“I’d rather eat an entire sack of vela beans than try to convince this miserable pile of scales to return to a combat role.” K’kaen’s tail swished in amusement while S’samph’s lifted in annoyance.
“It’s a sound idea,” S’samph said.
“You’re on board with this?” K’kaen asked with a sidelong glance in his direction. S’samph kept his body neutral, knowing his friend was trying to prod him into a different answer.
“Don’t sound so surprised. Things haven’t been safe here lately.” He wasn’t about to admit that most of his concern was because of Eleri. He disliked how she walked around town unescorted, especially with the looming threat of the raviks of late. Not to mention Minio, the lurking kyrot menace. A patrol would put his mind more at ease if he couldn’t walk her to and from her appointments himself. He suspected she wouldn’t welcome the idea of him as a private bodyguard, and he wasn’t about to push her boundaries further. It was in the best interest of their courtship that he tried to respect her preferences.
“I’ll ask around to see if we can round up some interested people.” Dynzol exhaled deeply. “It’ll make me feel better knowing we have a patrol around here anyway. I have a mate and a spawnling on the way, and I’ll sleep better at night knowing there aren’traviks creeping around unchecked.”
“When you have some volunteers, let me know.” S’samph sniffed at the dregs of his weak kvöst.
Dynzol was about to respond when an uncomfortable silence fell over The Eon when Myla entered with her coterie of young female kyrot. She approached the makeshift bar and unfurled her wrist toward the surly proprietor. “Three bottles of your finest yra.”
Gavor offered a wary sidelong glance down his long snout. “We’re still waiting on the shipment from Brasnia Prime.”
Myla’s wingtips lifted as she leaned forward against the counter. The two young females behind her shifted uncomfortably out of her way. “What happened to the last shipment?”
“Gone.” Gavor picked up a cloth and began to polish a glass, more sober than S’samph had ever seen him. Gavor reached for something under the counter. “Do you want some seerya instead? It’s also from Brasnia Prime. Pretty good vintage.”
Myla scoffed at the offering. “This sludge isn’t fit for anyone.” She finally seemed to realize the intensity of the silence around her because she turned to glare at the rest of the room. “What are you all staring at? Nothing better to do?”
S’samph glanced away. Whatever drama Myla was intent on causing, he wanted nothing to do with it. His shoulder started to throb again despite the dose of medication he’d taken earlier. K’kaen’s tail twitched once along the ground beneath their table, and S’samph caught his eye.
“Time to leave, I think.”
“I guess I’ve spent enough of your credits for one night,” K’kaen gestured to the interface, where S’samph reluctantly presented his wrist to submit payment. It was an unwelcome reminder that Eleri didn’t have the credits to do something as simple as purchase a drink with a friend. As they walked out of The Eon, he glanced over at the clinic, and hoped she was sleeping soundly. A brief thought of going over to check in on her crossed his mind, but he banished it as quickly as it arose. Instead, he spent the ride back to his nest mulling over the best way to broach the subject of her limited credits without wounding her pride.
CHAPTER 14
Eleri
After nearly an hour of walking from the clinic down past the canal, Eleri finally reached her last home visit appointment for the day. She flexed her wrist a few times, trying to ease the soreness of dragging her medkit for so long. It should be a routine visit. Glia had whelped a new pup after a long labor, but she was recovering well, and the pup was thriving. Eleri was surprised to find the domicile a flurry of activity as Myla and several of the other females all crowded into the small home.
Before clearing the room, Eleri tried to remember what she had learned about kyrot post-natal traditions. It wasn’t unheard of for visitors to see the new pup and mother, but Glia looked uncomfortable, and the pup was starting to make calls of distress. Four days after the birth was entirely too soon for so many people to be here.
Eleri braced herself for a potential conflict as she entered the main sleeping chambers. The room was physically clean, but someone had decided to set several fruit-scented candles alight in each of the corners of the room. The cloying scent set Eleri coughing despite her best efforts to enter unobtrusively. Several of the females were passing around the pup while Glia made a feeble effort to protest.
Myla seemed content holding court in one of the corners of the room while several other females circled her. Eleri started by blowing out the candles and opening one of the windows to let in fresh air. She stopped by Glia’s bedside. “Have you chosen a name for the pup yet,” Eleri asked?”
“His name is Irio.”
“That’s an excellent name. Let’s get Irio back to you so he can feed and then sleep.” As Eleri moved purposefully around the room, heading directly for the squalling Irio, she noticed a silence had settled behind her.
“Is something wrong, trainee healer Eleri?” Myla asked with a voice too sweet to be well-intentioned. Not to mention, the intentional emphasis on her lack of status. Eleriswallowed hard. She wasn’t looking for a confrontation, but ultimately her patient’s wellbeing was the top priority.
“Glia is recovering. She needs fresh air and quiet.” Eleri held out her arms for the pup which one of the other females was cooing over. “I’ll take Irio now, please.”
“That’s not your place,” Myla spoke to her like scolding a child. “Glia can make her own decisions about her pup. Besides, this is our custom. We are here to be helpful.” Myla turned. “You don’t mind us being here, do you, Glia?”
“I am a bit tired,” Glia offered with a feeble lift of her wingtips.
“Well, of course you are. And we are here to help.” Myla turned back toward Eleri. “As you can see, Glia has no objection to us being here.”
Eleri steeled herself. Glia was obviously exhausted, and the pup needed to be with his mother, not passed around like a toy. For someone else she could be fierce.
“It’s time for you and the others to leave, Myla. Glia needs to rest, and Irio needs to feed. Give me the pup,” she gestured again, arms outstretched. The other kyrot females in the room had stopped their quiet chittering. A long silence withered between them until it was clear that Eleri had no intention of backing down.
“Well then,” Myla passed the pup none too gently into Eleri’s arms, “you all heard thetraineehuman healer. We’re not wanted here.” She placed particular emphasis on the word ‘trainee’. Eleri flinched, but this was for Glia’s health and the health of her pup. If she had to take the heat for it then she would gladly. The kyrot females filed out past her as Eleri held the pup close and away from their brusque movements.
