she asked me to stick around, but it felt like rubbing salt into a wound, so I say nothing.

Ava finishes her tea, and we both lie down in the bed. She turns toward me and wraps her arm around my waist, and I hold her close. Lying down is good for my aching back and jaw, but I’m not the slightest bit tired. Apparently, Ava isn’t either.

“Punched you right off your feet, huh?” She shakes her head slowly.

“Yeah. I wasn’t expecting that.”

“I know the feeling.”

I hug her a little tighter as the burning sensation in my stomach takes hold again. I consider slipping out when she falls asleep, but I don’t want her to wake up and find me gone.

“How bad do I look?” she asks.

“You’re fine,” I mumble.

“Don’t lie to me.” Ava sits back up and prods the side of her face with two fingers. “My eye is black, isn’t it?”

“Yeah.”

“And my face?”

“A bit bruised.”

“I won’t be able to work.” She lies back down and huffs through her nose. “No one wants a beat up harlot. I can’t make money like this.”

“It’s not so bad,” I tell her. “Maybe consider a little vacation time? You should heal up in a few days.”