Warrior (Relentless #4)(143)

“He will sleep now, and when he wakes he will be well,” the witch told Sara.

They went to the twins so the witch could heal them as well. A collective sigh went through the room when he was done.

Two warriors came to take the witch, and I was surprised when the boy looked to Sara for reassurance. She smiled and nodded at him, and he meekly let them lead him away. We were fortunate he was so young. An adult Hale witch would not have surrendered as easily, and might not have helped the people he’d hurt.

I started toward Sara when someone called my name. I looked around and saw Chris waving from a bed in one of the rooms.

“You going to stay in bed all day?” I quipped when I entered his room.

He grunted. “You’d be on your back too if a Hale witch tried to scramble your brain.”

My humor fled. “What happened out there?”

“I found Sara and Jordan out back, and I was running to them when the bastard got me.” He grimaced. “It was the worst pain I’ve ever felt, like my head was going to explode. It was only for a few seconds, but I thought I would go insane. Then Sara screamed and jumped on me, and I passed out. I don’t know what she did, but she saved me and crippled the witch at the same time. I would’ve been a goner if not for her.”

“So would a lot of people.”

There was no telling how many of our people the witch would have hurt if she hadn’t stopped him, and it most likely would have changed the outcome of the attack. The vampires had come here for Sara, and she’d taken out their biggest weapon by herself.

Chris let out a breath. “She had a bloody Hale witch cowering on the ground. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“And then?”

I didn’t know if I wanted to hear more. Judging by the number of bodies I’d seen when I found Sara, she’d been right in the thick of the battle.

“We tried to get to the garages, but at least a dozen vampires showed up with three crocotta. I honestly didn’t expect us to make it. I couldn’t fight. Sara, Jordan, and the werewolves held them off until the hellhounds arrived with the wyvern and the griffin.”

He made a face. “I saw that wyvern coming at us, and I was sure we were dead. But he ignored us and went after the crocotta and vampires. If I didn’t know better, I’d say he was protecting us. Jesus, what a night.” He sank back against his pillow. “Did you know we lost two trainees?”

I shook my head grimly. “Who told you?”

“Sara and Jordan. They watched the girl die. The boy was already dead when they got there.”

“Vampire?”

“Yes. Sara and Jordan killed him. I’m amazed they’re still standing after all they went through out there.”

“Khristu!” I paced the small room. “I promised her she would be safe here, and she’s been hurt more times since she came here than she was in Maine. She could have died tonight.”

“No one could have predicted something like this would happen. When was the last time vampires, or anything else for that matter, attacked one of our strongholds?”

“I don’t know.”

Someone shouted, and two of the trainees ran in, carrying Sahir between them. Sara ran up and stood outside the exam room with the boys while the healers worked on Sahir. She looked exhausted, but her anxious expression told me she wasn’t leaving until her friend was out of danger.

An hour later, I saw her sagging against the wall, barely able to stand, and I decided I’d held back long enough.

“You should be in bed,” I told her.

She tried to hold back a yawn. “I’m fine.”

“You’re practically asleep on your feet. There is nothing else you can do here tonight. If you don’t rest, you’ll end up in here yourself.”

“Okay.”

I expected her to argue. The fact that she gave in easily told me how tired she was.

She moved away from the wall and wobbled.

I reached for her, and she put up a hand.

“I can walk. I’m tired, Nikolas, not weak.”

Her indignant expression drew a chuckle from me. “Sara, no one who knew you would ever accuse you of being weak. Come on, I’ll walk you to your room.”

She nodded, and we headed for the stairs. Except for the medical ward, the main floor of the building was deserted.

“I’ve never seen it this empty here,” she said as we passed through the main hall.

“They’re outside, cleaning up,” I told her, and she shuddered. She was quiet as we climbed the stairs to her floor.

“You’re sure you would not feel better staying with Nate tonight?” What I really wanted was to take her back to my apartment. But she was covered in dirt and blood, and she’d want her own shower and bed after the ordeal.

“I’m sure.”

She turned to me when we reached her door, and I saw how hard she was trying not to cry in front of me.

“You were amazing tonight,” I said, earning a small smile.

“Really?”

“The whole time I was out there all I could think about was getting to you. And then I find you standing in the middle of it all, surrounded by bodies. I heard what you did. Don’t ever tell me again that you’re not a warrior.”

“I did have a lot of help.” Her eyes grew troubled. “I was worried about you, too.”