“On it.” Lia pulled away, and I continued my work, bending my power to my will, determined to give Luch a chance even as my energy waned.
“You must pull back. It’s too much,”Gloam cautioned, his tiny body shuddering beneath my touch. He was but a conduit, but even so, this was both an incredible gift and a huge tax upon his strength.
Sirens sounded in the distance, breaking through my concentration, and I heaved in another deep breath, forcing myself to focus, to heal like I’d never healed before, slowly inching Luch’s soul away from the darkness that threatened to claim it. It was like holding on to the sun, trying to stop the day from dying, and I was determined to keep him away from the edge.
“You have to stop. The ambulance draws near. You must redirect this pain, Faelan.”Gloam’s words were a shout in my head, an order, and I knew he was right.
If I didn’t redirect the pain, I’d take it into me, and it wasn’t likely I’d survive such a blow. When a healer took pain from a patient inside them, it was lessened, like coffee passing through a filter, but it was still dangerous. It was why it was necessary that all healers redirected the pain to an appropriate place, or they’d bear their own wounds from it. Like when I had bruises on my body from healing Oban, even though his injuries had been far more serious than what I’d taken on from healing him.
But this? I’d be putting my own life in danger if I didn’t pull out now and finish performing my duties as I’d been taught. As had been passed down through the ages. I understood what Gloam was urging me to do, even if I didn’t agree with it. My heart wanted me to heal Luch up until the last possible second, when the ambulance arrived, but my head understood the danger.
“Hold on, Luch. Just a bit longer. Help is on the way.” I began my closing ritual, tears leaking from my eyes, hating that I had to leave him like this.
Two things happened at once.
The ambulance barreled around the corner, its siren cutting off in a sharp squawk just as one of the wolves burst past the men, teeth bared, a vicious growl in its throat.
It leapt for me, and I shrieked, pulling back, breaking connection with Luch and Gloam.
Darkness claimed me.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Luch
“Isaid get out of my way. This one’s mine.”
I blinked, my vision blurry, a ceiling whipping past. I was moving, I knew that much, and I recognized the voice.
“Lynn?” I rasped, confused. Was I at work?
“Don’t worry, Dr. Carmichael. I’ve got you. Nobody will take care of you like your own.”
“What …” I couldn’t understand what was happening.
“He really needs a doctor,” another voice growled, arguing with Lynn.
“This is our hospital and we take care of our own. I kindly ask you to step back or we’ll make you step back.”
“But he’s my son.”
My dad was here?
It all came flashing back, in an instant, and I struggled, trying to sit up.
“You just lie right there, darling. I’ve got you.” Lynn’s hand pressed me back, holding me easily on the stretcher.
“Faelan.” I could barely speak, couldn’t move, nothing was working. My thoughts were a jumbled mess, my vision still blurry, and I couldn’t work out what was going on.
“We’ve got her too, Dr. Carmichael. Is this your lady friend? I knew you were dating someone, didn’t I? I told the others, that there was no way you were single. Even Jacob said you’d seemed happier lately. I called it.” Lynn’s voice was cheerful, even though her steps were hurried and the stretcher moved fast. If Lynn was moving this fast, then this was serious, more serious than she was letting on with her chatter. Her bedside manner was impeccable, and Lynn excelled at distracting and comforting the patients from the severity of the pain they were in.
Which was exactly what she was trying to do now as they wheeled me into one of the private rooms.
The door slammed and Lynn’s face came into focus as she bent over me.
“It’s just us. I took a private room when I saw who it was. Tell me quick what’s really going on here.” Lynn darted a glance over her shoulder. The A&E was notorious for being busy and it was rare to have a private space, even in a more rural area like Loren Brae.
“I …” My voice rasped as Lynn took my vitals.
