Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 97071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97071 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 485(@200wpm)___ 388(@250wpm)___ 324(@300wpm)
By contrast, zir workshop is practically bare of everything except the tools of zir trade. Cato all but shoves me down onto the chair in the center of the room. It’s at that moment that ze seems to realize I have company with me. Ze narrows zir eyes. “You both look nearly as bad as he does. Sit your asses down and I will see to you after I deal with this one.”
They sit without argument.
For the next fifteen minutes I am the object of Cato’s tender mercies. Ze curses me quietly under zir breath as ze examines my wound. “Well, at least someone had the insight to see to you before you bled to death. That’s about the only thing you’ve done right since you acquired this injury.”
Over zir shoulder, I see Evelyn stiffen in outrage, but I meet her gaze and try to convey the need for patience. Most medics I deal with have terrible bedside manner, Aadi being the sole exception. And even then, she gets plenty snippy when her patients ignore her medical advice. Not that I have to worry about that now that I’m no longer sailing on the Hag. There will come a day when that realization doesn’t feel like a bucket of cold water in my face, but today isn’t that day.
As grateful as I am that Evelyn asked the questions that shone the light of truth on the situation in Threshold, I miss my crew. Not all of them, of course. I could go the rest of my life without seeing Miles again. But some of the others. Kit and Aadi and even Lucky, though that one is a bit of a reach.
Cato finishes sewing me up and then administers a magical patch that should seal the wound completely within a couple hours. I know from experience that it will be sensitive and prone to reinjury for a little while, but it’s better than walking around with an open wound.
“Thank you.”
“I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart. You’re not as bad as the rest of them, most of the time, but your gold keeps this place running, Bowen. So best believe I will be charging you extravagantly for my services.”
Like any good seafarer, I have a number of gold coins sewn into my cloak. If I had access to my cabin before we were kicked off the Hag, I would have more. As such, I expect that this will bankrupt me. Which begs the question of how the fuck I’m going to pay for things going forward.
A problem for another day.
I’m certainly not going to short Cato for zir work. Ze moves to Lizzie next, and it takes only a few minutes before ze pronounces her perfectly healthy, if covered in filth. Evelyn receives a few small bandages for her cuts, but none of them require stitches. That’s a relief. I still haven’t fully addressed that stunt she pulled, and I don’t have the words to do it properly without threatening to throttle her again. She scared the shit out of me, and I don’t know how to deal with that.
Cato leaves us alone after pointing to the door that leads to the shower for patients, with clear instructions to clean up before we leave to avoid bringing attention ze isn’t interested in dealing with. I barely wait for the door to close before I turn to Evelyn. “What can I say to convince you to stay here with Cato until this is finished?”
Lizzie snorts and stands, stretching her arms over her head. “Good luck with that. I’m going to bathe while you two fight.” She disappears through the door, leaving us staring at each other.
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just ask me that.” Evelyn moves around the room, poking at the various tinctures and equipment Cato keeps here. “I have as much a stake in this as you do. Either we’re full partners, or we’re not. You can’t shuffle me to the side every time there’s a hint of danger. That’s not how I work, Bowen. I realize that I am not a badass telekinetic like you, but I would think after my saving your ass several times, you would finally understand that I can defend myself. Just because I don’t want to kill unnecessarily doesn’t mean I’m weak.”
“I would never dream of calling you weak.”
She crosses to me and makes a show of glaring. “Besides, if I don’t go with you, I’m sure you’re going to find a sword to fall on in the most paladin way possible. You’re too self-sacrificing for anyone’s sake, and I won’t have you dying just because it seemed like a good idea at the time.”
That draws a reluctant laugh out of me. “Very well. I won’t ask you to stay behind again.” Or at least I’ll do my best not to. At this point, I can’t make any guarantees. Worry for her is a live thing inside of me. It was bad enough when I was concerned for my crew in their safety and their future. I’m beginning to understand that I didn’t love them, at least not in the way that I love Evelyn. Not as this all-consuming thing that drives me out of my mind and makes me act against type.