Page 289 of Phoenix's Fire

Kanik had to be okay. I'd done what I could, but would it be enough? What if I'd missed something? What if I'd made it worse?What if I'd killed him?

"Kids?" Naomi asked, peeking her head into the room. "Our trauma doctor is looking him over and prepping him for surgery."

"Surgery?" I asked.

Naomi gave me a soft smile. "Yes. They aren't taking any chances with him, but he won't come back to this room. I got one assigned to him, so let me take you there?"

"What about Holly?" Zasen asked.

Naomi scoffed. "She's not the first dog we've seen. Now, let's go up to the second floor, okay? Follow me."

Rymar clasped my shoulders, encouraging me to stand. Then he steered me after Naomi and Zasen. Holly followed, never leaving my side, but the exhaustion was starting to catch up with me. My legs felt weak. I'd jogged most of the way there and back. Yes, I'd had to stop to catch my breath, but I hadn't wanted to be too slow.

As we wove through halls, clearly heading somewhere, we passed a face I recognized. Omden's head jerked up, and then he hurried to catch up to us.

"Everything okay?" he asked.

"Ayla found Kanik," Zasen said. "He's alive and going to surgery."

"What?!" Omden gasped. "I need to tell Drozel!"

"Go!" Zasen said. "And if one of you can stop by my place?" He stopped, making the rest of us wait as well. "Omden, in the kitchen, there are a pair of bowls for Holly. Inside the pantry, I have a bag of dried meat. She's been going non-stop, and she pulled Kanik back. Can you have someone get those?"

"Of course," Omden promised.

"Wait!" I begged when he turned to leave. "I left my leathers on the floor of the bathroom. In the pocket of my pants is a package in yellow cloth. I need that. It's from my friend inside."

Omden nodded. "We'll get it, Ayla. Worry about Kanik first, but we'll make sure you're taken care of."

"Thank you," Rymar breathed.

Omden nodded at him, then took off running. Zasen nodded at his mother, and we all started moving again, but Naomi paused to smile at my dog. I liked that she was being rewarded for all of her work too, but what if it was pointless?

Finally, we were shown into a simple room. There were things along the sides, and a set of candles were placed on every surface. Without asking, Zasen headed over and lit a set - but only one.

"I'm going to go check on Kanik," she said. "This will be a while, so I suggest you rest while you can."

"I don't even have a shirt," Zasen said as he dropped down into a well-padded chair.

Rymar took the other, then leaned it back, showing it moved in a way I hadn't expected. But Zasen caught my hand, guiding me toward a long padded bench. It didn't look as nice as the chairs, but I wasn't about to complain.

"Ry," Zasen said, "there should be a pillow in the cabinet beside you."

"Yep," Rymar agreed, opening that without getting up. Then he tossed it at me. "The bench works as a bed."

"Okay," I agreed, realizing why they'd left it for me. "But I'm not tired yet."

"You will be," Zasen said. But a sigh came next. "How bad was he hurt, Ayla?"

"I'm not a doctor," I reminded him.

"I don't care," he promised. "How bad?"

"I didn't feel anything. His intestines seemed okay, and kidney, and it was the good side. I stopped the bleeders, but my hands weren't clean."

"They'll handle that," he promised. "Ayla, how much did he bleed?"

And that was what I was really worried about. "A lot."

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