Wrath of the Sea Queen

by Cynthia Woods

  "Are you all right?" Ben asked.

  "Fine; it was a passing twinge. All of this has me so worried that I suppose my stomach is tied in knots. It was a little painful, but it's gone now," Vin assured him.

  After a few minutes, Vin sat down again, turned a chair from the table around backward, and straddled it facing Ben.

  "Ben, there is something else I've wanted to ask you, but I was waiting for the right time to mention it. If this first question is too painful to think about and you don't want to answer, I will understand."

  "Nonsense, Vin. If I can help, you know I will. Ask your question."

  "When Salma was in the hospital Friday morning and we left Caeli alone with her, did you happen to notice the change to the cut on Salma's head when we got back to the room?"

  "Yes, it was much improved, and Salma was awake. It was such a blessing, and I was greatly relieved."

  "Didn't you find it odd how quickly that happened?"

  "Not at the time, but now that you mention it, yes. In hindsight, Caeli obviously had something to do with Salma's recovery. I wonder why neither of them said anything about it."

  "I thought so, too. And, I don't think either of them was certain about what happened at the time. I think it was an accidental discovery and the first that time Caeli healed anyone. I'm a little curious about all of that, but I'm worried about what happened next. Did you also see where Caeli hit her head on the door? She received a bruise and small cut over her eye that matched Salma's injury."

  "Yes, I'm sorry about that…"

  "No, no. That's not exactly what this is about. There's more going on with her. When you were shot and Caeli helped you, do you remember what she did?"

  "Well, I don't really know what she did or how she did it. The results, however, are unforgettable. She removed the bullet that lodged in my back as well as a second bullet that I carried for many years. Then she stopped the bleeding. Caeli made a joke about me being like a box of cracker jacks," Ben smiled at the memory.

  "That sounds like her," Vin remarked as he imagined Caeli saying that with her typical, tension-lifting humor and concurrent grin.

  "Sure, but where is this headed, Vin?" Ben asked.

  "When we stopped on the side of the road and Caeli was sick, she fell and hurt herself again. She hit her lower back in nearly the exact same spot where you were shot, and it bled quite a bit, just as your wound did."

  "I remember you cleaning her up when you returned to the van. What exactly are you trying to say? Do you think she took my injury onto herself? I would never have permitted it if I had known," Ben thought he had finally hopped onto Vin's train of thought. It was, indeed, frightening if it was true.

  "I know, Ben. I don't think she realizes that it is happening. But, after the third incident, I can't ignore it any longer."

  "What was the third?" Ben was curious.

  "I was in trouble at the levee. I busted my right arm on the rocks. It was banged up real bad, and Caeli fixed it with her gift. You told me that she was favoring her right arm afterward. I don't think it was a coincidence."

  "I only mentioned her arm so that you would be aware of it. Given Caeli's condition, I assumed that she hurt her arm when she fell. I had no idea that you were injured. You seemed fine when you arrived at the lighthouse," Ben said.

  "By then, I was. She had already healed my arm. Ben, I do think that during each of these instances, Caeli's gift transferred the pain or the injury to her through the water. She was around water each time. Caeli was soaked at the hospital from the fire hydrant; it was raining on deck when she worked on you; and we were both in water when she fixed my arm. I won't pretend to understand it, but I'm scared about her taking on those types of injuries, if that is what's really happening. I guess I was wondering if you had noticed anything along those lines. I was hoping you might have some further insight or, better yet, a way to disprove my theory."

  Ben caught a glimpse of Max running across the other end of the hall, stopping halfway to look toward Caeli's room. Ben nodded in that direction. Vin followed his eye line and also saw the young boy. When Max noticed the two men looking at him, he rushed off to continue his current adventure.

  "No, I didn't notice the pattern, and I can't give you any advice. I wish I could. However, I have noticed something special about young Max and our ladies. Have you seen it?" Ben replied.

  "Yes, it would be hard to miss. Max seems to have staked a claim on our wives. I do believe we might have to tie him in his bed in order to leave here with Caeli and Salma." Vin found enough amusement to smile as he pictured the scene Max was likely to make as he tried to stop the ladies from leaving at the end of the week. He also noted to Ben that they would have to check their luggage for stowaways before heading home.

