I leanedmy head back against the wall, clutching Claray’s hand, and stared at those doors until my eyes burned.
Come back to me, Torin, I need you, please God, let him survive. Please, this is too crazy to do it by myself, I need him. And let Max survive to fight this war, it’s a righteous war, and we need him, he’s the rightful king, our parents fought for this kingdom, they built it. And please deliver Charlie through the surgery, his family needs him, we need him for this battle.I prayed, over and over, a silent prayer.
All of you. Please come back.
23
ALEXANDRIA
SEPTEMBER 17, 2185 - THE MED BAY
The doctor entered the waiting room and Ryan blurted out, “How’s the prince?”
He said, “His Highness, Prince Maximillian, is still in surgery, as is Colonel Larson. They are both still listed as critical, I don’t have any new information. Torin has come through surgery, he is resting?—”
“Can I see him?”
He nodded. “Yes, Your Highness.”
I jumped from my chair and all but bolted past him, only slowing because I wasn’t sure where to go. I was let into a room that was darkened, full of machines. There was a bed in the middle, with… Torin.
I rushed over and grasped his hand. “Hey, love.”
He opened an eye and said, sleepily, “Och aye… Alexandria, ye are here.”
“I am.” I burst into tears while smiling.
A nurse pushed a chair to the bed and I sank into it. I kissed his hand. And laid my head on it. “Are you okay?”
“…aye, ye ken, tis nothin’ but a scratch…” His shoulder was wrapped in bandages.
“It looks much more than a scratch. What happened?”
He raised his head and looked at his shoulder as if seeing it for the first time. “…think twas an arrow — t’went deep…” He lowered his head to the pillows. “Tis always m’shoulder…”
I said, “You probably haven’t fully healed from the last injury, you need to rest and heal.”
His head raised, “Where is Max?”
“He’s still in surgery.” My chin trembled. “They don’t know if he’s going to…”
“Och,” his head fell back on the pillow, “What good is this modern world if death is just as assured…?”
I pressed my cheek to his hand and held on.
Finally he asked, “What dost ye think, will he make it?”
“I don’t know, the doctor seems more concerned about Uncle Charlie.”
He asked, “What happened tae Charlie?”
“I don’t know. But he lost a lot of blood.”
He winced. “I remember now, the blood dripping from his arm, down his fingers, he tried tae hide it from us… he is in surgery as well?”
I nodded. “We’re waiting for news.”
He said, “Rannald got away. We are beaten and we dinna do what we set out tae do. We will hae tae come up with somethin’ else…”
