Page 10 of Dark Shaman: Love Found
"Thank you." She followed him out.
The cart hummed quietly as Ogidu navigated the village paths. Annani waved to those she passed, forcing smiles because her people deserved them and her worry should not deprive them.
This was what Kian had built, what he protected. A haven for their people, a place where they could live without fear of discovery or persecution.
As the cart pulled to a stop, Annani saw Shai through the glass doors, rushing out to greet her.
"Clan Mother." He dipped his head. "Are you here to visit Kian?"
"Yes." She accepted his offered hand. "I should have called ahead, but it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Is he free to see me?"
Shai looked conflicted. "He is in a meeting, but I can tell him that you are here, and he can cut it short."
"No need. I will visit Tim first, and by the time I am done in the clinic, Kian may be done as well."
Shai nodded. "May I escort you to the clinic, Clan Mother?"
She patted his arm. "No need. I have my Odu with me. Goback to your work, Shai, and tell Kian that he should expect me in about half an hour."
Inside the clinic, she found the door to Tim's room open and Hildegard sitting beside his bed, a book in her hands. She was reading aloud, her voice carrying the rhythm of narrative.
As Annani knocked softly on the doorframe, Hildegard looked up, surprise flashing across her features before she quickly stood.
"Clan Mother. I didn't expect you to visit." She set the book aside. "Please, take a seat." She motioned to the chair she'd vacated.
"Please sit down." Annani entered the room, her attention drawn to Tim. "I do not wish to interrupt."
The change in Tim was startling. Where there once had been a short, somewhat portly man there now lay someone almost unrecognizable. He'd grown dramatically—at least three inches, according to what she had been told, though seeing it in person made the transformation more real. His body had consumed every spare ounce of fat, leaving him gaunt, almost skeletal. The bone structure of his face, previously hidden beneath soft flesh, was now sharply defined.
"The transformation has been remarkable," Hildegard said, following her gaze. "Three and a quarter inches of growth so far, and his bone density has increased by approximately thirty percent."
"Has he shown any signs of waking?"
"Brief moments of REM sleep, some mumbling. But nothing coherent yet." Hildegard's hand moved unconsciously toward Tim's, then stopped. "Bridget says it's normal for such an extensive transformation. His body is essentially rebuilding itself from the ground up."
Annani moved closer to the bed, studying Tim's peaceful expression. Gone were the perpetual frown lines, the defensive set of his jaw. In unconsciousness, he looked younger, more vulnerable. "What have you been reading to him?"
Hildegard shrugged. "Fiction, mostly. Stories about sarcastic anti-heroes who save the day despite themselves. I thought he might appreciate the irony when he wakes."
"You have grown fond of him." It wasn't a question.
"He's my patient. I'm invested in his recovery."
"Of course." Annani kept her tone neutral. "Has he had any other visitors?"
"Andrew stops by daily, usually bringing coffee and sandwiches for me. He says that feeding the nurse is his contribution to the effort, but I think he's worried about Tim. They worked together for years. That creates a bond, even if they weren't exactly friends."
"Tim has that effect on people," Annani said. "He pushes them away with one hand while drawing them in with the other. It is a peculiar talent."
"He called me a fifteen," Hildegard said suddenly, then looked mortified. "I mean, when he was conscious. When he first woke after the induction, he was ranking myattractiveness on a numerical scale. Started at ten, then eleven, then fifteen."
Annani smiled. "High praise from Tim. He is not generally given to compliments."
"That's what Andrew said. Apparently, Tim's more likely to draw unflattering caricatures of people than say anything nice about them." Hildegard glanced at the unconscious man with something approaching fondness. "Though he was probably delirious from the venom."
"Perhaps. Or perhaps the venom simply lowered his usual defenses." Annani touched Tim's hand gently. His transformation was progressing well, the changes systemic and thorough. "His gift is remarkable. To capture not just physical appearance but the essence of a person through verbal description alone borders on the miraculous."
"Andrew mentioned the portraits Tim created." Hildegard leaned against the bed. "He said they were incredible."
