S’samph’s frill flattened. “She has been asking for you. I am inclined to let her have what she wants. It is hard to say no to someone who has been granted so little in their life. But I’m not the one you’ll have to convince. My Eleri wants you thrown into the desert for the raviks to find. I told her you would not be of interest to them since they can’t eat you.”
His energy core surged at the news. Cassie wanted to see him, despite Eleri’s grim desires. He wanted to see her, talk to her, apologize, more than anything. But she would decide the terms of their relationship going forward. It wasn’t up to him. “What if she doesn’t want to stay with me?”
“If she doesn’t, then we will find somewhere else for her to go. But you will give her that option first. Your home is close enough to the nest I share with Eleri, and I see no reason to find a different host for Cassie if your home has ample space. If Cassie is not amenable, my clutch-sister S’kasia will likely be able to take her in, but she will complain about it.”
Örim didn’t want Cassie to stay with anyone else, especially not someone who would complain about her presence. But he would have to convince Cassie. He had to ask. If nothing else, having her near would at least allow him to help ensure hersafety. And if something in him wanted her close for reasons beyond safety, he would deal with that impulse later.
CHAPTER 18
Cassie
I’m here to visit Rhea.Cassie told the matron. She knew the older woman could understand her hand signs even if she liked to pretend she couldn’t. She’d been a passera herself when she was younger. She stood there, glaring down the matron until the woman finally answered.
“Rhea is on restricted visitation access.”
She’s one of my fledglings. I should be able to see her.
“The Aviarist doesn’t want anyone seeing her for now.”
I just want to make sure she’s ok.
“Come back later, Cassowary. You’re not getting in right now.” The matron crossed her arms, and Cassie debated arguing further but knew it would do no good. She let her arms fall to her side as she walked back to her wing alone. Rhea’s fate wasn’t hers to know for now.
Cassie woke in searing pain. Her whole body felt like it was on fire with a hot iron pressed to her throat. There was no scream. Only sweat as she gripped the railings of her cot and fumbled around for the button Eleri had given her for pain relief. The curtain around her bed shifted open, but instead of Eleri, the senior healer Aglao had come to visit.
“How are you this morning, Cassie?”
Cassie stared at them. What could she say? Her arms felt far too heavy to try to use her datapad. Her hand signs were unreadable to everyone except maybe Örim, and he was gone. After everything, he wasn’t here. She wondered if he had been injured as well by the electricity that had burned through her.
Aglao’s body changed from their usual opaque white-blue to a deep shade of orange. “I apologize for asking an open-ended question. Are you in pain?”
Cassie slowly nodded. Aglao made a note on their datapad. “Can you use your fingers to indicate the severity of the pain? One finger is no pain, and twelve, apologies you only have ten, ten would be unbearable pain.”
She held up eight shaking fingers. She’d been in worse pain. This was bad, but not the worst she’d experienced. Aglao’s colors muted. “Are you using your pain medication?”
Cassie nodded.
“Recently?”
She nodded again. Aglao input something else into their datapad. “I will make a note of the dosage and recheck your pain in half a standard hour. You have visitors if you are up for seeing them.”
Örim?Cassie asked with her hands.
“I apologize. I have not taken the time to learn your hand signs. I think I would also struggle to replicate them with my appendages.” Aglao lifted their tentacles. “Are you asking after someone specific?
Cassie nodded.
“Örim, perhaps?”
Cassie nodded again.
“Healer Eleri suggested seeing him right now might not be best for your mental health. I am inclined to agree with her on this matter. We can revisit in a few days.”
Cassie’s mouth pinched with frustration. There was nothing to say in her own defense. Only pain. She tucked her knees tightly into her chest and tried to hide the tears spilling out.
“Should I tell the visitors to return later?” Cassie shook her head. She didn’t want to be alone right now. The urge to scratch herself free of the gray and red haze was already burning through her fingers.
“I’ll send Ailairi in first. He tried to bring a very angry pichari with him, but unfortunately, we do not allow animals in the clinic. Short visits today only, I told everyone they have ten standard minutes each.”
