My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 27

Sera

The dresser leaned in close, her breath smelling of peppermint and dried herbs. She dabbed a cool, damp cloth against the scratches on my forearm. "You’ll be fine," she said, her voice steady. "It’s just a scratch. It’ll heal up in a few hours if you leave it alone."

I nodded, watching the red lines on my skin slowly stop seeping. I wasn't worried about the blood. I was thinking about what Fenris had said before he left. Taya’s father was a council chief, a man with power. Tomorrow was going to be a political nightmare, and I was right at the center of it.

Mina stood at the edge of the firelight, her arms crossed over her chest. She waited in silence, watching the dresser pack up her supplies.

"Try to rest," the dresser told me as she stood up. "The body heals faster when the mind is quiet." She gave a small, respectful bow and disappeared through the heavy door.

Mina didn't move. She just stood there, her hands on her hips, her eyes fixed on me. I could see her from the corner of my eye as I traced the edge of the bandage on my arm. The silence in the room grew thick, heavy with everything that had happened in the last hour.

"Are you seeking approval to speak, Mina?" I finally asked. I looked up, meeting her gaze.

Mina let out a long, ragged sigh. "I'm really sorry, Sera."

"It wasn't your fault," I said, shaking my head. "She came in here looking for a fight. She found one."

"Taya is a troublemaker," Mina said, walking forward into the light. "She’s always been like that. And... she’s actually strong."

I touched my bruised cheek. "I got that today."

"She’s been sassy since we were little kids," Mina continued.

I looked at her, surprised. "You’ve known her that long?"

"Since we were children," Mina said with a nod. "And I’ve always hated her. She bullied me growing up. She used to throw the meanest words at me. Called me the Bastard Child."

I felt a sharp pang of sympathy. I knew what it was like to be an outsider in your own home. "Why did no one caution her?"

"My brother did," Mina said. A small smile touched her lips. "Dimitri. He always supported me." She laughed softly, a brittle sound that echoed in the room. "Once, Taya ambushed me at the playground. She beat me up pretty bad. I tried to keep it a secret, but Dimitri found out."

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