Page 86 of Wanted By the Alien Warden

“Your face is paler than before,” he said. “We learned in the book that it might mean a human is sick.”

“Not sick,” I said hoarsely. “Scared.”

“Stitching’s done,” Zohro announced. “You two. Hold him here and here. I need to set the shoulder.”

I couldn’t see what was happening, but I heard the harsh pop of Tenn’s bone moving back into its socket.

Even the pain of that didn’t wake him.

And then, I worried I might be truly broken. I worried that this might be the end.

I might never see him again.

I couldn’t take it. I’d crumble under the weight of it. Feeling suddenly seasick with grief, I turned and grasped onto the person closest to me. I buried my face against Xennet’s arm and wept.

“Should I pet you now?”

Those words, so innocent and so bizarre, snapped me out of my crying jag.

“No, thank you, Xennet. I’m…” I sniffed hard and wiped my eyes. “I’m alright now.”

I left Xennet to stand beside Zohro, who was currently arranging Tenn’s arm across his bare, bloody chest.

“He should wake up soon. Shouldn’t he?” I whispered.

“Theoretically? Yes. There could be a head injury there, but I didn’t see any signs of one. No scalp lacerations. No swelling. So it’s probably the blood loss.”

Zohro grasped a spare towel and began scrubbing his blackened hands with it.

“If he wakes up at all before night falls,” he said gravely, “he’ll probably live.”

“Probably,” I repeated through numb lips.

“The probability is good,” Zohro said. “If he wakes tonight, even once, even if only briefly, that-”

“Tasha!”

The table nearly overturned. Purple limbs thrashed. My heart stopped.

“Restrain him!” roared Zohro. “He’s going to tear his blasted stitches!”

“Tasha!” Tenn tried to bellow, but it came out weakened and raw.

Xennet grabbed Tenn’s ankles. Rivven and Dorn each took one of his shoulders.

“Watch that collarbone,” Zohro snapped. “And you! Human! Get in his blasted eyeline before he bleeds out!”

“Tenn!” I ran to the end of the table where his head was. I bent over him, making sure my face was directly over his. He clenched and strained, fighting against Rivven and Dorn as he stretched himself towards me, eyes white and wild.

“Stop moving,” I begged him, cupping his face with my hands. “I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. I promise.”

He said only two more words before he slipped back into unconsciousness.

“Marry me.”

He went limp against the table.

27

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