by Martha Carr
“Great. Thank you.” Ember smiled sweetly at the assistant, and Sarah returned the gesture to both magicals before opening the door again.
Cheyenne peered through the glass wall of the gym, watching the woman walk down the hall toward another office or exam room. “Seems like a decent place, right?”
“It looks like a gym.”
The halfling chuckled. “Yeah, I had the same thought. But look, you have this whole giant PT playground all to yourself!”
“Ha-ha.” Ember pulled a hair tie off her wrist and twisted her hair into a high ponytail. “Is it weird that I’m only slightly nervous?”
“Not even a little.” Cheyenne gave the room and all the equipment another sweeping glance. “Three days a week in here, and you’ll be back on your feet in no time.”
“That’s the plan. I don’t care how low the full recovery rate is.”
“You got this, Em.” Looking down, the halfling saw her friend’s hands clench around the edges of the chair’s armrest. “Oh, my God. It just hit me.”
“What?”
“These are your trials.”
Ember leaned sideways in her chair and barked a laugh. “This isn’t anything like that.”
“Okay, yeah, you’re not a—” Cheyenne glanced through the glass walls and lowered her voice. “You’re not a drow, and you don’t have a stupid box that spins and flies and throws spells at you.” The fae girl scoffed. “But this is your big thing, right? You come in here, you have Dr. Boseley to help you through it. I haven’t even met the woman, and I’m pretty sure I’d take her over Corian any day.”
“Oh, jeeze.”
“I’m serious.” The halfling chuckled. “You do the work, you have an endgame, you level up, and when you complete your trials, you get a badass cane from your best friend.”
Ember groaned and dipped her head. “If I were anyone else, Cheyenne, I might be insulted by the comparison.”
“Hey, if you were anyone else, you’d think I was insane, talking about flying boxes and spells and drow trials.”
They shared a laugh. “I appreciate your attempt to make me feel less weirded out by all this.”
“Is it working?”
“By a marginal percentage, maybe.”
“You’re telling me it’s working.” The halfling pointed at her friend and grinned. “I’ll keep it up.”
“Totally not necessary.”
“But it’s working!”
Ember smacked the half-drow’s wrist with the back of her hand. “Cut it out.”
“Oh, one more point for Ember’s trials. You don’t have to run around dodging lightning bolts. That’s a good one.”
“Make it stop.”
The door opened, and a woman with tight, bright-red curls falling just below her chin stepped in to join them. “Hi, Ember. I’m Dr. Boseley.”
“Hey.” The fae reached out to shake the smiling woman’s hand.
“Nice to meet you. How you doin’ today?”
“Ready to get started.” Ember let out a nervous chuckle.
“Good. We have some things to go over first, and then we will start.”
Cheyenne didn’t realize she was frowning at the doctor’s yoga pants and long-sleeved thermal shirt until Dr. Boseley thrust her hand under the halfling’s nose.
“Dr. Boseley.”
Blinking quickly, Cheyenne took Boseley’s hand and gave it a firm shake. “Cheyenne.”
“Nice to meet you too. I love to meet my patients’ friends and family. Puts us all on the same team, you know?”
“Yeah, she’s been ridiculously helpful.” Ember shot the halfling a quick glance and shrugged.
“Good. So, if you’re ready, let’s talk about what’s going on with you right now. You were discharged from VCU Medical Center just this last Thursday, correct?”
Ember nodded. “Yep.”
“I’m sorry. Excuse me.” Cheyenne jerked her thumb toward the windows and the hallway beyond. “Where’s your restroom?”
“Oh, yeah. Down the hall to your left, then you’ll pass the other hall on the far end of this room, and it’s the first door on the left.”
“Great. Thanks. You good?”
Ember looked at the half-drow and slowly nodded. “Totally. Are you?”
“Yeah, once I find the bathroom. Sorry.”
The fae gave her a dismissive shrug, and Cheyenne opened the glass door to step into the hall.
“Just come right on in when you get back,” Dr. Boseley called after her.
