“No,” I say through clenched teeth. “You are not allowed to call time of death yet.” I straighten my spine and shoulder my way next to Timalah, getting close enough to get a proper look. Ghenie is still there, hovering and breathing down my neck, watching my every move.
“Its venom is deadly,” Gendry says, his eyes mournful.
“Christian, get them out of here,” I say, my voice as calm as ever. “I need to focus and I can’t while they’re sitting here already saying their goodbyes.”
Ghenie grabs my arm, forcing me to look up at him. “As your leader--”
“Don’t,” I say, cutting him off. “Don’t finish that sentence, Ghenie. I need you to trust me.”
He gives me a long look, one I’m almost positive we don’t have time to indulge in. Finally, he’s nodding and stepping out of the room. A breath leaves my lungs as I take off my ‘grieving family’ hat and put on my ‘EMT’ hat, preparing to do everything I can to save my patient.
I spare just a moment to look over Timalah’s face. His usual handsome face is slack, his skin such a pale blue. He’s wheezing, like the venom is slowly sucking the life right out of him. I wrack my brain, trying to come up with a solution.
I run over to my supply of plants, finding one I’m praying will work for this. I shove a bundle of them into my mouth, knowing this way will be faster than if I get out my mortar. My jaw aches but I keep chewing, grinding the plants up into a paste that leaves my mouth tasting bitter and gross, like I’ve just licked a skunk’s ass. Once I’ve put on my gloves, I spit the plant out into my palm, the purple plant wet and pasty.
With my free hand I yank the talon free before replacing it with the paste as quickly as I can, not wanting Timalah to lose too much more blood. I hold it onto the wound, watching as black puss begins to drain from the hole in Timalah’s skin, the venom being pulled out by the plant. I breathe easily for the first time since seeing the group running my way.
“Hey,” Christian whispers and it’s only now that I realize he’s in the room with me. I let out a shaky breath.
“Can you make some more paste?”
He nods, turning to take my mortar out. The only sounds in the room are our breathing and the pestle scraping against the side of the mortar. I carefully swipe the paste away, replacing it with a new dollop as soon as Christian has made it, causing more black pus to ooze out. We do that, over and over and over. And with each fresh application, Timalah breathes just a little bit easier. I check his pulse, finding it stronger beneath my finger, his color slowly coming back.
“That was fast thinking,” Christian says, carefully pulling Timalah’s armor off all the way, making sure he’s comfortable.
“Thanks,” I murmur. “This paste is what I use when the kids show up with splinters or small infections. It helps draw out intrusions from your body. I--” I clear my throat. “I wasn’t even sure it would actually work for this.”
“Well it did,” he tells me, reaching over and squeezing my shoulder.
I nod, needing the reminder. As far as I can tell, Timalah is going to pull through and be fine. But that doesn’t stop my heart from racing at such a close call. I was so close to losing him and he would have never known how I felt about him.
A pained noise leaves his throat and it has me in motion once more. I step over to my collection of plants and herbs, finding a bark I know can be used for pain relief. I shave it into small pieces, trying to convince my hands to stop shaking.
I gently rub the bark flakes against the inside of his gums, careful to avoid his long fangs. The effect is almost instant as the wrinkle of his brows slowly smooth out. Once he’s sleeping more peacefully I step away.
“Go wash up,” Christian says gently. “Go tell the other’s all signs point to him being okay. His vitals are steady and it looks like the plants you gave him are doing their job. Go and take a moment.”
I nod my head, moving before I even know what’s happening. I carefully peel the gloves free, tossing them into my trash. Then I step out of my apothecary, freezing when Ghenie and Gendry stand in my way. “He’ll be okay,” I tell them right away, not wanting them to spend an extra second filled with dread. “He’s alive. He’s weak but he’ll be fine.”
Ghenie pulls me against himself into a tight hug. I’m so surprised by the gesture all I can do is wrap my arms around him right back.
“Thank you,” Ghenie whispers. And then he pulls back, looking unsure. “And I’m sorry. For the way I acted.” He keeps his head held high and I’m struck all over again how good of a leader Ghenie truly is. Loving his people while also showing humility.
I grab his shoulder, ignoring the way his armor still has Timalah’s blood on it. “It was a stressful situation,” I tell him gently. “I’m just glad I didn’t say anything stupid you could tease me about later.”
That leaves us both chuckling, the tension breaking. Ghenie goes into the room to see Timalah while I go to my bathroom. I watch, silently, as my sink runs black, the little bit of Timalah’s blood that got onto my skin where my gloves didn’t reach swirling around my drain. My throat tightens until I can barely breathe.
It’s been a year since I’ve arrived on this planet and during that time, I’ve done my damndest to push my feelings away, convincing myself that Timalah was nothing more than a silly crush I’ve acquired thanks to that first night on the spaceship. But seeing him bleeding out? Seeing how close to losing him I was? That has my eyes opening wide. This isn’t a silly crush. This isn’t hero worship. I have very real feelings for him. Feelings I’m positive aren’t just gonna go away.
I shake out my hands and tilt my neck back and forth, trying to get myself under control. I cup my hands under the flow of water, using it to cool my face. I finish by wetting the back of my neck, feeling leaps and bounds more in control then I did just a moment before. I look at myself in the mirror, carefully swiping at the smudge on my cheek I must have put there without realizing it. My golden hair is a disaster, matted down by adrenaline sweat, my cheeks are flushed, my eyes still looking a little crazed. But I’m okay. And so is Timalah. That’s what I hold onto as I step out of my bathroom and back through to my apothecary.
“No, no, no,” I hear Ghenie say. “He’ll come home with me. I can take care of him until he’s feeling better and able to go back to his own home.”
I clear my throat as I step into the room. “Actually, I think it would be best if he stayed here. I have the proper supplies to care for him. Plus, I’m a trained professional.”
“He wouldn’t wish to be a burden,” Ghenie tries to say but I raise my hand, cutting him off.
“He wouldn’t be. I--” I look away, cursing the way my cheeks heat. I lick my lips and clear my throat. “I want to take care of him.”
“Miles is the best for the job,” Christian says from his place in the corner of the room. It’s the only time I’ve ever thought about kissing my best friend. “Timalah will be in good hands here.”
Ghenie and Christian share a long look, the two of them seeming to have a silent conversation before Ghenie is nodding. “Very well,” Ghenie says, his voice not disguising this is a reluctant decision. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning to check on him.”