Chapter 44: Monster, Part 4

"Nothing about me has ever been respectable," Mahzan replied. "I do not see why that should change anytime soon."

"Fair enough," Cemal said with another chuckle. He finished cleaning Mahzan's face, then moved to return the bloodied cloth to the table with the basin. Glancing again at Binhadi, he asked, "Should we remove his robes? It can't be comfortable sleeping in that."

Mahzan snorted. "At least he is sleeping and not dead. I for one do not remove the clothes of other people unless I am getting something very particular for my trouble."

Cemal coughed as some of those particulars slipped through the bond before Mahzan slapped a wall up. He cast Mahzan a look. "You are not normally so careless."

"Tired, and my head hurts," Mahzan replied. "I cannot wait to go back to the days when people were not trying to kill me."

Sule's dry amusement filled their minds. I sincerely doubt there was ever a time and place when someone did not want to kill you.