In the dim candlelight, Roman soaked in a huge wooden tub filled with hot water and assorted medicinal herbs.
Steam rose as Lu Mi cleaned the wounds on his back that he could not reach.
"You're hurt this badly again," he said softly. "You only just promised you wouldn't make me worry."
"I'm sorry. I didn't expect you to find a way to break the game."
Lu Mi hesitated, then sighed and rested his hand on Roman's bare shoulder.
"Do you want to know why I did that?"
Lu Mi repeated his response from earlier that day. "No. Not interested."
The water rippled, and a wet, scar-covered hand settled over his.
The pitiful sight softened Lu Mi a little. "Go ahead, then. Just don't let that Lord of Evil show up again."
"Because I want you to know a little more about me."
Roman brushed his fingertips against him. "You once said you knew nothing about me, so you couldn't let me stay by your side."
Lu Mi had been about to pull his hand away, but those words made him freeze.
That had been the last time they parted.
Roman had held him tightly, but Lu Mi had ended things with those words, prying Roman's fingers loose one by one.
"That was because you..."
In the end, he could not bring himself to voice the reproach. Lu Mi's shoulders sagged.
"From now on, you don't have to force yourself to talk about the past, especially the things the Lord of Evil forbids you from telling me."
After a moment's hesitation, he said, "I already... trust you a lot."
Roman's past, the secret of his mask-it was all right not to know.
They and their companions still had a daunting task ahead of them.
"All right."
Roman guided his hand,