Page 38 of Thexan

“Then we adapt.”

She let out a slow breath, not in frustration, but in acknowledgment.

“Of course we do.”

The connection between us began to shift then, the tension that had held it in place easing gradually. I tracked the change immediately, adjusting my position slightly to compensate for the movement that would follow once the constraint released fully.

Brynn felt it as well.

“That’s it, isn’t it?” she said quietly.

“Yes.”

The final phase resolved.

The physical hold released without resistance, the biological mechanism disengaging as the bond completed its function. I remained still for a moment longer, allowing full range of motion to return before initiating movement.

Brynn shifted back first, carefully, her awareness of my injury evident in the way she moved, maintaining control of the space rather than creating distance abruptly.

I followed, sitting up with controlled precision.

There was no instability.

No degradation.

No loss of control.

The difference was immediate and absolute.

Brynn watched me closely as I adjusted, her focus moving from my face to my side, then back again as she tracked for any sign of strain.

“Well?” she asked.

“Well,” I said, “I am no longer compromised.”

“That’s one way to put it.”

I reached for the edge of the cot and shifted my weight fully, testing the response along the wound.

The tissue held.

Not perfectly healed, but reinforced, the internal repair was no longer interrupted by conflicting signals. The pain remained, but it was localized, manageable, no longer tied to systemic failure.

“I can move,” I said.

“You can move,” she agreed. “That doesn’t mean you should start doing anything reckless.”

“I will not.”

She gave me a look that suggested she did not consider that a guarantee, then reached for the supplies at the side of the cot.

“Hold still,” she said.

I did.

She removed the existing bandage and assessed the wound with the same precision she had applied from the beginning, her touch steady, deliberate. The difference in her response was subtle, but present. There was no urgency now, no underlying tension driving her actions.

Only focus.