The halfling shot them both a thumbs-up and let the door fall quietly shut behind her.
Chapter Ninety-One
She headed down the hall toward wherever the bathroom was supposed to be and tried not to peer conspicuously into every open door or window she passed. What the hell is this tingling crap?
She rubbed the back of her neck and along her shoulder, but of course, that didn’t do anything. Can’t just stand out here staring at people. Make it look real, at least.
When she passed the hall running along the far end of the gym, she slowed to gaze at as much of it as she could. Only one other nurse walked quickly down it toward her, smiled, and opened a door before disappearing into the next room. Something’s up.
Cheyenne stepped into the bathroom and turned on the light before locking the door. She hiked up the bottom of her black corduroys and bent over to study her ankle. “All good there. They would’ve told me about darktongue side effects, right?”
The halfling turned and searched her reflection in the mirror. With a deep breath, she stared into her eyes and tried to will away the tingle across her back. The sensation flared, and she slapped at the top of her shoulder in reflex. “Ugh. Feels like...bugs all over me.”
Something flashed in the mirror, and she glanced back up to see the reflection of the Heart of Midnight pendant letting off another soft silver pulse. “Oh, come on.”
Rolling her eyes, Cheyenne grabbed the pendant and dipped her head to look at it. The Heart hadn’t changed, but if she focused hard, those little streaks of silver within the sparkling black stone looked like they were moving. Can’t take it off. Might not even be the stupid pendant.
She looked back up at her reflection and shook her head. “Snap out of it, Cheyenne. Pay attention to everything. Don’t assume what’s happening. Okay. Good talk.”
Opening the door again, she smacked off the light and stepped into the hallway again. This time, she paid attention to the tension in her face and forced herself to relax. The halfling stuck her hands in her pockets and moved down the hall at a leisurely pace. Just checking things out, right? Nobody’s gonna care.
When she got halfway toward the other side of the gym, she stopped and leaned against the wall between two closed doors. On the other side of the glass walls, Dr. Boseley knelt in front of Ember. She lifted one of the fae’s feet in both hands and slowly lowered it again before looking up to ask her patient a question. Whatever Ember said, it made the redheaded doctor laugh and nod.
Okay. Good clinic. Good doctor. At least Ember’s being taken care of right now.
One of the doors beside her opened, and a man a little taller than Cheyenne’s five feet three inches stepped into the hall beside her. He wore sweatpants and a short-sleeved thermal, his biceps bulging out from beneath the thin material like they were at a real gym.
“Hello.” His gaze fell to the Heart of Darkness pendant, but he didn’t react in any other way. The halfling forced herself not to cover the necklace. “Can I help you with anything?”
“Oh, no. I’m good. I just came with my friend.” She nodded toward the gym.
The bodybuilder guy nodded and folded his arms. “Her first time in?”
“Yeah, actually.” Cheyenne turned toward him and raised her eyebrows. “Good guess.”
“Well, I’ve been watching people come in and out of here long enough. Plus, Dr. Boseley really puts on the charm with new patients.”
“Uh-oh. Are we looking at Dr.
Boseley and Ms. Hyde here, then?”
He chuckled. “Definitely not. She’s really good. And admittedly, I was working through the schedule before I stepped out here and saw she had a new patient appointment right now.”
“Right. Got me.”
“Wasn’t sure you’d come, though.”
Cheyenne froze and stared through the clear glass into the gym. “What was that?”
“Well, it’s usually just really close friends and family who come in with new patients for the first few sessions.”
The knot of hyper-awareness in the half-drow’s mind loosened a little. He’s just talking about normal medical stuff. “Well, it’s kinda both with Ember and me. We’re not related, but I think I’m the closest thing she has to family right now. It’s just been her and me since...well, since she was put in that wheelchair in the first place.”
“I get it.” The guy beside her nodded, then leaned toward the halfling.
Cheyenne glanced at him and leaned away. “What are you doing?”
