𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𖥸 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙧𝙞𝙩 𝘼𝙣𝙞𝙢𝙖𝙡𝙨

09 | Metal Wires

Kyran approached the doctors silently, ignoring the fact that Ciaran was following her. It was strange how quickly the male had changed. Earlier, he had hated her with a burning passion, but now. Now he almost seemed to understand her.

     Heavy silence lingered in the air and she didn't say a word, intent on reaching the infirmary to get her new arm back. Things would be a lot more easier with it back. It was a miracle how she could do day to day tasks with just one of them.

     Sīdereus didn't even bother to follow her. He was still brooding in the shadows. She couldn't blame his anger. She had promised him something and then just broke the promise completely. Why wouldn't he understand it was in self defense?

     If Fyre had not come, she would have definitely died there. That woman wasn't playing around. If she didn't kill her, she probably would have started torturing her. Either of those topics didn't sound appealing to her.

     Ciaran quickened his strides to walk beside her, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Tell me about that woman who Gabriel and yourself imprisoned the other day."

     Kyran raised an eyebrow. "And why do you want to know?"

     "Because, Foxy. I don't know if you heard the news or not, but she escaped last night. I don't know how or when, but the guards are all searching for her at the moment."

     Kyran's blood went cold. Every inch of her froze in place and she felt her heart drop to her stomach. "What?"

     "Strange, right? I'll be leaving soon to join the search as well. I'm theorizing that someone in the palace betrayed us and set her free. By Gabriel's description, it could be that male who was in the alleyway with her."

     "That's not good news. That's definitely not good news. That woman is trouble. Pythios was right. We definitely should have put a blade in her heart when we had the chance." Kyran couldn't stop her body from trembling.

     "Right. But then again, the information she held was pretty important. Don't worry though. She couldn't have gone far and I'm sure we'll find her eventually. When we do, I'll kill her right then and there."

     Kyran fell into silence and focused on her breathing, pushing the accumulating thoughts out of her head. She couldn't believe it. A dangerous woman was now loose in the palace and it was probably her fault.

     Mercifully, they reached the infirmary and Kyran sat down on one of the beds as she waited for the healer. As usual, the walls were painted a dull color and the beds were crystal clean. White sheets were laid upon them and there wasn't a single spot of blood on them.

     Kyran didn't know why she felt slightly nervous to get this new arm. It wasn't that she was afraid of the pain,  no it was because she wasn't sure how to properly work with it. Would it function like a normal arm?

     Never in her life had she expected to get a prosthetic limb. Had her younger self been told this, she would have probably laughed in their face. But look at her now. . .

     "Nervous, Foxy?" Ciaran pressed with a slight smirk. "I'm sure the pain is nothing you can't handle."

     "No it's not the pain I'm worried about. Part of my thoughts are residing about that woman who escaped the prisons. She calls herself Kateri, and she's bonded to a black mamba. I don't think you should be out dealing with her if she has a spirit animal that is that dangerous."

      "Worried about me? How sweet. But don't. Everything will turn out smoothly. I've dealt with someone who's been bonded to a lion before in my life. This'll be a walk in the park."

     Kyran rolled her eyes. "No. I don't care about you, I care about all those other guards risking their lives to capture a sadistic woman who's lost a ton of screws."

     Ciaran snorted. "They'll be fine as well. Really, don't worry about them. They're pretty well trained and if any of them turned out to be craven, they'd be fired."

     The healer walked into the room moments later with a clipboard in hand. She was petite and short with long dark red hair and eyes that were cerulean blue. On her shoulder looked to be a small blue parakeet.

      Ciaran gave the girl a slight nod of acknowledgment. "Good day, Joce."

     "Hello Ciaran, Kyran." She took in the girl's condition and wrote something down on her clipboard, a thoughtful expression on her face.

     The girl, Joce, eyed the redhead with a curious expression. "The doctors are coming with the prosthetic. We will put you under for the majority of the surgery, so the pain won't be as bad." 

     Kyran seemed hesitant, but nodded nonetheless. "Understood."

     Joce tilted her head and ran a finger over her spirit animal's head, the result being the bird biting her. She yelped a curse. "Stupid pigeon!" But her tone was affectionate as she flicked him gently.
    
     "I see your bird is gentle as always," Ciaran noted sarcastically. "I'm surprised he didn't come and attack my face like last time."

     Joce snorted in reply.  "He's psycho. As usual."

     The little blue cotton ball spiked its feathers and chirped aggressively at the male. Ciaran merely chuckled. "Hi there, Satan."

     The young healer scoffed at him. "Oh hush. He isn't that bad."

     "He was chirping curses at me this morning."

     "Only because you taught him those words. He associates those words with you."

     "I've taught him well then."

     "You're a horrible influence."

     The male gave her a wolf-like grin. "I know."

     Kyran was sitting there patiently while listening to the two of them bicker, and her eyes widened slightly when the little blue bird fluttered to sit on her leg. She had never gotten along with birds, as they were very bitey and tended to steal things from her.

        "Shoo. Shoo," Kyran tried flicking her hand near the bird to chase him away, but he just stayed there. Was he planning on nipping on one of her fingers? She really hoped he wouldn't peck her.

     What the hell did this creature even want? She was extremely uncomfortable now.

     Joce glanced at them for a moment and raised an eyebrow. "Well that's new." Her tone was quiet. "He doesn't like anyone who isn't me, normally, and even that is debatable sometimes."

     "I don't like birds," Ciaran grunted. "That swan is bad enough. I can never work with him around. And this parakeet," He trailed off.

     "This parakeet has a name." Joce scoffed, watching the little one preen his feathers on Kyran's leg while the redhead looked immensely uncomfortable.

     "Walnut."

     "Don't make me snipe you."

     "Walter."

     "Nope."

     "Waitress."

     "Sick em, Waldo."

     And so the little bird launched off Kyran's leg and attacked his face, his tiny talons clawing at his lips and eyes. 

     Joce rolled her eyes and reached for her needle, ignoring the male's yells of distress as she pushed it into Kyran's shoulder blade.

     Kyran winced slightly in pain, laying back on the bed and staring at the ceiling. She felt something move against her, and saw the flash of copper scales on her pillow. Sīd had come back. He stared down at her with his copper eyes, expression unreadable. As she felt her consciousness eeb away, she was only aware of two things.

     His eyes, and Ciaran's screaming.