Surrender: Saving Setora Book 6

by Dark, Raven

  “And what if she wakes up with another…incident?” Sheriff asked, looking at both doctors.

  “General, Doctor Olan suggested an antiseizure medication, something that I had wanted to start Setora on back before the violent outbursts had started. We both think it’s better than just simply sedating her. I just gave it to her before you came in.”

  “Indeed, it would be much better,” Doctor Olan agreed. “It will not cure the virus, only the Antivion has proven to do that. But it will block the hallucinations she’s been having, the aggression and such. Tomorrow after I examine her and take a few samples, I’ll be able to come up with the correct dosage for the Antivion. For now, with the antiseizure medication, she should be fine.”

  Sheriff and Doc thanked the specialist, and when he left, Doc told me he’d check on me in an hour.

  It was only me and Sheriff in the room now.

  “What do you think, Master?” I asked, wriggling into a more comfortable position under the blankets. “Do you believe this doctor’s theory about this whole Julian thing stemming from a virus?”

  He lay beside me on the bed, his head resting on his hand, the other rubbing my legs above the blankets.

  “It’s a possibility. Not enough information to really go by yet, but sweetheart, he just got here. Don’t sell him short so fast.”

  “There’s something about him I don’t like. I can’t put my finger on it.”

  “That’s because one arm’s in a sling, you have a concussion, and you’re exhausted.”

  I shook my head, angry at him all over again. “I know what I feel, Master. Something isn’t right.”

  Sheriff sighed, then scrubbed his face with one hand. “Look, I know this is frustrating, but I have to see every solution as a possibility. If it’s a virus, fine. If there’s an ancient male Violet possessing you, fine. If it’s a coincidence or some Violet mumbo-jumbo sharing of heads thing, fine. But I need to know what the hell it is first, Little Spy, before I can stop it.”

  Closing my eyes, I let his words wash over me. I would listen and try my hardest to be objective like my General. Maker, maybe all these feelings were just stress, not just from the emotional impact of all that was happening, but that of my body trying to heal itself as well.

  Sheriff’s fingers caressed my cheek and I opened my eyes. The tenderness in his expression brought a smile to my lips, melting any lingering irritation with him. I hated how hard it was to stay mad at him.

  “All you need to do is rest.” He brushed my bangs off my forehead. “We’ll find out everything we can from Olan. I know that tonic—the stuff he gave to your mother—works. I watched it work with my own eyes. And if he gives us any insight as to how to better take care of you, I’ll be damned if I’m not going to take advantage of that. Okay?”

  Words wouldn’t come, but I nodded my assent and laced his much bigger fingers with mine.

  “Now, enough about this virus shit. You must be over the moon that your mother is here.”

  Happiness blossomed inside me. Whenever I thought that maybe Sheriff was all about orders, solutions, and plans, he’d find something that held meaning for me, something I could share with him. “Yes, Master. I never in a million years thought I’d see her again. It’s so amazing, I still can’t believe it.”

  “I’m happy for you, sweetheart.” He kissed my fingers.

  “I’m just sad that Dax didn’t make it. And Cherry… Maker, it kills me that she wasn’t rescued along with me. I can’t imagine what living like that must have been like for her.”

  “I can’t either. But Cherry, she’s strong, almost as strong as you. She’s safe and cared for. Even now, knowing that we’re under the same roof as the general whose rogue men took the two of you, she’s fine. I talked to her earlier about it. She’s going to be okay, Setora.” He paused, seeming to consider something. “About Cherry leaving… Under normal circumstances I would have told you when we were still in the Grotto, but I didn’t want to pile more on with everything else that was happening. Do you understand why I did that?”

  “I do, Master.” I wanted to be annoyed at him for putting off telling me, but it warmed my heart to know he’d just been protecting me.

  “And how do you feel about her leaving?”

  “Well, I hate for her to leave us, but I understand. She’s broken and lost. I…I would do the same. You know, if something like that happened to me.”

