Sera didn't reply, she simply offered up her arm without being told.
Except it wasn't offering, Elias knew that well. He knew what her offering looked like, and it wasn't this. This was nothing more than her tolerating him.
Elias cleaned the crook of her elbow and inserted the needle. Her skin didn't tense. Her pulse didn't jump. It was like drawing blood from stone that simply chose to flow.
He transferred the sample to the tube. Labeled it.
The creature hovered at the edges of his thoughts. You handle her like she is fragile. That is good. She might not be, but that doesn't mean she needs to be treated badly. She is not that fragile. But you are.
Elias capped the tube as Sera's voice broke the silence. "Does it bother you?" she asked.
Elias's breath caught. "Does what bother me?"
"That you're standing there," she said, "instead of in the cage with the rest of them."
