Page 100 of The City of Zirdai
Rendor supported her as she limped with slow agonizing steps. His desire to just carry her was obvious with every flex of his muscles. They finally reached the commune.
“Get Zhek,” Rendor barked at the first person they encountered. He escorted her to one of Zhek’s examination rooms and helped her onto the table. Once she was settled, he pulled away.
“Don’t go,” she said to him, grabbing his hand.
He hesitated. That hurt more than the knife wound. Yet, he had come to her rescue, almost losing his life in order to save hers.
“Guess I’ll just have to get into trouble again,” she said and released her grip. “Do you think Yates—”
“Don’t joke about that.” His harsh words rasped with fear and anger.
Exhaustion had caught up to her, making it difficult to block his emotions. “Then stay.”
“I can’t.”
His conflict was clear, though it was mixed with another deeper longing and, underneath it all, passion, maybe love. It was too complex to sort out and she wouldn’t intrude by probing his soul.
She met his gaze, remembering the argument they’d had—it seemed like circuits ago. She didn’t have the words then, but she knew what to say now. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For not responding to the idiot in the common room. For worrying about what the other Invisible Swords thought about us. For not jumping into your arms when I had the chance.”
He stared at her for an eternity. “You—”
“Out of the way, you big brute,” Zhek said, pushing past Rendor.
Orla followed the healer, crowding into the small room. Zhek grabbed Shyla’s hands and tsked over her raw palms. But when he spotted the wound in her leg, he ordered everyone out. Rendor left with Orla, taking his unspoken words with him. She doubted he’d return. And while that knowledge ached deep inside her, it no longer cut as sharply into her heart. She’d said what she needed to say. Although she never thanked him for saving her life. Actually…she had when she savedhisby sending Yates to sleep.
Zhek’s administrations yanked her painfully into the present. He grumbled as he washed her wounds. When he examined the gash on the back of her leg, she about jumped off the table. He rubbed a numbing paste on it and she showed considerable restraint by not snapping at him for not doing thatfirst.
“At least the blade went in and out clean,” he said.
“Clean?”
“It wasn’t twisted while inside you. That would have caused more damage and extended the time you needed to heal.” He sighed loudly. “Not that you’ll allow it to fully heal before injuring yourself again.”
He made it sound as if she did it on purpose just to annoy him. She wisely remained quiet while he finished patching her up. He called for one of the vagrants to help her to her room. As the young man supported her through the common areas of the commune, she searched for Rendor. Shyla noted the time—angle two-ninety. But, as she had suspected, Rendor was gone. For once, it would have been nice to be wrong.
When they reached her room, she remembered her recruits and Jayden. “Do you know where Jayden is?” she asked the young man.
“I think he left to gather information.”
“Can you tell him to come to my room when he gets back?”
“Sure.” He helped her onto the cushion and left.
Shyla squirmed into a comfortable position. Pain bit into her each time she moved her leg. Soon after she settled, Zhek arrived with a cup of his special tea.
“I promise to drink this once Jayden returns,” she said.
“That might not be for a while.”
“Do you have something for the pain?”
He considered. “You promise to stay put while waiting?” He fluttered a hand toward the door. “And not go out visiting?”
“Yes.”