  As soon as I realized what I’d said, I swallowed. The truth of my feelings for him and the others was too close to the surface and something I really didn’t want to show Sheriff right now.

  It was silent for a good three minutes, both of us just staring into each other’s eyes, trying, it seemed, to see into each other’s souls. Like two people on either side of a storm. I knew if I crossed to his side, I’d be home, just as I knew he thought the same. But we were both stubborn in that way, wanting the other to make the first move. Or at least I hoped that’s what he felt.

  After a moment, Sheriff patted my leg again, then got off the bed. “I’ll send Cherry up as soon as Doc comes back. I know you’ve been wanting to spend some time with her. I’ll watch over you while we wait. Close your eyes, Little Spy. Get some sleep.”

  * * *

  “Violet?” Cherry’s voice drifted through my thoughts. “Sheriff, she’s still asleep. I don’t want to wake her, I’ll just—”

  “Cherry?” I tried to sit up, then realized I was propped up enough that I didn’t need to. The room’s light was dim, and I was so comfortable and warm. No wonder I had fallen asleep.

  Following that thought, the lack of waking up from a dream made me smile.

  “I’m sorry, Violet. I didn’t mean to wake you.” Cherry was sitting by my side, her hand smoothing the blankets over me, careful of my injured shoulder.

  “No, that’s fine. Can you get me some water, though?” I looked over at the side table where a pitcher of water and a glass usually stood. There wasn’t either there now, but Doc was sitting in a chair nearby, his nose in a book. Sheriff was nowhere to be seen.

  “Of course. Be right back.” Cherry left the room.

  “How long was I asleep, Doc?”

  “Setora.” He smiled warmly. “You’ve been asleep for about two hours. You look better. How’s the head?” Doc set the book down and folded his hands, leaning forward.

  “The pounding is gone, thank the Maker.”

  “Excellent. Well, I’ll let you two girls talk. I’ll be right outside the door keeping watch. I’ll leave the door cracked open a bit. Call me if you need me.” He was just getting up when Cherry returned with a tray. He grabbed his book and left me and Cherry alone.

  “Holy hell, Setora. You sure know how to scare the shit out us.” Cherry set the tray down, poured water into a porcelain cup and handed it to me. I drank the water down, letting the cool, fresh liquid quench my thirst.

  “I live to serve,” I said dryly. “I’m okay, just beat up a bit. I’ve been worse. All I want to do is go home.”

  She sat back down next to me, her emerald eyes bright and alert. “Sheriff said you wanted to see me. Said you know I’m leaving with Sinister and his guys. I don’t want to leave you like this, though. Violet, I can’t—”

  I grabbed her hand. “I get it, Cherry. I know you have to get away.”

  “There’s just too much. Too many memories.” She looked at her knees.

  “I know. You don’t need to worry about me. We’re going to figure out what’s going on. And part of me is kind of glad you’re going.”

  She raised a brow, and I sighed.

  “I mean, if you’re not here, Julian—I mean this virus—can’t make me hurt you.”

  I was going to have a hard time getting used to thinking of Julian as something other than a real person. I still wasn’t sure I believed it. Judging by Cherry’s expression, someone had told her all about it, and she didn’t look certain either.

  “I have to ask,” I went on. “Cherry, are you sure this i
s what you want? I mean, the Brothers of Brimstone and Devil’s Breath?”

  Squeezing my hand, she cleared her delicate throat. “Nah, they look like a rough lot, but I’ll be fine. I won’t be staying with them long, just enough time to help them out.”

  “Help them with what?” I couldn’t help but grin when she looked at me. “They’re young and easy on the eyes. You’re young and…. okay, okay!” Laughing, I stopped when she gave me a look that said she’d slap me silly regardless of my injuries.

  “No, it’s not like that. Trust me, no one’s going to get in my pants, no matter how hot those men are. Just…no.”

  “And T-Man?”

  “What about him?” Her voice suddenly sounded higher while her fingers moved her bangs out of her way, both the perfect tells I was looking for.

  “He’s a good man, Cherry. I trust him. I trust them all, of course, but T-Man especially. Let him help you, okay? And please, try to bend a little when you’re there.”

