Annis dried her tears and half-joked, “You're a cripple now. Be nice to me, or I'll break up with you."

Alick smiled, but the smile turned into a grimace of pain from his wounds.

Annis's heart ached for him again. "Does it hurt?"

"No, not a sting," Alick said, not wanting Annis to worry.

Not buying it, Annis snorted, "How could it not hurt?"