Underland(46)

“It’s because you healed me, isn’t it?”

His tail flicked and he gazed down at his hooves.

“You got in trouble for it.”

He nodded. “Remus had forbidden me from helping you, but it goes against my code. No one has the right to stop a healer from healing.” His voice burned with conviction.

“Give me the salve, and I’ll help treat your back.”

Warrick backed away, his voice an angry whisper. “Don’t. Just listen to what I have to say—and don’t react. You don’t have much time.”

She closed her mouth and listened.

“You’re all over the news. Human surviving the gauntlet. You’re gaining attention from many factions, both the Pro-Human and Pro-Beast.” He was still whispering. “It’s caused a bit of an uproar over the last three days.”

“Three days? Wait. How long have I been in the infirmary?”

“You’ve been in and out of it for quite a while. The Underlords have sent two emissaries from Olympus Tower requesting your presence. Which isn’t good.”

“What do I do?” Kira asked. “You should’ve let me die.”

“That is not your destiny,” Warrick spoke in clipped tones. “Three times now, you have beaten your death. I don’t know how long you can continue to run from it, but I will do everything in my power to keep you alive for whatever purpose fate has for you.”

He glanced back at the partially open door and tensed. “No more talking.” He moved away, and Kira saw a shadow move outside the door.

When Warrick finished with her examination, he placed a small plastic cup on the nightstand with an oblong white pill.

“What is that?” She eyed the pill with distrust.

“Wintergreen and clove. That, my dear unfortunate girl, is all you get.” He moved away from the bed and replaced the solitary chair. He turned to leave. The door moved slightly as someone, probably their observer, tried to close it before he could get there.

Fear ran up and down her spine. She didn’t want to be alone.

“Warrick, please,” she said softly. It must have been the please that broke him, because his shoulders slumped and his head drooped. “I know I’ve been an ungrateful jerk, and rude…and obnoxious.” It was working because he turned his soft brown eyes upon her. “Please, tell me what is going to happen to me now.”

“I don’t know, but I believe the fates may be on your side.”

Kira sighed. She didn’t believe in any of this fate stuff. She dropped her head back onto the pillow and tried to blink away tears of self-pity. It was fine.

Kira let the silence fill the room.

Warrick seemed done, but he was wasting time before leaving. She hadn’t known the centaur long, but she felt a fondness for the equine doctor. So much to consider.

“Why did you have me give Zeke chocolate?”

Warrick looked over his shoulder at the empty chair and waved. “Because you needed more friends.” He stepped through the door. Just before it shut, he ducked back in and whispered, “Good thing too, because it helped in the gauntlet. You never know where help will come from.”

Kira stared at the door for a moment, and then back at the chair. Could he see her visitor, even though she couldn’t?

That was all she needed, someone else to feel indebted to. She didn’t even know who Alice was, and now she owed the girl her life. And she owed Zeke for saving her life twice. What if he wanted her life in exchange? Her life was getting suckier by the minute.

Still, they’d done what they could—more than they should’ve—to keep her alive. Kira had too much of her father’s military honor to just turn her back on all they’d done for her. Sure, she could be a pain, but usually because of self-preservation.

She’d never gotten to go to high school, but even on the streets it was safer in numbers. Easier to scour for food or pick pockets if someone played the decoy. Maybe she could use some of those tricks down here to survive. She needed to make some kind of alliance down here. From what little she could see of little Alice, she wouldn’t have been Kira’s first choice for an ally.





Chapter 21

No one else came to visit her, which only made Kira even more irritated. She glanced at the door for the tenth time.

A soft giggle came from the area of the chair again. A moment later the chair filled with Alice’s small form, sitting with her knees pulled up to her chest. Her green eyes smiled mischievously.

“He’s not going to come,” Alice said.

“Why not?” Kira snapped, assuming Alice meant Den again.

“Because he said he couldn’t come back. For your own safety he needs to pretend you aren’t important. Until he’s ready.”

“How do you know? Why would you say that?”

“He was here when you were first unconscious. I hid so he didn’t know I was here. He looked really, really sad,” Alice whispered the last bit and lowered her head.

“I don’t think Den would be sad—more like ticked.”

Alice shook her head, “Not him, the zeke.”

“What?” Kira tried to imagine Zeke in her room watching her while she was sleeping. The tug of a smile started at the corner of her mouth. “So you really rescued me with Zeke, huh?”