Shady

Pratik's jaw was clenched, face hard as he glared straight ahead. He forced himself to swallow and braced himself so that his voice wouldn't waver or betray a whimper, despite ...

"Thanks for the warning," Pratik said. He lifted his chin, refusing to cower even a little, and clenched his teeth, determined to take it without making a sound.

Pratik decided to give him a moment to collect himself, and turned his attention back on Sera. "Thank you. It already feels so much better."

Pratik nodded encouragingly, noticing how much easier the gesture was now that the damnable collar was off. "It's okay."

"It won't get better if you don't let her," Pratik said gently, looking at Rickard. "She can bandage us up once the collars are gone."

Pratik let out a sigh of relief, not even trying to catch the collar as it fell on the cot next to him then clattered to the floor. He grabbed ...

Pratik looked at him, startled. But he had a giant pair of bolt cutters hovering in his peripheral vision, which he couldn't ignore. It did make his stomach flutter a ...

Pratik certainly had no arguments about going first. He'd been planning to deal with his selfishness and let them go first. But if they wanted him to go first, he ...

Pratik grinned, sitting up straighter, delighted at the idea of getting his collar off. He sobered a bit, realizing that Rickard seemed afraid. "It's okay," he said, glancing at him, ...

Pratik nodded, blowing on the tea before he took another sip. 'Kind' wasn't the word Pratik would use to describe Ash's coldness. But, he recognized that he'd showed up as ...

"I can't read his mind," Pratik answered with a shrug. "But I'm sure it will be reasonable, whatever he asks. He seems level-headed enough." And, he hoped , he wouldn't ...

Things felt tense, but he wasn't sure how to ease it. "It will be at least two weeks before Ash is back, as I understand it. So we should have ...

Pratik grunted and took a sip of the tea, refusing to react even as it burned his mouth. "Guess we'll see."

"I would have, regardless," Pratik muttered, annoyed she was acting like that was the only reason. "Ash didn't ask me to get Rickard away from Tarr. And yet I did. ...

"I did get you away from Tarr, like I promised," Pratik pointed out.