Chapter 35 The Med Ship
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Med Ship
Davin
Healers dressed in lavender uniforms bustled about on deck, deftly avoiding the sailors as they prepared to set sail.
Captain McConnell and Davin came aboard, easily moving through the throng, soldiers and deckhands darting out of their path without hesitation.
Davin let himself be led to the lower deck and into the infirmary before coming to stand in front of a petite woman with salt and pepper hair in a tight bun.
Her green eyes flooded with concern as they landed on Alex, cradled in Davin’s arms.
“Oh, my! Right this way,” her tone moving from surprise to authoritative. Davin gave a grateful nod to McConnell and the man took his leave.
“I would like her to be put in a private cabin.” Davin stated, his expression leaving no room for refusal. “I can pay.”
The healer stood looking at him for a moment longer before dipping her head in agreement. “Right this way then, Captain Monroe.”
Davin didn’t think he recognized the woman but he had accompanied many wounded soldiers aboard these ships. The chances of him having run into her in the past were pretty high.
Following her into the private room, he gingerly laid Alex on the bed.
The healer shooed him back to give her space to do her job, as several more healers joined her.
He leaned against the wall, near the foot of the bed, watching but refusing to leave her for even a second, averting his eyes when they began cutting her leathers the rest of the way off, to access the wound better.
His head swam from all the medical terminology they were calling back and forth.
However, he understood just enough to know that this was as bad as he had feared it was.
“Her wound is severe and she has a fever, likely from the beginning of an infection.” The healer stated, holding his gaze. “She will likely require surgery once we come ashore. We can only control her bleeding, help with the pain, and try to stop the infection from progressing.”
Davin let out a breath. She hadn’t said that she was dying. Relief flooded through him, almost bringing him to his knees.
“She is not out of the woods though.” she hurried on, seeing the emotions flitting across his face. “We will keep her medicated to help with the pain, but until she has surgery to repair the damage, it will be touch and go.”
Looking past her at the bed, Davin gave his thanks. Digging in his pocket, he withdrew the coin needed, passing it to her. “For the room.” He grumbled, meeting her eyes.
“She’s in good hands, Captain.” She said softly, placing her hand lightly on his arm.
Davin nodded, his focus already shifting back to the woman lying in the bed.
She was now dressed in a loose white gown, the blankets pulled up under her chin.
The woman before him looked nothing like the strong, sassy warrior who had driven him crazy the last few weeks.
No, this woman was frail. Breakable. Silent.
Her once long hair was gone, the now short spiky locks slicked back from her pale face.
Her dark lashes lay against her sallow cheeks. Her spirit, seemingly broken.
Pulling a chair up to the side of the bed, he took her hand in his.
It was warm. Thank Fari for that. Davin rubbed his thumb in circles on the back of her hand and settled in.
While she slept, he talked about his time in the Brynn army, of how he was officially a deserter now, of anything that would keep him distracted from thinking.
His body grew stiff from the hours of sitting, but still she slept on.
He refused to leave her side. Eventually, sleep claimed him as well, succumbing to the sway of the ship on the water.
His head lay heavy on his arm, his outstretched hand still firmly grasping hers.
Davin awoke to Alex thrashing in the bed, ripping at her gown. He grabbed at her hands, trying to steady them.
“Alex! You’re safe. I’ve got you.” He commanded, giving her a slight shake.
Alex continued to resist him, screaming something about the waterways not being safe. A healer rushed in, helping Davin restrain her. Alex collapsed back onto her pillow, tears streaming down her face.
“Is she alright?” he asked, watching as the healer checked Alex’s bandages, applying more numbing salve.
“Yes, sir. She is still fighting the fever. It seems to be causing hallucinations.” She responded quietly. “Her bandages are holding. For now, all she can do is rest and let her body do the fighting for her.”
“Hey there, princess. You’re finally awake.” He spoke softly, afraid that any loud noise would send her into another bout of hysterics. Alex’s wild eyes flashed to his. “The waterways aren’t safe. I promised him. We have to get off this ship.”
