Kendrick hadn’t used much force earlier. In fact, he could never bear to actually hurt her. He had only flicked her forehead as a small punishment for being too smug about her medical skills.
After a brief pause, he asked, “Did Gauge do this?”
Annabelle pouted and nodded. While disinfecting the small knife, she said, “He flicked my forehead, so I flicked his. But mine didn’t hurt, while his did—so I ended up with a lump. And when I was running, I even cut my foot…”
So that was what happened!
Kendrick was furious. His chest tightened, and he coughed violently.
With each cough, blood seeped from his wound. Annabelle quickly patted his back to soothe him.
“There’s no need to get so worked up—it was just playful teasing.”
How could he not be worked up?!
Kendrick thought, My precious li
