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“Take over?” He laughs. “Yeah, this is your show.”

“This was never my dream. It fell into my lap out of a bad situation. You’re talented and motivated. If you want it, I’ll hand the keys over once you’re ready.”

“Really?”

“Mhm. I believe you could be the future of the Medical Authority. If you want it… Hey, Riah?”

“Yes, Boss?”

A warm, heavy weight is spread over me, her fingers tucking around the sides.

“Will you put an extra log on the fire? This is his third quilt.”

Violet’s soft hand rests on my forehead, my cheek, then slides down, her thumb against my pulse point.

“He’s getting there,” she says, moving her hand back up and running her fingers through my hair. She does this again, again, and again, until I drift back off to sleep.

“Riah, stay close by.” Her voice comes in again. Lower than I’ve ever heard from her. “Dr. Frolov, I need to speak to you.”

“As I do you. I just left my office; my documents were spread across the desk. Was that you?”

“Yes, I had to find out what has been going on around here. The field roster lists Anya as a field nurse, but I couldn’t find her certificate of completion. How is it that she still went with the unit?”

“Anya is a qualified nurse.”

“In the clinic. She was not prepared at all for the field. Beyond a little bit of clean up and applying the tourniquet, she did nothing for Lord Powers.”

“Well, he’s alive. High Steward Powers will be glad to hear. Hand over his chart, and you can be on your way.”

“One man died, and another came close to it! The amputation should have happened on-site. He shouldn’t have had to be transported seven hours away to get the help he needed. This is a gross negligence of responsibility. If a nurse hasn’t completed field training, you send another nurse. Why did you leave her on? So that you could have me here doing your job while you’re off doing God knows what?”

She yells at him in a whisper, keeping her voice low while all the fire behind it burns.

“Watch it, don’t speak to me like that.”

“I have every right to! Do you know that Cain is my friend? I had to cut my friend's leg off,” she spits out. “I prayed for the first time in years, because I was afraid that he would die. Do you have any idea what that did to me? I am changed forever.”

“Miss Daily, let's not do this.”

“Oh, we are doing this. If you’re not going to do your job, I will do it for you.”

“Hand over the report, Daily.”

The man’s voice turns solid, threatening. I force my eyes open, swallowing when my eyes land on her. My saliva scrapes down the sides of my throat. When I open my mouth to speak, nothing comes out.

“I will not be handing you anything. Lord Powers is my patient, and I am not leaving him.”

“Boss?” The familiar male voice from earlier speaks to my side.

“Lord Powers, glad to see you’re wak—” Dr. Frolov halts his speech when Violet steps between us, arms crossed over her chest.

“Don’t look at him, look at me. He had his leg amputated, and you’re walking in here like it’s some routine appointment at the clinic, as if his near-death isn’t on your hands. You are done. Get out.” The venom in her words strikes, landing her prey. I try to swallow again, but the same sandpaper scrapes at my throat. Violet’s gaze digs into Dr. Frolov’s back as he leaves the infirmary in a huff. “Riah, send a note to Alec Orlov over at the barracks. Tell him that I want the infirmary on his staff rotation. Twenty-four hours a day until Lord Powers is discharged. Beyond the list of names I will supply, no one comes in.”

“Will do, boss.”

Then my Flower turns to me, her shoulders relaxed, arms wrapped around her middle now. Her head cocks to the side, and she smiles.

“I’m so glad to see you.”