Page 104

“I’m here!” Melanie comes running through the door, “Fiona will be along with the blood, Boss.”

“Good. Take Caius’s place at anesthesia. Riah, you’re my first. Let’s get the tray set for surgery and the ether. Caius, keep her calm.” I grab Riah’s shoulder, stopping him for a beat, “Grab more supplies than you think we’ll need. In trauma, you prepare for what you hope you won’t see.”

Less than five minutes pass, and we take our places around Lucy. Who, while has been in and out of consciousness, is surprisingly stable. Knowing her, I’m sure she’s talking to God right now.

“What are you doing?!” Marcus roars, his heavy steps echoing in the infirmary. “Your little boyfriend strung my friend up in the square; we gotta go.”

“Caius, don’t let him come near me until I’ve finished.” Before I’ve even finished speaking, Caius is up and guarding the table like the beast that he is. Marcus isn’t weak by any means, but no one compares to Caius in size.

Not to mention how protecting someone you love can turn you into a savage.

“We are leaving now!”

I shoot my glare at Marcus. “She will die if she doesn’t get help.” While I want to scream, I keep my tone level and firm. “Do not allow her to be the collateral damage of whatever decisions you make for me.” Taking a deep breath, I look back down at my task at hand. Caius will handle Marcus; I don’t need to worry about that right now.

That’s not my job.

“Ether on.” Steel replaces strings, monitors replace percussion, but the rhythm is the same. On stage, my voice follows another’s baton. Here, I am the conductor.

“Going under.” Melanie’s voice chimes calmly at my side.

“Depth?”

“Adequate. Respirations steady.”

“Vitals?”

“Stable.”

“We begin. “Twisting the arrowhead, I slip it off and drop it onto the tray with a quiet clang. “Arrowhead released. Two hands on the shaft to keep it steady.” I say as I secure the shaft with both hands. Slow, controlled. I keep my breathing steady as I move the arrow shaft back the way it came. “Gauze.” Riah blots as blood seeps through the wound. Once the arrow comes through, I drop it in the tray at my side. “Suction.” Riah clears the field. “More muscle damage than expected. Several smaller vessels are bleeding.” I take a deeper look into the wound. “Artery is intact. Pulse?” Riah grabs Lucy’s wrist.

“Radial pulse present. Eighty-four.”

“Good. Gauze.” Riah applies the gauze. “Clamp… Small vessel secured. Clamp. Suction.” Riah follows instructions to a T, staying calm in his duties. “Field clear. Ligature.”

Thank you, God.

The bleeding slows, and I can feel any anxiety leaving my body with each breath I take.

“Suture. Beginning closure.” Slow and steady, I seal her body back together. Just the way it should be. “Pulse?”

“Eighty-two. Strong. Regular.”

“Good.” Just a few more... “Close. Procedure complete.” I take a deep breath, taking Lucy’s wrist beneath my fingers to check her pulse myself. She’s stable. She’s strong.

“Woo!” Melanie cheers as she removes the ether mask.

“You guys did great. And you will do great.” Melanie’s face falls when she looks at me, realizing how rough I look. “Apply her dressing; monitor her; keep an eye out for infection. One of you and Caius with her at all times.”

“Violet, what’s going on?” Riah’s gaze shoots from me to Marcus and back.

“I have to go now.” Caius meets my gaze with soft eyes, then I turn to Riah and grab his shirt. I pull him down, but before I can tell him where Cain can find me, I’m ripped away by my arm.

And I’ve lost the chance to tell him where Cain can find me…

“Hey!” Riah yells and lunges at Marcus.

“No! Riah, it’s okay.” His face contorts, his nostrils flaring and his brow pinching together as he stops himself. “There’s nothing you can do.” I wince as Marcus yanks me along behind him. My mind is spinning, eyes flitting from side to side as I search my brain for the answer.