Page 55 of Lucie
The battle lord started to reply, when the tent flap parted again, and Iain entered. The young physician dropped onto the ground besideAttyand checked her pulse.
“How is the escapee?”Yuleninquired.
“He’s doing better. He’s out of the woods. But, as I said earlier, he’ll be a paraplegic for the rest of his life.Atty, your heart’s racing. Are you feeling lightheaded?”
“Yes.” The word was barely audible.
Iain turned toJohna. “I need you to do something for me.”
“What? Just name it.”
“I want you to go over to whereDurrowis and give him a good visual examination. I want you to memorize every little detail. Every degree of heat and cold. Even little things you don’t think are important, I want you to make note of them.” The doctor looked atYulen. “I’m beginning to believe the man is a carrier. If he is, he’ll need to remain in quarantine, in case we come acrossothers who’ve not had the virus.”
“And, in the event we meet another such carrier, she’ll be able to identify them?”Yulenremarked.
“Exactly.”
“Good call. The last thing I need on my conscience is knowing we’ve needlessly caused others to become infected.”
“Wait.”Johnalet out a weak laugh. “Have you forgotten I’m infected, too?”
Iain gave her a hard stare. “I’m going to fight with everything I’ve got, and with everything I’ve learned from my dad and Dr. Fergus, to keep all of you alive. One thing Dad and Mom instilled in me was that mental attitude is half the battle. If you choose to give up, you give up every chance to live. But if you mentally gird yourself, and tell yourself that you’renotgoing to give upso easily…” He suddenly grinned. “Sometimes people call it a miracle.”
Johna’seyes focused on Lucien, then on Atty. “Okay. I’ll go study him.”
“I’ll meet you back at the tent,” Lucien told her.
The woman nodded and left. Iain continued examining the battle lady.
“You’re shivering. Are you cold?”
“God, no. I’m b-burning up,”she managed.
Rather than argue with her,Yulenmotioned to his son. “Start a fire in the brazier, would you, please?”
“I’ll gather some extra firewood while I’m at it,” Lucien said, and exited the tent. He wasn’t gone long. By the time his son returned with an armload of twigs and branches, Iain had finished checking Atty.Yulenbuilt up a pile of pillows for her torest against, and covered her with two extra blankets.
“I’m going to grab a couple of bowls to keep on hand, in case I need to intubate her,” the doctor informed him, and left without waiting for a reply.
Once he got a fire going in the brazier, Lucien returned to his mother’s side.Yulenreached out, took his son’s hand, and squeezed it. “I’ve decided I’m staying herewith you and your mother. I’m sending Cole ahead with a squad to check out Green River. By the time they return, it’ll be over.” He didn’t explain what he meant what “it” was. Lucien understood.
“Fetch Cole for me, would you?”
After giving his mother’s hand a kiss on the palm, their son left the tent.Attynuzzled her husband’s chest. “Have you noticed how more independenthe’s become since he’s no longer in Mattox’s orMistelle’sshadow?”
“He’s become more assured of himself. Less hesitant. Less self-deprecating. In these past few days, he’s grown mentally and emotionally. I can see what kind…”Yulen’svoice broke when he realized his wish may not see fruition. “I can see what kind of strong leader he’ll grow up to be.”
Attynodded weakly,and Iain’s words came back to him.“Mental attitude is half the battle. If you choose to give up, you give up every chance to live. But if you mentally gird yourself, and tell yourself that you’re not going to give up so easily…sometimes people call it a miracle.”
Then I’m going to fight every step of the way with you, Atty. The same way you fought for me at Rocky Gorge. I’ll fightfor you and our son. Even if this fucking virus wins in the end, it won’t have an easy victory. And it won’t be without blood spilled on both sides. That I promise.
