Harvest Feast (3 of 3)

  "The lad's going to be fine," Lergen told them, wrapping Mally's head in bandages dipped in some kind of poultice. "Just knocked unconscious. He'll wake up in a few hours. There won't even be bruises after a few days."

Boone exhaled loudly. "And he'd be lucky if he doesn't gain new marks before the old ones disappear. The loud brat can't keep his mouth shut."

The words were more callous than he'd ever heard Boone sound. But Defi could see the concern in the slight furrow of his brow, the anger in the tightness of his jaw. What made Defi troubled was the tinge of resignation in the depths of his eyes.

Despite his unbounded determination, Boone had already accepted that this was something that would happen again.

Defi looked away, frowning.

This clash between 'dockside' and 'hillside' was slightly more bothersome than he thought.