  She stood up, rubbing her arms as if she were cold. “Bend a little? I am who I am, Violet.” With a long sigh, she sat back down, then touched my cheek. “But I know what you mean. Losing Crash…something broke in me. It shattered. I don’t want to go back to being who I was. I don’t know how to explain it. Something’s calling me to leave, telling me there’s something more outside the Grotto. Hell, maybe it’s just a thirst for an adventure, or just something new. Who knows. I feel like, in the Grotto, I’m not really living. But leaving my comfort zone, leaving the safety of the only real home I’ve ever known…I don’t know.” She shrugged. “I feel like I’m making something happen, that I have control now, or I will when I leave. Does that make sense?”

  “It does. Very much so. Just be careful. Follow their rules, stay close to them, and promise you’ll have them write me. I’ll ask T-Man myself. Surely someone won’t mind.” I knew that, like most women, Cherry couldn’t read and write. Surely T-Man wouldn’t mind letting me know how she was doing.

  “I promise, Violet. But now it’s my turn to lecture. Stop trying to control everything. Listen to your men. They love you. Why you love them back is beyond me, they’re all a bunch of asses.” She laughed when she saw my mocking scowl. “They do, though, Setora. Even King Jackass Sheriff does. He’s just too damn stubborn to admit it.”

  We talked a bit more, about Sheriff and Mayhem, about my reunion with my mother, even about Doctor Olan. Then Doc came back into the room. Cherry kissed me on the forehead, and then, after promising she’d see me at dinner if I felt like coming down, she departed.

  My eyes watered and I blinked the tears back. I’d see her again, someday. I would.

  Doc set down his medical kit. “Now, let’s get this tonic into you. I watched Doctor Olan make it, and it’s something I can definitely replicate once we’re back home.”

  I eyed the bottle of red liquid that sat on the nightstand. “What’s in it, sir?”

  “An unusual combination of electrolytes, minerals, and a shit load of vitamins, among other natural ingredients. That’s about it.”

  He poured the liquid into a spoon and motioned me to open my mouth. The taste of strawberries and a hint of mint coated my tongue.

  “Not too bad, right?” Doc asked when I took another spoonful.

  “Not at all.” Surprisingly, I felt annoyed that it didn’t taste bad. I didn’t want to trust Sharland Olan, the great Violet specialist, and that realization made me feel naïve and petulant.

  “So, what’s next? What’s going on in Mayhem’s Hold, anyway, sir? How is my mother doing?”

  I let Doc examine my shoulder while he gave me a rundown of all that I’d missed since the meeting in the clubhouse. It shocked me to realize that, while my arm still felt a little stiff and I didn’t yet have full range of motion, it was already healing enough that he thought he’d be able to start me on some light strengthening exercises tomorrow. My head was also hurting much less than it had been.

  According to Doc, my mother hadn’t made much of an appearance, and neither had Mayhem, leaving Doc to assume they were spending time alone together. I was thrilled she seemed happy with him. Sinister, Savage, Reaper, and Beast would be leaving tomorrow night, headed back to Devil’s Breath with T-Man and Cherry. My throat tightened at the thought that tomorrow would be the last time I’d see her.

  Meanwhile, Doctor Olan would be sticking around for some time in order to observe how well the Antivion worked, whether or not it was killing the virus.

  “How long will the Antivion take for us to start seeing results, do you think?” I asked him as he replaced my sling.

  “Doctor Olan says it should take seven to ten days to see the most improvement. He’s willing to remain here for the first few days, until he’s sure it’s working.”

  I noticed Doc’s voice was a little tight while talking about him.

  “You don’t like him, do you, Doc?” I teased.

  “Oh, it’s not that. He’s a great doctor. He’s just such a know-it-all. A lot of doctors in the Reach are like that. That’s why I never joined that guild. Too elitist. Like if you aren’t part of the Reach, you aren’t as good as them.” He patted my arm. “Anyway, dinner will be in about an hour. If you feel up to it, you can come down. If not, we’ll have your food brought in here. Reaper is just outside the door if you need anything.”