“You don’t have to explain it, phér móre. You’ve chosen. We’ll take good care of her here. Don’t worry about that.”
The halfling stared at him. “Chosen what?”
“Like family, right?” He nodded toward Ember and Dr. Boseley on the other side of the glass. “It’s a good thing fae have such a strong smell. I wouldn’t have been sure about that one, otherwise. A human’s not gonna cut it, but your friend’s full-blooded fae all the way through. Just without her magic, huh?”
Blinking slowly, Cheyenne nodded and tried not to act clueless. If he was a loyalist, he’d be trying to kidnap me right now.
“Three.” The man smirked and bounced on the balls of his feet before sinking back down.
“I’m sorry?”
“Three of us in this clinic, phér móre. Just a coincidence that you brought your Nós Aní in here over anywhere else, but I’m glad you did. If you were worried about leaving her alone until she’s strong enough, you have my word we’ll keep her safe while she’s here.”
“I appreciate that. Gotta admit, though, it sounds like you’re telling me Ember’s in some kinda danger.”
He shrugged again. “You never know, right? Especially in times like these. Hey, I gotta get back to work, but send a word to the Cu’ón for House Keldryk, huh? We’re ready. Guess that’s kinda meant for you too, huh?”
“I guess.” The halfling frowned and took the risk anyway when she stuck out her hand. “What’s your name?”
“Marsil.” He took her hand and gave it a firm squeeze. When he dipped his head, it looked like a little bow. “Mark around here, but that’s just on Earthside paper, you know what I mean?”
“Yeah. Cheyenne.”
Marsil grinned, then they released each other’s hands, and he brought a fist quickly to his chest before dropping it again. “Of course, I already know who you are. Wasn’t expecting to get your name, though. Thank you.”
“Well, it’s the only one I have, so you won’t run the risk of getting them confused.”
“Funny.” The magical, who was wearing a human illusion charm as a medical professional at Ember’s PT clinic, dipped his head again and headed slowly down the hall toward the front of the building. “For as long as you need, phér móre. We’ll take care of her.”
He spun again and disappeared around another corner before she had the chance to thank him again.
Cheyenne cleared her throat and glanced down at the gently pulsing Heart of Midnight resting against her chest. Apparently, I’ve chosen Ember as my Nós Aní, whatever that means. Magicals popping out of the woodwork.
Shaking her head, she tucked the pendant beneath her loose black shirt. The pendant looked ridiculous, pushing against her shirt, but she wasn’t taking any more chances by leaving it out. Good thing Corian finally gave me his number.
With a glance up and down the hall, the halfling pushed off and headed back toward the door into the gym. It opened quietly enough, but Ember was focused on what Dr. Boseley was showing her on a chart of the human spine in full color and she didn’t hear her friend step inside. Cheyenne went to the metal chairs with black plastic seats and backs against the glass wall and sat. Then she pulled out her phone and opened the text from Corian, which was the letter C.
“Good enough,” she muttered and opened a new text.
P find what he was looking for yet?
She tried not to stare at her phone while she waited for a reply. It took him about forty-five seconds.
Not yet.
Guess that’s pretty obvious by now. The guy does go the extra mile to keep his promises. She wrinkled her nose at her phone, then shrugged and wrote the text she actually wanted to send.
What’s a Nós Aní?
The little dots at the bottom of her screen blinked on and off.
Second in command. Race-specific for you. Could be anyone. Can talk more in person but scrub these messages. Stupid to send on an open line. You know that.
“Sorry,” the halfling whispered with a little sneer at her phone. She deleted all but the first text straight from him. I’ll scrub harder when I get home.
Cheyenne leaned back in the chair and crossed one leg over the other, folding her arms. She offered Ember a smile and a thumbs-up when the fae glanced over her shoulder and saw the halfling sitting in the room. Ember shrugged and turned back when Dr. Boseley asked if she was ready to try again.
For the rest of the two-hour session, Cheyenne zoned out, turning everything from yesterday over in her mind. Ember’s gotta have a choice in taking this Nós Aní gig. I promised her I’d tell her everything, but how the hell am I gonna explain that one?
