Chapter 21 #2
Though it felt strange and wrong to leave Zsekhet’s side, I still rose on stiff legs.
My body ached all over, bruised and battered.
I could see black and purple splotches bloom on nearly every exposed part of me, not that it mattered right now.
“I’m going to help Ses. Don’t you dare let him die!
” I said to the Queen, giving her my fiercest stare.
Then I turned to make my labored way up the dune to where Ses lay.
They’d cut away his harness and whatever baggage remained, it lay in a haphazard pile not far from where one hind claw lay limply.
I’d spotted one of our satchels which was what had urged me to make this choice.
The bag in which another hand-held healing device was tucked away, one we still had from my abduction by Scar’at.
When I pulled it out and slipped it onto my hand, the golden metal felt strange and cool against my flesh, and it didn’t heat like I expected it to.
I had never used a device like this before but when I hovered it over Ses’s paw, light sprung out unbidden.
When I located a deep laceration, the flesh started knitting together before my eyes.
Good, I could work with this. It was just point and aim, any idiot could do it.
Those thoughts faltered when the black-scaled Naga caught my arm with the tip of his tail and jerked his head to Ses’s massive chest. I got the message, and scrambled through the sand to get closer, aiming my device as soon as I got there.
The worst injuries were internal. I aimed and let the light glow, hoping it was doing something, anything.
Every few minutes, I’d glance at where Zsekhet lay, and when they moved him beneath the shade of a quickly raised tent onto soft furs I breathed easier, he was alright. I focused on the dragon, on doing everything in my power to save the beast’s life after all he’d done for us.
Tears beaded on my lashes, sweat pooled along my spine.
I understood now, this wasn’t like the healing devices on Earth.
This little machine pulled power from my body the way the desert sun was pulling strength from my flesh.
But I didn’t let up, didn’t stop aiming that light at whatever spot the black-scaled Shaman pointed me at.
“Enough,” Merish said, Zsekhet’s sister had shown up and hovered at my side for the past hour, watching me like a hawk. “You can’t push yourself more, or you’ll drop. Zsekhet would never forgive me if I let that happen.”
I glanced at the female Naga but didn’t stop.
The Shaman was still working from the other side, fighting to stretch out a tangled and broken wing with the help of several others.
I hoped that it was a good sign that he was working on the wing now, did that mean Ses was going to pull through?
“Not until I’m sure he’ll make it,” I said firmly, my legs swayed so I sat down on the sand and hunkered down to keep going.
“Levant! Tell her that he’s going to make it,” Merish shouted. She couldn’t have understood my words but she must have seen my stubbornness. The black-scaled Naga ducked out from underneath Sesethul’s now straightened wing and glanced from me to Merish with a shrug.
“It does appear Sesethul will pull through,” he agreed, his eyes lingering on my face and gliding down my body, a first hint of curiosity tinging his alien features.
“I’m glad I still have the chance to see a human in the flesh myself.
Go with Merish, rest. I will care for the dragon, you care for your mate. ”
I shook when I gave in, my body felt so weak and drained that I didn’t even feel the pain of my dozens of bruises.
Merish caught me around the middle and helped me upright and I struggled to pull the device from my fingers, shocked to discover that it had burned red streaks into my flesh wherever it had touched my skin.
“You take over,” I said to her, “It’s easy, just point it at him.
” When she pushed the device away and glanced helplessly at the Shaman I saw the disgruntled expression on his face and drew in a surprised, but labored breath.
“Oh fuck, you installed implants! You can understand me, can’t you? Tell her to take over! She will.”
The Shaman leveled me with a long stare before he finally raised his hand and took the device from my fingers. “Merish, you take it and aim it at that wing bone,” he pointed, “I will take care of our guest and then I’ll be back to assist. Understood?”
Merish looked rather dubious as she took the device and slipped it onto her much larger hand.
It still seemed to fit like a glove, exactly as it had for my tiny fist. She didn’t move to Ses’ wing until the Shaman had curled his arm around my body to prop me up, and even then, she kept shooting me warning glares until Levant turned my back to her and started urging me to walk.
When I stumbled, I was swept up in his arms without comment.
“Here,” he said quietly, “Proof.” He came to a halt in front of Ses’ huge head, and when he brought me close enough that I could put my fingers on the soft scales on his snout, one golden eye blinked open.
Oh god, he was awake, he was alive. I shuddered in relief, the tears on my lashes finally escaping.
Levant brought me to the tent where Zsekhet lay, and without another word tucked me against my mate’s side.
The steady rising and falling of my mate’s chest was all the proof I needed to give in to my own exhaustion and pain.
I hadn’t lost him, and we hadn’t lost Sesethul. Blackness swept me under in seconds.