  Salma placed her hand on Caeli as she waited for the digital display to tell her the ultrasound machine was ready to use. She sensed, through her gift, the enormous amount of pain Caeli was suffering in her abdomen. Salma feared she might know the reason for this, but prayed that she was wrong. Salma chose not to share this with Vin right away. He knew Caeli was hurting, and Vin was already worried enough about her visible injuries and the mental terror she was experiencing.

  Caeli woke about the time Salma squirted the clear gel onto the bare skin of her midsection, carefully avoiding the open cuts. Caeli immediately began to suffer outward displays of her internal pain. Salma tried to comfort her and ease the pain as best she could without strong medications that would cause drowsiness. Unfortunately, Salma knew the pain was not going to subside. In fact, it would probably get worse. The best Salma could do was give Caeli one of Vin's shirts, which she grabbed off the back of a chair. Salma rolled it up so that Caeli would have something on which to bite down. This would keep her pain-filled shouts from reaching Vin's ears out in the lounge. Salma talked to Caeli as she worked, trying to distract her mental link to Vin. Salma's voice, however, did not have the same soothing effect on Caeli that Vin's voice achieved.

  "I know it hurts, Dear. I am doing my best to help you. You've got to hang in there with me for a little longer. Try to lie still. If you need to, squeeze my hand. I understand that you don't want any pain medicine that will make you sleepy. Therefore, I have to finish this test while you are awake. Hold on for a few more minutes."

  Caeli nodded that she understood. She knew Salma was trying not to alert Vin, so she bit down harder on the shirt as pain racked her midsection. She could smell the scent of Vin's cologne lingering on the shirt, and it provided a small bit of comfort to help endure the agony. Salma ran the stainless steel wand slowly back and forth across Caeli's abdomen. Even that soft movement stung, but she endured it well enough. She knew what Salma was checking and suspected what the result might be. The screen of the unit was turned so that both Caeli and Salma could look at it. The slightly blurry image on the screen brought tears to Salma's eyes.

  "Oh, my dear girl, it looks like there has been a fight raging in there. I have never seen marks like this inside a womb."

  After replacing the wand on the cart and cleaning the gel from Caeli's stomach, Salma reached out and tightly held both of Caeli's hands, trying to figure out how best to tell Caeli what was happening to her. Caeli questioned Salma between gasps of pain.

  "Are those marks the reason why I'm having all this pain?" Caeli started to turn to get a better view of the screen. The resultant stabbing pain reminded her not to move too quickly. As Caeli tried to turn, Salma noticed a large red stain on her clothes and the sheets. Caeli was bleeding heavily. The pregnancy should have stopped Caeli's normal monthly cycle; this was the second time that she had shown the symptom. That meant this bleeding was not normal. With this much blood loss, it confirmed what Salma already knew, though she was still going to try her best to prevent it.

  "Caeli, I need you to listen to me carefully. Some of the pain is from your injuries, but the hard pain you are feeling is a type of false labor pain, only much worse. Your body has been under too muc
h stress and you are losing a lot of blood. We've got to get your bleeding stopped immediately, and I doubt you can do for yourself what you did for Ben on the ship."

  Caeli shook her head negatively. She could not use her gift to help herself just then.

  "I thought not. I'm going to move you to the bathtub, and you are going to have to help me," Salma instructed.

  The ladies worked together and managed to get Caeli partially disrobed and into the empty tub as her strength rapidly waned. Salma covered her with a couple of large bath towels and tried everything in her vast, medical repertoire to help her niece. But it was too late. The damage was already done.

  Apela, ever the polite host, kept Maku and Pete occupied at the other side of the hotel. He apologized for the unavoidable change in their dinner plans and invited them to stay the evening in one of the guest rooms. He did not want Pete overly exerted by making a second road trip to return home that evening. Apela asked if Maku would mind helping him keep an eye on Max, explaining how fond his son had become of the doctor and her niece. Given the seriousness of the situation, Apela did not want Max to bother them tonight. Maku was more than happy to lend a hand. He enjoyed spending time with Max.

