I heard, “…calling a state of emergency,” and the world snapped into focus. I stood, blanket falling behind me, my heart racing. Aunt Claray’s face had gone pale. Someone put shawls around our shoulders.
The night air was cold, the camp lit by harsh floodlights. Ahead of us soldiers were rushing around, and Aunt Claray and I were surrounded by guards, rushing to a jeep with its engine running.
The ride took three minutes to cross the encampment and felt like a lifetime.
The jeep screechedto a halt outside the med bay.
Inside it was too bright, and smelled of antiseptic and blood. My head spun.
Uncle Ryan stood in the waiting area, his military jacket torn, soot and blood streaking his face.
Aenghus was beside him, massive arms folded tight, eyes fixed on the double doors that led to what I guessed was thesurgery. When he saw me he said, “Och nae, niece, tis goin’ tae be a long night.”
Ryan opened his arms to Claray without a word and she went straight into them, burying her face against his smoke-stained shirt.
My mouth drew down into a frown. My last hope, that I would see Torin here in the waiting room, was dashed. He wasn’t here,where was he?
“Tell me, what’s happened?”
Ryan’s voice sounded raw. “We hit Dunstaffnage, but Rannald escaped.”
Aenghus said, “Och, we paid for the attack.”
I had my hand over my mouth, unaware of the overwhelming horror washing over me.
I had said goodbye to these men just hours ago, and here they stood covered in blood.
Aenghus said, “Charlie took a blade tae the arm tryin’ tae shield Max. Lost a lot of blood. They are still seein’ tae him in surgery. Torin’s shoulder has had an arrow through it?—”
“An arrow? What, is that… is it survivable? He’s hurt his shoulder before, this can’t be…” I was trembling with fear.
He said, “We haena heard from the surgeon yet, but aye, tis survivable. We will ken soon.”
I searched their faces. “And Max?”
Silence. The kind that scared the hell out of me.
Ryan rubbed a hand over his eyes. “Crossbow bolt went through the vest, through the lung. They’ve got him in surgery. He was… he was awake when we jumped, but…” He shook his head.
“Oh no, this is terrible.”
Aunt Claray dabbed at her eyes with a tissue, then took another because the first was too damp.
I couldn’t feel my legs. “I need… chair…”
Everyone was quietly dealing with their own grief, and they missed my weak request, probably because I didn’t direct the statement at anyone — they must have been surprised when I crumpled to the floor, fainting clean away.
I was brought backto consciousness on a stretcher with a kindly uniformed medical officer saying, “Princess Alexandria? Can you hear me? Look at me — what’s your name?”
“Lexi…”
“Princess Alexandria?”
Hmmmm?
Another voice, “She goes by Lexi.”
“Ah, Your Highness, look at me.” I directed my eyes at him, and blinked when a bright light was shining in.
