___
"Ima sangfluir!Let me out!Sequi mi leanthin!You damned leprechaun, let me out!Liberathe debeo echbring her back!"
"Has he been like this all day?"
"All week. Look, Frost, I get that he's your quintet member and all, but…that fae's brain is scrambled. He tried to kill Lillian the last time she stepped in here. Don't try to scare me with that look—I'm not saying give up on the zombie-raiser. I'm just saying, don't let Lillian visit him anymore unless you or I come with her."
"Fine. Force feed him again and tell your men we'll leave within the hour."
___
"Medic! Medic! Everyone, move out of the way—we've got another one straight from the arena combat zone!"
"Gods, this battle is fucking brutal."
"Here. Set him down."
"Wait…is thattheAsher Douglas? Holy hell, I almost didn't recognize him. What happened?"
"Bullet to the brain, blood loss, and gods know what else. It's severe. Only reason his heart's still beating at all is because that hellhound of his protected his body 'til it got offed."
"Damn it, the swelling is worse than I thought. We may need a craniectomy over here."
"Hand me that elixir. Quickly."
"More pressure!"
"We're losing him!"
___
Beep. Beep. Beep.
"But he's stable now?"
"Yes, Mr. Frost. All signs of life are there."
"Can he hear us?"
"We're not sure. He's been comatose for days, but…"
"Spit it out, Doctor."
"I've seen cases this severe once or twice back while I was working as a combat medic at the Divide. Even with top healers doing their best to magically repair a body and wiping away all traces of scarring, it can take time for that body to adjustto the magical interference and truly patch itself up. Magic-assisted healing is multifaceted, especially with traumatic brain injuries this extensive."
"But hewillwake up and make a full recovery?"
"We are very optimistic in that regard. However, he may remain under for some time. Weeks, or possibly months. I understand that you've rather stubbornly stepped in as Mr. Douglas's guarantor."
"He's a friend, and I owe him."
"He's very fortunate to be alive. The gods must have favored him in that nightmarish battle. Now, we would be happy to continue caring for him here, in our inpatient facility, only…with so many recovering from the Battle of the Citadel, all hospitals are running low on beds. If you'd rather he be watched over in a private residence until his condition improves, I could help you arrange it. Twenty-four-seven care from a private team of healers and nurses is usually quite expensive, but?—"
"Give me your recommendations for the very best of them."
My head feels like it's stuffed with cotton.
And what the hell is up my nose and down my throat? A feeding tube?
