The Sunspire he held my hands above my head and i commenced to pray

This was the first time since Esme that someone has touched him.

Almost immediately Riley shifted uncomfortably, bringing his hip and stifle forward -- forward over what he was afraid was something he could not allow Praimfaya to see.

He felt the same discomfort, but for very different reasons. When Praimfaya pulled away Riley jerked his hips to the side with a wince, tail pulling across his legs. He kept thinking of Esme more than the sting of poultice in his wound -- of his failings and Esme, how she had ...

That thought was buried under an avalanche of other thoughts. His eyes were closed as Praimfaya spoke, one opening to regard the 'healer' with a new sense of wariness.

"Why did you help?" Riley didn't think it was just because she was a Saint -- he had been gone for over a month now, and his allegiance was stronger to this rock than the pack that had accepted him. "You could have killed me."