“As long as you don’t overexert yourself.Also, make sure to wash your hands and be careful when spending any time with Twig.I don’t want you to get ill.”
“You think it’s contagious?”
“It doesn’t seem to be, but you never know.”Palmer wasn’t going to tell Curran he couldn’t visit Twig because he was pretty sure that Curran would tell him to go fuck himself, but he hoped that everyone would take the necessary precautions.He needed both Curran and Twig to be okay.
Palmer finished up with Curran, making sure he had the prescription for the heartburn and reminding him to come back if anything felt off.Once Curran left, Palmer found himself alone in the examination room, staring at the notes he’d taken.His mind immediately drifted back to Twig.
He needed to figure this out.The tests would take time, but maybe there was something he’d missed in his research.Some detail that would make everything click into place.
Palmer gathered his things.He wanted to check on Twig again, even if there wasn’t much he could do right now.At the very least, he could reassure himself that Twig was resting comfortably.
He found Rune sitting beside Twig’s bed, a book open in his lap.Rune looked up as Palmer approached, and their eyes met.For a moment, neither of them spoke.
“Any change?”Palmer asked quietly.
Rune shook his head.“He’s been sleeping most of the afternoon.I think that’s probably good, right?”
“Rest is definitely what he needs,” Palmer agreed.He moved closer to the bed, checking Twig’s breathing and pulse.Everything seemed stable, at least.“How are you holding up?”
Rune gave him a tired smile.“I’ve been better.But I’m not the one you need to worry about.”
“I can worry about more than one person at a time,” Palmer said softly.He meant it.Rune looked exhausted, probably from spending all his free time helping Palmer search through medical texts and sitting at his brother’s bedside.
“I’m fine,” Rune insisted.
Palmer wanted to argue, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good.Instead, he pulled up a chair and sat down beside Rune.“We’ll figure this out,” he said.“I promise.”
Rune looked at him, and Palmer saw the vulnerability in his gaze.“I hope so,” Rune whispered.“I don’t know what I’d do if—”
“Don’t,” Palmer interrupted gently.“Don’t go there.We’re going to find out what’s wrong, and we’re going to fix it.”
Rune nodded, swallowing hard.Palmer wished he could do more to comfort him, but sitting beside Rune in the quiet infirmary, watching over Twig together, would have to be enough.
* * * *
SOMEONE SLID INTO THEchair in front of Rune.He sighed, putting down his book and looking up.He blinked when he saw his sister, Yorga.They weren’t close, but he also wouldn’t say they were enemies.They justwere.“What do I owe this pleasure?”he asked.
She frowned.She looked a little pale, and her hands were slightly shaky.“You know that human doctor,” she said.
“I do.”He wasn’t sure he liked where this was going already.
“I’m sick.I need to see him.”
Okay, thatwasn’twhere Rune had thought it would go.“He works in the infirmary.If you want to see him, that’s where you should go.”
She nodded.“Let’s go, then.”
Rune had no idea what was happening, but he was getting worried.He leaned over the table, but he didn’t touch his sister.“What’s going on?”
“I’m not feeling well.I’m pretty sure I have a fever, and my bones hurt.”
That sounded like the symptoms Twig had described.Was Yorga ill, too?Rune had never heard of her being on Pearl’s side, but it wasn’t a possibility he could dismiss, and he didn’t want to put Palmer in danger.If his sister really was ill, though, Palmer would want to know and would try to help.
“Why are you telling me this instead of going to the infirmary yourself?”
“Because you know the doctor.”
“Plenty of people know the doctor.You don’t need me to go with you.”
