Back Home (Edited) Book 4 of the Guardians Saga

CH 6.3 Casualties

Cale's voice, as soft as a whisper on the night air, wafted into the tent. "Rile," he said, and both of his brothers raised their heads from where they'd been sleeping. "The casualties: there are two that aren't doing well."

Rile looked up in confusion. "Why are you telling me?" he asked in an even softer whisper.

"And it's the middle of second watch," Gabe chimed in with a quiet murmur. "Do they lack healers in the night?"

"It's not that," Cale replied. "Their body temperature is falling no matter what we do. Do you think I could move them next to Alex to sleep? I have a theory that monster wounds will respond better to body heat than fires or blankets."

Despite the somberness of their conversation, Rile looked down at Alex's sleeping form and smiled. "Yeah, yeah, like she would say no," he chuckled. "But she's exhausted." He stroked her hair. "Alex, wake up." When she mumbled, he shook her shoulder a little.

"Is morning?" This mumble was coherent if soft.

"No."

"Is time to get up?" she mumbled again.

"No."

"Oh, okay." Eyes still closed, she smiled sleepily and placed a glowing hand on his.

"Uh...wait." Rile said, flushing deeper golden-red with embarrassment. "Can we bring the hurt soldiers and let them curl up in here with us?"

Even though Alex's eyes remained closed, she sighed and muttered a faint, "Okay".

Rile told Cale to bring his patients. As the injured settled beside her, Alex shifted but did not wake from her deep sleep. Rile ran his hands gently through her hair until she smiled faintly and her body emitted an ethereal light.

"Now I feel really guilty," he complained to Cale.

"It'll save their lives," Cale replied. "Don't worry, Rile. They'll feel the healing they need, nothing else."

"Or they'll die really happy," Rile shot back and even Gabe chuckled.

***

Alex's shrill scream of alarm rang through the camp the next morning when she woke up and found strangers snuggled next to her. Her throat was tight as she fumbled, trying to recognize them, before Rile put a hand on her shoulder and spoke softly to reassure her. She looked up at him wide-eyed, and he brushed his fingertips through her hair.

"I hate screaming like a little girl," Alex complained.

Rile kissed her forehead. "You did agree."

"I did? When?" Alex leaned into him.

"Last night," Rile said, half-suppressing a smile.

"I don't remember that," Alex said, confusion furrowing her brow.

"You were kinda half-asleep."

"Rile! I'll agree to anything when I'm sleepy," Alex grumbled.

"You will? That's useful information," Rile teased, arching an eye-ridge.

"Rile!" Alex exclaimed, pushing him away playfully.

Cale interjected sheepishly, clacking his claws together, "But would you have said no if you were fully awake?"

"No." She sighed. "Of course not. I just hate making those girlie noises." Alex lit her hand and gazed down at the two soldiers. "They don't look very good. What happened

"Monster attack," Cale said. "The monsters seemed to feed on them. It was weird."

"I know about weird," Alex said. "Where were the monsters feeding?"

Cale pulled aside the first soldier's tunic and there was a pale spot. Not blue like Alex's, but the color was washed out from the rest of the Agama's hide. Alex placed her glowing hand on the spot. The sparks seemed to be sucked into a vortex of the blemish. Alex frowned and intensified her blast, but still the energy was absorbed. The soldier stirred and Cale took his hands.

"Ratcheting up, Cale," Alex warned.

"I'll let you know if he's in pain," Cale replied.

"I'll know that." Alex leaned close to the obtunded Agama. "I'm here to help you." She concentrated on an analgesic, but still stimulating power and increased it.

The spot sucked in power until the Agama thrashed with such intensity that he threw Cale. Alex was too focused to get out of the way in time, so the Agama's fist caught her on the underside of her jaw, knocking her head back.

Rile restrained the agitated soldier. "You're done,"

"No, he's not." Alex shook off the reverberations of pain from her jaw. "There's more there. I can sense it... Darker stuff."

"That doesn't make me want to let you touch him," Rile said sternly.

Cale examined Alex's jaw. "Explain, please, Alex."

The Agama continued to struggle and hiss at them while trying to bite their arms; spouting incoherent language.

"It's hard to explain," Alex answered.

Cale ran his head over the Agama's chest. "I don't see the spot anymore. But I feel it. Cold, like the spot on Alex's chest."

"Please move back, Cale." Alex placed her hand where Cale's had been and fired up her hand.

The Agama hissed and then screamed. A sweat broke out on Alex's brow and she bit her lip, but she continued. Alex flared with a general burst as the Agama's scream reached a fever pitch and they both slumped. Rile dumped the Agama to cradle Alex.

"That sucked." Alex looked up at him before passing out.

Cale felt her pulse and her forehead. "I'll fetch the healer, Rofe, and some help. Will you be all right until I return?" Cale asked Rile.

Rile nodded and Cale dashed off. He returned as promised with the healer. Rofe examined the unconscious Agama and ordered him back to the healing tent. The other casualty was moved to the sunning area.

Rofe smiled with encouragement at Rile. "Both soldiers are better."

"They just look happier," Rile replied sourly.

Alex stirred, scrubbed her eyes, and focused on Rile. "I don't want to know what happened, but I'll ask anyway."

"You decided to dump power into that pale spot on the wounded Agama. There was a lot of light and yelling and then you both passed out. Your turn."

Alex let out a groan. "Coffee and beignets first, that's all I'm saying," she said cheerfully, but when she saw Rile and Cale looking strangely somber, she paused. "Wait...what? Oh, right, Agama means no coffee and beignets for me... How about tea instead? Please?"

Rofe and Cale conversed in hushed tones.

"May I take a peek at that bluish mark of yours, Alex?" Cale asked.

"No." Alex reflexively clutched the spot protectively. "Rile, could we please find a more secluded spot? I really need some rest and maybe a glass of wine."

She attempted to stand up, but Rile stepped forward and scooped her into his arms.

"We'll be going now," Rile said firmly, not giving either Cale or the healer a chance to respond. He strode away, with Alex nestled in his embrace. "Did I handle that well?" he whispered in her ear.

"You passed this test," she replied.

"I want to see that mark, too."

"Fail."

***

A/N

What do you think of Cale's plan?