Page 9 of Faerie Hunted

Okay, think.

Wherever I’d been moved, this place was so very different from the hospital operated by the Claw & Fang. Where was I? Had Mike actually dragged me out of there, or was I dead and trapped in some kind of weird purgatory?

I’d seen stranger sights.

Taking great pains to go slowly, I slid my legs over the side of the bed until my feet hit the cool tile floor. The IV stand moved along with me on well-oiled wheels.

The small private room held my bed, the two chairs, and a small table with a glass of water filled to the brim but nothing else.

A quick twist of the gold knob had the door swinging open silently, and the hallway beyond, although well lit, was as quiet as a tomb.

A chill wracked over me. I didn’t recognize the place at all, and although I strained for some sort of magical recognition, nothing outside the low moan of the breeze outside greeted me.

Gripping the IV stand, I shuffled one foot in front of the other, my muscles tensed and a little sore from however long I’d been stuck in bed.

Despite the experience I felt better than I had in a long time. I wasn’t even tired. The pain in my arm had all but disappeared and my head wasn’t stuck on a Tilt-A-Whirl anymore.

Small miracles.

I turned the corner and the hallway opened up into a lobby. An ornate desk of polished mahogany took up one entire wall but only a single fae in scrubs manned the desk. The strange nurse and?—

“Mike.”

My voice cracked but his name came out loud enough to draw his attention.

A beautiful smile split his face and he unfolded from where he’d leaned across the desk, talking to the nurse.

“You shouldn't be out of bed yet,” he called back to me. “What are you doing, Tavi?”

I shook my head and awkwardly pushed a lock of hair behind my ear at his approach. I probably looked like a hot mess. The hottest of messes, but nothing could have moved me.

Energy crackled between us, the same physical, visceral reaction whenever I saw him.

“I’ve spent enough time in bed to last a lifetime, thanks.”

And there he stood in front of me. Live, in person, and handsome in that odd way of his. “I brought you here for better care. It’s good to know things have finally turned in our favor.” He dropped his voice. “It took a lot of effort to get you out.”

I stared over his shoulder at the nurse. If anyone found out my secret, then it didn’t matter if I healed and recovered or not. They’d shoot me where I stood.

Those few fervent glances between Mike and the nurse failed to project my concern to the former.

He placed his hand on the back of my neck, warm and steady, and dropped his forehead to mine. “You’re safe, Tavi. You’re safe.”

He sounded so assuring.

I leaned into his comforting heat and let myselffeel. To enjoy being in the moment with him when everything felt better than it had for a long time.

“How long?” I managed to ask.

“Have you been here? Only a day. It took a whole lot of posturing to move you but once we did, the doctors worked quickly. You’re safe.” He repeated the phrase with such surety I almost believed it.

I might have let him sweet talk me into lowering my guard, too, if a high-pitched alarm hadn’t sounded in the next heartbeat. The shrill shrieking cut through my skull and I curled in on myself.

“Tavi, let’s get you back to your room.Now.” Mike cradled me against his chest.

“What’s going on?”

“It’s the emergency alarm. It means the castle is under attack.”

---