Palmer chuckled.“I can see that.”
“I guess that I’m really cold and shivering a lot.I haven’t been able to eat a lot these past few days because I feel like I’m going to throw up every time I try.I also haven’t been sleeping well.I try, and I fall asleep easily, but I keep waking up.”
“I see.”Palmer really didn’t, though.The symptoms Twig was giving him could be anything.It sounded like the flu, but Palmer wasn’t sure the dragons could get the flu.Maybe it was a similar virus?He should probably ask a healer with more experience, but Twig had said he was fine with Palmer treating him, and for now, Palmer knew that the only thing the healers would do was run some tests, just like he was planning to.
“Why don’t you relax for a bit?”he said, already reaching for his phone.“I’m going to call Rune.”
“Are you tattling on me?”
“I just think that we work well together, and he might have an idea of what’s going on.Since you don’t want me to involve another healer, that’s probably the best thing we can do.Unless you don’t want your brother to know what’s going on.”
“It’s fine,” Twig said with a tired smile.“I’ll just stay here and close my eyes for a few seconds.”
“You do that,” Palmer said gently.
He closed the curtains around the bed to give Twig a little more privacy.He knew that Rune wasn’t a doctor, but he’d been helping him in the library for days now, and they really did work well together.He might be able to think of dragon illnesses that Palmer couldn’t recognize.They’d go from there and hopefully find a way to help Twig.If Rune couldn’t help, well, Palmer wasn’t doing this on his own.There were plenty of healers around him who would be eager to help, and he was sure that Twig would agree to it if Palmer told him he wasn’t sure how to help him.The most important thing was to help Twig feel better.Palmer didn’t really care who made it happen.
He stepped away from the bed and pulled out his phone, scrolling through his contacts until he found Rune’s number.He hesitated for just a moment before hitting the call button, hoping that Rune would be available—and that together, they could figure out what was wrong with Twig.
* * * *
RUNE BURST INTO THEinfirmary, looking for his brother.When he’d gotten the call from Palmer, he’d been surprised and hopeful, but that hope had gone right out the window when Palmer had told him that Twig was back in the infirmary.
What had Twig done now?Rune was ready to bet he hadn’t rested like Palmer had told him to, and he hoped it hadn’t worsened Twig’s situation.He wasn’t sure what he’d do if it had.Maybe he’d really sit on Twig to make sure he stayed in his nest rather than go flying with his friends again.
One of the healers was talking to a patient and looked up when they heard Rune.Rune half expected them to stop him, but instead, they pointed toward a bed that was surrounded by a closed curtain.He nodded at them and rushed forward, slowing down only to clear his throat so that the people behind the curtain would hear him.The curtain moved, revealing Palmer.
“I came as soon as I could,” Rune said, slipping behind the curtain.
His brother was sitting on the bed, looking pale and shaky.Rune’s first instinct was to reach for him, but he looked at Palmer instead.He didn’t want to do anything that would worsen Twig’s condition.Palmer looked worried, which didn’t help.
“What’s going on?”Rune asked.
“You don’t need to worry,” Twig said.
“I’m supposed not to worry?You’re in the infirmary, Twig.”
“Only because I wasn’t feeling great.”
“Which is exactly why I’m worried.What’s going on?”
Twig and Palmer exchanged a glance, and Twig shrugged.“You can tell him.”
Palmer nodded at him.“All right.Well, I’m not sure what’s going on at the moment.We’re running some tests, but Twig came back feeling worse than he did the last time I saw him, and I thought it would be a good idea to call you.If he was human, I’d suspect the flu, but I know that you dragons don’t get the flu.”
“We do have similar illnesses.It won’t be the same as what you call the flu, but we still get sick.”
Palmer nodded.“I know.I’ve been reading everything I can on dragon illnesses, but this could be any of them.”
“You should probably talk to a healer.I can help you find information, but I can’t help you diagnose my brother.”
Palmer glanced at Twig, who seemed perfectly happy to keep his mouth shut.“I suggested that, but Twig said that he trusted me.I promise that I’ll pull in other healers if I can’t find anything.I won’t let anything happen to Twig.”
There had to be a reason Twig and Palmer wanted Rune to help rather than people who knew what they were doing.Rune wasn’t a healer.He could find books for Palmer, but that was where his expertise ended.What was he supposed to do?
Palmer seemed to realize that Rune was all over the place.He took a step away from Twig’s bed, smiling gently at him and reaching over to squeeze his wrist.“Rune and I will be right back.Try to get some sleep if you can.”
Twig’s eyes were already drifting shut.“Don’t mind if I do, Doc.”
