“With the butt of his gun. His bullets were out.”
“That’s not all the story,” says a voice nearby. It’s Franco.
My heart lifts as I whirl to face him, although my arms don’t leave my mate. He lowers to the ground with his enormous raven’s wings, arms crossed over his chest. He too is coated in blood, his silver hair slick with it.
Aspen purses his lips and releases a warning grumble. “We’re kind of busy here.”
“Busy leaving out the best part of the story,” Franco says. He turns his gaze to me, lips curled into a haughty grin. “I saved your dearest mate here.”
Aspen shakes his head. “I would have crushed them with my bare hands.”
“Not if you’re unconscious.”
“I was only out for a second.”
“And it would have been forever, if the armed soldier came in for another shot. However, I took the human for a little flight.”
With a roll of his eyes, Aspen says, “Fine. You might have saved my life. Do you want a medal?”
Franco winks. “I just wanted to hear you say it.” With a shudder, he leaps into the air in his full raven form, then calls overhead, “We might become dear friends after all, Aspen.” Then he’s out of sight.
I return my gaze to Aspen’s. “Where are the others?”
“Nyxia is tormenting the soldiers who wouldn’t stand down after they’d clearly lost. Aelfon and Minuette are with their troops. Lorelei is helping one of the humans bind fractures with her roots. Flauvis is, well…”
“I saw. He doesn’t look too good, and he’s not accepting help from the humans.” I furrow my brow. “Who are these healers, anyway?”
He pulls back just enough to lift the hem of his bloody tunic to reveal his bandaged side. “They came to our aid as soon as the fighting stopped. They called themselvesveterinarians.” He says the last word slowly.
I quirk a brow. “Veterinarians came to our aid?”
“The one who tended me said Mayor Coleman sent word to them days ago, urging them to come to the port.”
“Mayor Coleman sent animal doctors to tend fae wounds? Of course he did.” I shake my head. Whether he did it as an insult, or if they were the only healers he knew would aid my people, I suppose it matters not. With this many wounded and with so many of the injuries being from iron, these tasks would have fallen on my shoulders alone without their aid. “I should probably go tend to Flauvis. I doubt the veterinarians will have any luck with him.”
I make to pull away, but my injured leg gives out beneath me. Aspen catches me in his arms, brow furrowed with concern. “You’re hurt.”
Pain sears the back of my thigh again. “It’s fine,” I say, voice hoarse, summoning my flames to ease the agony.
“It’s not fine. You need to see one of the healers at once.”
“No, I need to help—”
Aspen grasps me by the shoulders, voice firm. “Evie, take care of yourself first.”
I want to argue, but he’s right. No matter how much fire I summon to regenerate my blood and weave my flesh, the wound won’t heal until the bullet has been removed. And I’m in no condition to try and remove it myself. “All right. I’ll…go to the vet.”
“Good,” he says with a nod. Then his lips curl into a crooked grin. “Besides, Flauvis should probably suffer just a little longer.”
* * *
As soon asthe bullet is removed and my wound is tended and bound, I go to the wolf king. He still snaps his teeth at me like I saw him do to the veterinarian, but after a few stern words, he gives in and lets me approach. My stomach sinks when I take in the severity of the wound. His entire back leg is mangled, torn to shreds by what looks like numerous rifle shots.
He’ll need amputation. And from what I know about fae healing, the leg won’t grow back. He, of course, does not take the news well. Luckily, chloroform seems to suffice in shutting him up.
“If I can hobble on three legs, so can you,” I whisper as he slips into unconsciousness. “Perhaps it will humble you a bit too.”
The veterinarian who tended my wound assists me now, lending me her tools for the amputation. When it’s over, I examine my work, running my hands over Flauvis’ filthy fur in search of any other minor injuries. But now that the amputation is complete, taking with it all remnants of iron, the rest of his wounds begin to heal on their own.