She didn’t even notice that the tingle along the back of her neck had disappeared.
Chapter Ninety-Two
“Hey. Cheyenne!” Ember leaned forward and waved the papers Dr. Boseley had given her in the halfling’s face.
Cheyenne started, her foot sliding off her knee to thump onto the floor, and she blinked quickly. “Sorry. Got caught up in a whole bunch of thoughts.”
Frowning, Ember tipped her head back and squinted. “Thoughts. You sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, yeah. I’m good. Are you guys done?”
“Yep. I’m ready to get outta here and stuff my face with something delicious because I was an idiot and didn’t eat anything before we got here.”
Chuckling, the halfling stood. “Then let’s go get something. You could’ve had another piece of pizza.”
“I wasn’t nearly hungry enough to eat that when we left.”
“Okay. I get it.” Cheyenne headed toward the door and held it open from the hallway. “After you.”
Ember cocked her head. “How kind.”
They moved more slowly down the hall on their way out, and the halfling shot a quick glance at the fae. Ember’s arms trembled a little every time she pushed down the wheels, but she didn’t stop, and she didn’t look like she was all that bothered by it.
“You want me to take the wheel, so to speak?”
The fae girl shook her head and stared intently at the door leading out into the waiting room and the lobby. “I’m good until we get to the car. After that, I might be Jell-O for a while.”
“Okay. How’d it go in there?”
“You know what? I like that doctor.”
The halfling opened the next door and held that open too. “It seems like you really lucked out with the awesome docs, huh?”
“And I can only blame you for one of them.” Ember grinned and didn’t stop on her way into the lobby and toward the exit. “You picked a good one, though, Cheyenne. Seriously. Thank you.”
“Thank her. I just drove you here.”
The fae snorted and paused just long enough for the automatic doors to open in front of her. “I’m not quite sure where your modesty ends and some kind of weird Cheyenne embarrassment begins.”
“What? I’m not embarrassed.”
“Okay. Then admit that the only reason I
’m getting such good treatment right now is because of you.”
Cheyenne’s nose wrinkled automatically. “I’m just helping my friend.”
“Honestly, would you be helping me like this if I hadn’t asked you to come with me that night? If I just showed up at the hospital with a bullet hole through my spine and you had no clue what happened?”
If she hadn’t asked me to come with her, she wouldn’t have made it to the hospital. The halfling unlocked her Panamera as Ember wheeled down the ramp off the sidewalk and into the parking lot. “Yeah, Em. I’m pretty sure I’d still be doing exactly what I’m doing, even if you hadn’t asked me to come and I threw a fit about it.”
“So this isn’t because you feel like it’s your fault I have to come here three times a week?”
Cheyenne opened the passenger side door, and Ember bent over to lock the wheels in place. “You said it before, Em. I’m not the one who shot you.”
“You’re right. You’re the one saved my life.” Ember stared at her, then looked away and waved the half-drow toward her. “Let’s do this.”
The halfling bent and half-lifted, half-supported her friend into the passenger seat of the Panamera. Ember shot her a thumbs-up, then Cheyenne wheeled the chair behind the car, folded it up, and hauled it into the trunk. When she got behind the wheel and started the engine, Ember finished buckling her seatbelt and stared straight ahead at the entrance to the clinic.
“You okay?”
The fae squinted and turned slowly toward the halfling. Her gaze took a little longer to pull away from the front doors. “This is gonna sound crazy.”
Cheyenne bit her lip to keep from laughing. “Try me.”
“I think I...felt something weird in there. And before you make a smartass remark about it, yes, I’m sure it’s not just the effects of PT.”
“It’s really creepy how well you know me, Em.”
The fae replied with a distracted chuckle and turned toward the clinic again. “It’s not very hard. But this was...okay, I don’t even know what it was.” Ember’s hand rose absently to the back of her neck beneath her swinging ponytail.