  Soon after Doc left, my mother came in and laid down beside me for a while. She folded her arms around me while we talked. It felt good to have her hold me, talking softly about anything and everything, but it made me wish we wouldn’t have to leave so soon, at the same time as Doctor Olan.

  We talked mostly about the dream I had, in particular about the warrior woman I had seen.

  “It’s interesting that you didn’t see her. I wonder if anyone else has?” I mused. “What do you think about her?”

  She frowned, looking thoughtful. “Your master Hawk mentioned that she appeared to you as a Yantu warrior?”

  I nodded.

  “It’s a fascinating idea Doctor Olan has, that Julian is a manifestation of the virus, and this warrior woman is a face created to fight it.”

  “Do you believe him?”

  “Well, his theory about Julian is no stranger than the idea of someone possessing us. It’s something we can deal with. A tangible thing we can fight off.”

  “That’s true.”

  I might not have liked Doctor Olan much, but I couldn’t help finding comfort in the realization that things were starting to make sense—that there was at last a chance to end this whole mess with Julian…er…with the virus. The notion of a virus made the threat seem less like something insurmountable, a frightening phantom no one could do anything about. It felt good not to always feel so helpless all the time.

  “Still,” I said sleepily. “Part of me wishes the warrior was real. I mean, think about it, Mother. A female warrior. Think about what that would mean.”

  My mother chuckled and held me close. “It’s funny how little you’ve changed in some ways. You always talked about stuff like that as a girl. People who could change things, make the world better.”

  I said nothing for a long time, my thoughts straying to places I knew they probably shouldn’t, to concepts beyond what this world allowed. To ideas that were dangerous to have.

  Mother stroked my hair, long, soothing strokes that made me feel sleepier. I snuggled closer.

  “You know, Setora, heroes don’t have to be fighters or carry weapons to be heroes. Sometimes the greatest heroes in this world don’t fight with swords or bows. They fight with something much stronger.”

  I looked up at her. “Like what, Mother?”

  She met my eyes. “A sense of justice. A willingness to do what’s right, no matter what it costs. Men like those poachers who took us and killed Dax, or men like Damien, will never understand such things. That’s what makes you a hero.” She kissed my forehead.

  I couldn’t help smiling at the pride in her voice. It sent warmth and love through me
that went all the way to my toes. Maker, I’d missed her. Knowing she was there with me—that she was really here, alive and holding me—made my heart swell until it hurt. It was like a fantastic dream. One I never wanted to end.

  We talked for a little while longer until Reaper stepped in and told us it was time for dinner. My stomach growled, letting me know how hungry I was again. My mother helped me change into one of the cadris Pretty Boy had unpacked. Dressing was a little awkward with the sling on my arm, but we managed. She combed out my hair, and while she insisted she was doing so because of my sling, I had a feeling she was enjoying every stroke of the brush just as much as I was.

  While my mother braided the top half of my hair in fancy loops, I couldn’t help feeling a restlessness inside me. Julian might have been just a manifestation of the virus, but even so, I could still feel it—something was coming. Something that had the power to shake the world. I could all but hear it, like the first rumblings of a coming storm. Whatever it was, and whether or not I wanted to be, I was a part of it.

  I just hoped that when it came, we—my men, the Legion, and the world itself—would be ready.

  Chapter 10

  The Bonds of Brotherhood

  Shortly after dinner, I took Setora back to her room with Steel and Hawk. Thank fuck the tonic that Doctor Olan gave both D and Setora seemed to be doing its job. Much like D, my Princess looked healthier than she had in days, with more color in her gorgeous face, and she no longer looked so tired.

  She’d also gotten her appetite back, eating a full plate of roasted chicken and salad. Once we were back in her rooms a few hours later, we shared a piece of cherry pie that I had brought back with me. Later, Doc gave her another dose of that antiseizure stuff he’d been talking about, and she eventually dropped off to sleep in my arms.