“Could you have saved him with a blood infusion?”
Annani shook her head. “The injury was too severe even for my blood to heal. Besides, I had a huge mess to clean up, and I had to do it quickly. People heard the screaming, and warriors started swarming my tent. I had to grab everyone’s minds and bend them to my will.”
“Was Olek punished for killing his brother?”
“I made sure that he was not. I convinced everyone that Gudbrand attacked Olek because he barged in on us while we were being intimate, and the sudden intrusion caused Gudbrand’s berserker to take over. Olek was only defending himself, and the killing blow was an accident. Gudbrand tripped on the furs instead of ducking as Olek had expected him to. Some of it was even true. Gudbrand was stronger, and the only reason Olek got him was that he really tripped.”
“Did they believe you?”
“They had no choice. I thralled every adult in both tribes to believe that.”
“And that was the end of the story?”
“I wish. Olek blamed himself despite the spin I put on what had happened, and he became bitter and vengeful. Naturally, he also blamed me for bewitching his brother and keeping him away from his kin when he was most needed.”
“Gudbrand couldn’t have helped Astrid.”
“He could not, but I could have if I’d made it there before she died. Not that Olek knew that, but he was not thinking straight, and he needed someone to blame.”
“What did he do? Did he threaten you?”
“He demanded my expulsion from Bogen’s clan. No one was happy to comply, but the alliance was important to both clans, and I had done enough damage already. I left before they had a chance to kick me out, but I took the guilt with me, and I have been carrying it around ever since.”
“Why? What else could you have done? Gudbrand wanted to kill you.”
“What if he did not? What if he just said that to Olek to stop him from killing me?”
“You said that he was enraged.”
“He was terrifying, but he was not mindless with grief like Olek.”
“Where were your Odus?”
“They were nearby, but I instructed them to stay away from my tent unless I called them. I am glad that I did not. The bloodshed would not have ended with Gudbrand. They would have attacked the other men as well. My best choice was to grab the minds of as many as I could and defuse the situation.”
“I still don’t get why you blame yourself. What could you have done differently?”
“If I had not panicked, I could have commanded Olek to stand down and leave the tent instead of defending me.”
Alena shuddered. “But then Gudbrand would have turned on you and tried to kill you.”
“Perhaps he would, and perhaps he would not. I will never know the answer to that.”
27
Sari
Sari had spent the night on a cot in the waiting room, but even though the door to David’s room was open and she could see him from her cot, she’d gotten up numerous times throughout the night and gone to sit by his side.
The medical machinery was noisy, and the light in David’s room was not dimmed all the way, but none of that had caused her insomnia. She just couldn’t shake the feeling that her presence kept him tethered to her, that he could somehow feel her being right next to him and take comfort in that.
Or maybe it was just her anxiety talking.
Steven had stayed in his office all night as well, sleeping on the couch, and she wondered if he would have done that if she hadn’t been there.
When there was a soft knock on the door, Sari glanced at Steven’s door, but he must have been sleeping soundly and hadn’t heard it.
“One moment.” She got up and smoothed her hand over her shirt. She’d slept in her clothes, and they looked it. “Come in.”
The door opened, and Bridget walked in. “Good morning. I’m sorry for waking you up, but I wanted to check on David.”
“I wasn’t sleeping.” Sari offered the doctor her hand. “Thank you for coming. I really appreciate you doing this for me.”
“It’s my pleasure. I hope David is the first of many more Dormants that the Fates will bless your people with. I want to give Steven proper training, so he is ready.” She glanced at David’s room. “Besides, I’m curious to see the professor. I heard that he’s exceptionally handsome.”
Sari’s jealousy reared its head. “From whom?”
“Syssi and Amanda. I talked with them on the way here, and they were both gushing about how perfect he is for you. They are convinced that the Fates must have guided Kalugal to him and then whispered in his ear to bring him to you.”
That was good. Both were happily mated, and their interest in David could only be on her behalf.
Sari let out a breath. “I agree. David is perfect for me.”
Rubbing his eyes, Steven emerged from his office. “Good morning, Bridget. When did you get here?”
“Just now. I dropped my suitcase by the entrance and came here right away. What’s the status?”
“Let’s check together.” He motioned for her to follow him into David’s room.
Sari entered behind them and leaned against the wall to stay out of the doctors’ way.
The two chairs Kian had brought into the room had been removed to clear access to the sickbed, and only the one she’d sat on during the night had remained.
Steven picked it up and put it next to the wall. “You can sit down.” He regarded her with concern in his eyes. “Did you sleep at all?”
“A little.”
“You can’t keep on like this.”
“I can.” She waved a hand at David. “He’s your patient, not me.”
As Bridget and Steven went over David’s vitals, Sari watched Bridget’s expression closely, noting every frown and every tightening of the doctor’s lips.
Bridget was not an emotional woman, and the scents she was emitting were subtle, but she looked concerned.
She turned to Sari. “David’s temperature has been steadily climbing through the night and so has his blood pressure. Neither is in the critical range, but he needs to be watched closely.”
“Shouldn’t you give him something to lower the temperature?”
Bridget shook her head. “It’s part of the transition process, and if I do that, I will be interfering with it. But if his temperature goes over the safe limit, I will.”
“What about the blood pressure?”
Sari knew next to nothing about human physiology, but she knew that high blood pressure could cause a stroke or a heart attack. David’s twin brother and their father had died from heart failure, and genetics played an important role in a person’s health. According to Steven, David was in excellent physical shape, but that didn’t cancel out his genetic disposition, and Sari was worried.
“Not much we can do about that. I’m not going to give him medication for that.”
“What if it reaches a critical level?”
“Then we will worry about it.” Bridget put a hand on Sari’s shoulder. “Go, take a shower, sleep for a little bit. I’m here to take care of your guy.”