Coming back, he saw the dark spots on the back of Jamie's shirt, blotches where fresh blood had seeped through the bandages. The sight filled him with fury, as well as fear. He'd seen such things; the wean had been flogged. Badly, and recently. Who? How?
The protagonist returns to find Jamie injured, with dark stains spreading on his shirt from fresh blood that has soaked through the bandages. This distressing scene evokes a mix of anger and fear within him, indicating the severity of Jamie's wounds. It becomes apparent that Jamie has suffered significant abuse, suggesting that he has been violently mistreated not long before.
This revelation leads to a surge of emotions in the protagonist, who is left to grapple with the implications of such brutality. The questions of who is responsible and how Jamie ended up in this condition weigh heavily on his mind, intensifying his sense of urgency to uncover the truth and seek justice.