“We are hours from shore. The weather is perfect. There are no dangers here. You’re safe. It’s just the pain and fever talking.”
“No. No. No. He said to stay away from the waters!” She cried, shaking her head.
Davin sat on the edge of the bed, pulling her against him. Her body trembled in his embrace. He hated seeing her this way.
“Shhhh. It’ll be ok. We’ll be in Gleann before you know it. The Morrow’s healers will fix you right up.” Keeping his voice low and soothing, he ran his hand up and down her back.
Alex shoved away from him, attempting to push him off the side of the bed. He didn’t budge. “Ugh! Why are you even here?!”
Davin studied her. Her eyes were still clouded with fear and pain, but his Alex, the stubborn fighter, shone through. This wasn’t just the fever or pain talking. She was being serious.
“Who is this he you speak of, princess?”
Alex
Alex’s face flushed. She needed to offer him some truths.
He had saved her life; she owed him that much, but the burning in her throat made swallowing difficult, and her words cracked as she tried to speak again.
“He is…” A coughing fit ravaged her and Davin hurriedly reached for a pitcher near her bed and poured a cup of water.
Alex grabbed for the cup, drinking it down, relishing in the relief the cool liquid brought.
She stalled, turning the now empty cup round in her hands, trying to think of where to even begin.
Davin plucked it from her hands, his warm fingertips brushing her chilled ones, her skin pebbling from the contact.
“Do you not have an answer for me, or are you still unwilling to trust me?” She could hear no malice in his voice.
She wanted to tell him that it wasn’t like that, but could she really trust him with this?
He continued to stay with her, no matter what was thrown at him, yet sharing this information was crossing a line that couldn’t be uncrossed.
Davin shifted, lazily folding his arms across his muscular chest, patiently waiting for her with that infuriating calm he always seems to exude.
Begrudgingly, she opened up, telling him of her visit with Caius, her father, and of how he knew things. That he had heard stirrings of mythical beasts, of the waterways being unsafe. She didn’t tell him everything though. Some things were better left unsaid.
“You’re telling me that your father truly believes that there are mythical beasts living in this lake?” Davin asked, barely restraining his laugh.
“Yes. He is never wrong.”
Davin tilted his head to the side. “Ok. Let’s say you’re right. We aren’t too far from Gleann now, and there’s been no sign of any such creatures, so I think we’ll be safe. We have no other choice but to continue on anyway. No way will the Captain believe that sea monsters lurk beneath us.”
“I am right.” Alex snapped.
“Let’s address the other issue.” Davin continued on, ignoring her sharp retort. “Who are you and more importantly, why were those men trying to kill you?”
“I’ve already told you. My name is Alex. I’m a guard from Varon.” Her voice strained with her unbridled annoyance. “Those men were two pompous assholes.”
“Who tried to kill you! And they damn near succeeded!”, he bellowed, his control slipping.
“Well, thankfully, they didn’t. I am very much alive.”
“BECAUSE OF ME!” Davin’s anger snapped, and he surged to his feet.
Pacing a few steps away, running his fingers through his hair, he sighed, turning back to her.
He spoke softer than before but not weakly.
“If I hadn’t come looking for you when I did…
” His eyes blazed. “You would be dead in that field right now.”
Alex couldn’t ignore the utter fear and intensity in his words. He had been terrified for her. She ducked her head, shame creasing her brow. He was right. He had saved her. Those two assholes really had done a number on her. A chance, she would ensure, they never got again.
“Thank you.” She stated simply, her eyes meeting his, watching as he softened, some of the anger dissipating.
“I don’t need a thank you, Alex. I just want to know what you are mixed up in so that I can help you. Why won’t you talk to me? Have I not proven myself trustworthy?”
There was no way she could tell him everything, not here on a ship with people milling around and walls as thin as ice. She wanted to tell him though. Deep in her gut, she knew she could trust him. Just now was not the time.
“How about you answer my questions for a change?” Alex deflected.
“I’ve been honest about who I am.”
