Book One – Chapter 15

A knock.

“Hey, Yu!”

One of the two ulbatans. Yu still could not tell them apart, but guessed that it was the same one who had just trailed him up the stairs.

Estingar opened, a slim bag in his hand. “Use these.” From it, he pulled out a tin of salve, compresses, and woollen bandages, which he arranged on the bathroom sink. Last, he put down the towel. “Do you want help?”

“No.”

“All right, then I’m back outside.”

What?

The exchange was brief. No pity. No patronising. No pressure. No further questions. It was all but what Yu had expected. Estingar actually headed back down. For real.

And Yu remained alone, staring at his reflection in the mirror, then down at the supplies.

So … he was left on his own.

How the fuck was he supposed to do this?

Carefully, Yu turned to his left and right in front of the mirror, assessing the damage. His clothes clung like a second skin, soaked and freezing, but where he had made contact with the pot, the fabric had fused to his side and back. The singed and several blackened feathers bit into raw, blistered flesh beneath.

With one talon, Yu dragged the small wooden stool from under the sink and sat down. His scarf had caught a great portion of the stew, stiff and reeking. He wriggled it off and let it drop.

Deep breath.

With his beak and claws, he began to peel his shirt away. As the first major patch of cloth ripped free, he tore a chunk of charred skin with it. Blood welled sluggishly from the exposed wound. More pain welled with it. Yu doubled over, throwing his wings onto the washbasin to steady himself.

Yu had never been burned before.

He had no idea how to treat this.

His gaze darted around the room, indecisive. Then, finally, it landed on the wooden tub in the corner. Water. It smelled faintly of lye and damp stone, but it was water.