Page 43 of Stone Lover
“Surah, what have you done?” Malinasked.
“It happened a little fast,” Surah said, a bit plaintive. “We've just openednegotiations.”
Malin's head turned as Prince Ludargo approached. “Did you know aboutthis?”
“My daughter knows herduty.”
A non-answer if Surah had ever heard one. Geza called him on it. “You have the honor of a self-serving snake,” the Prince sneered. “Can't commit to aside.”
“Neither of the sides seems to have grown up,” Ludargo replied coldly, unoffended. “If one of you would step forward and claim rulership with the maturity expected of yourbloodline—”
Geza took a step towards him. “You think you can dobetter?”
“I don’t want to do better. I am not Ioveanu–I am Cernea.” Contempt shone through Ludargo's eyes. “Are you so feeble-minded you don’t understand what is happening? The Mogrens are trying to abolish traditions our people have lived by for millennium–that isn’t a precedent that needs to be set inanyterritory. And youchildrenare playing right into theirhands.”
Malin stiffened, a snarl forming on his lips. Surah approached him, placing a hand on his clammy brow, staring into the dilated pupils of hiseyes.
“I need my medical kit,” Surah said, glancing at Geza. “It's in ourcar.”
Geza gave Malin a long look and then half flew in powerful leaps of thigh and wing across the hall, flinging open one side of the doors and barking an order at aguard.
“What started the fight?” Surah askedquietly.
Malin drew an arm across his forehead. “The Mogren daughter needling him. She wanted to have mearrested.”
“Excuse me? Arrested? On what charge?” Her chest swelled withoutrage.
“Kausar declared fealty in front of theassembly.”
“He didwhat?”
Malin sighed, walked away several feet and righted an overturned chair to sit. It told Surah just how weak the gargoyle must feel, if he'd deign to sit in front of witnesses. Surah followed Malin, dropping to her knees in front of the male, peering up at the Prince’s lowered head. Strands of dark hair hung limply along hisneck.
“Malin?” Surah swore as her mate slumped forward, grabbing him around the chest and holding him in his seat. “Geza!”
“What’s wrong with him?” her half-brother asked behindher.
“What do you think, Geza?Goddamnit.”
They waited a tense few minutes until Kausar appeared with Surah's medical bag. The weapons master glanced at Malin, impassive. Surah snatched the bag, unzipping an inner compartment and pulling out a small case. Setting aside the case, she felt Malin's pulse, took his blood pressure manually with a cuff and a stopwatch. Swore, thinking hard about what she was about to do. Coming to a decision, Surah took out the vial of new, experimental serum and a needle, piercing the seal with the needle tip and withdrawing the liquid. She pushed aside a flap of torn shirt and injected Malin's bicep, mouth grim. What choice did she have? Her mate’s heart rate and blood pressure were dropping, skin going cold. Surah knew he'd taxed precious reserves his body didn’t want toreplace.
They waited for several minutes. Suddenly Malin snapped upright, wheezing and clutching his chest. It startled Surah enough that she froze for several seconds before scrambling to her feet. “Malin!”
“I feel like I’ve been kicked by a horse in the chest,” the gargoyle said. “What did you do tome?”
“Saved your life. You ate up all your strength arguing with Geza–overnothing.”
“Is it nothing?” Geza asked, looking over Surah's shouldercoolly.
Surah didn't turn, didn't move, ignoring them both as she monitored Malin's heart rate, turning his head to look into his eyes. “I gave you the new serum, Malin; we're going to have to monitor you closely over the next fewhours.”
Malin stared at her, eyes widening. “I feel...fine.”
Surah rose. “We need to get you to your suite. Geza, you didn’t turn it into a pool hall or anything, didyou?”
The Prince shrugged. “Had a few parties—it has the best view. But I’m sure the staff cleaned up from the lasttime.”
“Wonderful.”