“Where did you learn to fight like that?” She asked, studying his face.
“Like what?” he responded coolly, but his eyes became guarded.
“You know exactly what I am referring to.” Now it was Alex’s turn to snap. Her anger bristled. She hated being lied to, even if it was a lie of omission.
“I picked it up in the army. It’s nothing special.”
Realizing that he wasn’t going to tell her, Alex lay back. She was too tired for this.
“Thank you again, Davin, for everything that you have done for me. I know you sacrificed a lot to get me here. I do genuinely appreciate it. I swear I will repay you this favor.”
“You don’t have to repay me, Alex. I am not asking for it.
I did what needed to be done. Nothing more.
” Davin jammed his hands into his pants pocket, obviously uncomfortable with the way the conversation had turned.
The placating response tasted bitter, the words sounding as if she meant nothing to him.
“I accept charity from no one.” She ground out. “Why can’t you just accept my thank you and leave it at that?”
“Until we learn we can trust each other, and cease with this dance of deflection, we will get nowhere with this.” He growled. “I’m going to let you rest, as you obviously need it.”
“This conversation isn’t finished.”
Davin said nothing, just continued towards the door.
“You can’t go far,” Alex called after him. “There’s water on all sides.”
“Good thing you’re not in a position to chase me down.”
The door clicked shut.
Alex flopped back onto her pillows yet again.
Gods, that man was frustrating! Why couldn’t he just answer my questions?
He expected me to answer his! Trust him.
HA! As if! Crinkling her nose, Alex let out a breath.
But she did trust him. What was wrong with her?
Why was he able to get under her skin like that?
“UGH!” she cried, her fists thumping on the bed.
The door opened a crack, a healer sticking her head through. “Is everything ok, Mrs. Monroe?”
Alex stared. “Excuse me, WHAT?”
“Are you ok?” The healer said again in a concerned tone.
“No, what did you just call me?” Alex demanded.
“Mrs. Alex Monroe?” The healer looked confused, leaning back to double check the chart on the door. “That is who you are, correct?”
“My name is Alex, yes, but that man is not my husband,” she grit out.
“Are you having any pain?” She asked.
“No. I’m fine.” Alex sighed. It wasn’t the healer’s fault that the man was a controlling, all-assuming prick. Tipping her head, the healer left, closing the door quietly behind her.
The gall of that man! First, he insisted on following her all the way from Kalmia, then he interfered in the fight with the twins, only to play white knight and pretend she’s his wife?
Who the hell does he think he is? Anger roiled off her in waves.
Taking a few deep breaths, Alex attempted to calm herself.
Pulling back the blanket, she tugged her gown aside to examine her wound.
Stark white bandages were wrapped around her midsection and hip.
The only splotch of color was the blood staining where her wound was.
She pressed her fingers gently over the wrapped area, hissing in pain.
She dropped back against her pillow. She was so sick of being injured.
She was an awful patient and thanks to Vivian’s spawn, Davin now believed her to be a damsel in distress and inadvertently made her break her promise to her father.
Although she couldn’t be too upset about that, as he managed to get her exactly where she needed to go, faster than she would have on her own.
She needed to concentrate on why Erik and Jackson were sent to kill her to begin with.
She remembered everything from the fight, how Davin had flown into the fray with little regard for his own safety, all in some misguided attempt to protect her.
The very thought had warmth spreading through her body.
Why would he do that? Did he care for her?
Did she want him too? And what kind of selfish asshole was she, not even bothering to check if he had been injured in the fight?
It didn’t excuse him from staking his claim on her, pretending to be her husband.
If she were being honest with herself, the idea didn’t irk her as much as it should.
She pushed the thought away, ignoring the sudden rush of warmth that flooded her.
It didn’t matter anyway. Once they reached the city of Gleann, they would part ways.
The thought of him leaving her left a hollow pit in her stomach but she would let him go though.
Alex knew he wanted her to trust him implicitly, but she just couldn’t.
She could never give her heart fully to anyone ever again.
That kind of pain would be her end, and her heart still belonged to another.