Chapter 258: Her Traumatized Arm & Egasrae.
But Alaric wasn’t convinced. His brow furrowed as he studied Salviana. "What just happened?" he asked, his tone low and probing. "You screamed as if—"
"I told you, it’s nothing," Salviana replied, avoiding his gaze.
"You screamed in agony," he pressed, his hand instinctively reaching for her arm. "I didn’t pull you that hard, did I?"
Salviana sighed, her lips tightening into a faint smile meant to dismiss his concern. "No, Alaric. It’s not you." She rubbed her shoulder absentmindedly. "It’s from the night I was poisoned... I hit my arm when I fell."
His jaw clenched at the memory of that night. "You injured yourself and didn’t tell me?" His voice softened, but his eyes remained sharp. "How bad is it?"
"It’s nothing serious," she said, waving a hand as if to brush it aside. "When I collapsed, I think I hit my arm on the edge of the bedside table. I didn’t even think about it after."
Alaric stepped in front of her, halting her mid-stride. His gaze was intense, his hand resting gently on her upper arm. "You’ve been carrying an injury for days, Salviana? That’s unacceptable. I’ll examine it when we return home."
She rolled her eyes playfully, trying to lighten the mood. "You’re exaggerating, Alaric. I heal fast, you know that."
"Maybe, but you also neglect yourself," he retorted, his tone sharp but laced with concern. "I’ve told you before—just because you heal doesn’t mean you should ignore your pain."
She blinked at him, surprised by his sudden fervor. For a moment, she didn’t know how to respond. Then her voice softened. "My pains... they remain in memory sometimes. And they haunt me."
Alaric’s expression shifted, his sternness melting into tenderness. "I’m sorry," he murmured, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "Come on. Let’s find you some sweets. That’ll cheer you up."