  Maku called the conference security liaison to find out what time he would need to report for his next shift, but when they found out that he was visiting with Dr. Erickson, they offered him the assignment to be her personal security escort for the duration of the conference. All he needed to do was keep her as safe as possible and keep them updated twice each day. Maku could not believe his good fortune. He received an increase in pay, better scenery, and he would not have to deal directly with the crowds over at the conference itself. Not to mention, he and Pete would get to spend several days with their good friend, Apela, who made arrangements for the brothers to stay at the hotel the remainder of the week.

  Unfortunately, Maku had yet to be officially introduced to his new charge. She had been hoisted away before the seminar, did not have the opportunity for pleasantries during the chaos of the fire, and was currently dealing with an urgent, medical situation. Maku was hopeful that Dr. Erickson would permit him to fulfill his newly assigned duty, and that she would not resent him for having sent the letters. Since speaking to Ben, Maku was optimistic. However, he would have to wait until morning to find out for certain.

  Thirty minutes later, Salma came out of Vin's room, pulling the door closed behind her and leaning heavily against it. She held a bundle of used towels against her chest, and tears were flowing freely down her face. Both men looked over as they heard the door snap shut. Seeing Salma's tears, they jumped up and ran over to her.

  Vin had been so caught up in trying to figure out what was going on that he lost track of time. He even forgot to maintain the comforting wind in the room for Caeli. When Vin saw the look on Salma's face, his heart nearly stopped. Ben, however, read the clues more thoroughly. He read a deeper expression on Salma's face, noticed the towels, and quickly deciphered the terrible thing that had happened. Ben placed a firm hand on Vin's shoulder and subtly received the bundle Salma passed him. Salma reached up and hugged Vin, then stepped back, leaving her hands on his shoulders.

  "What is it, Salma?" Vin asked, unable to look at her directly or consider what her tears could mean.

  "Vin, look at me," Salma insisted. When he finally did, she answered.

  "The machine I took in there was an ultrasound unit. Given all of Caeli's injuries, I wanted to check on the baby."

  The baby! Vin forgot to consider that the baby might be hurt, too. With his concern for Caeli, nothing else even entered his mind.

  "What did you find out?" Vin started to move into the room, but Ben's hand on his shoulder held him back. Ben could tell, without asking, that Salma did not want Vin to go in yet.

  "Vin, Caeli woke up while I ran the test."

  "That's good. She needed to wake up," Vin stated flatly.

  "As expected, she was in terrible pain. She also lost a lot of blood. I tried to stop it. I did everything that I could, but…I'm so very sorry, Vin. I couldn't save your baby."

  Vin stood there in shock. He heard the words, but they refused to register. He did not know what to do. He didn't know what to say. Vin wanted to run to Caeli, but he could not move his feet. He stood there staring at the door.

  "Vin?" Salma wasn't sure if Vin had processed her words or not.

  "Is Caeli all right?" Vin finally asked.

  "Go gently. Her emotions are extremely fragile. Her other injuries are going to heal, but this will be the worst loss she has ever suffered because it is such an intimate piece of her. She needs you now more than even she knows. Yet, you probably won't be able to help her at first. Trust me on this. Caeli has to come to terms with the loss herself, and it will not be easy for her. Vin, there is one other thing you should know. Caeli adamantly believes this is her fault."

  "Her fault? Why would she think that?"

  "I could not get her to tell me. Whatever happened to her today has left a terrible mark on her mental state. She is pretty upset right now, and I'm not sure the full impact of this has hit her yet. I'm afraid of how she will cope when it does. So remember what I said, go gently. Be extremely patient with her, even on the simplest of things. She may not be in a clear state of mind for quite a while. She absolutely should not try to get up and walk around on her own. I left her sitting on the sofa by the window."

  In his worry, Vin did not notice the bundle of towels that Ben and Salma carried away.

  It was Salma's own experience that gave her such a keen understanding of what Caeli was feeling and the ability to provide Vin with the proper instruction on how best to help Caeli. Salma never told anyone, not even her father, but she once lost a baby of her own. The physical circumstances of Salma's loss were surprisingly similar to Caeli's own, though the situation was much different.

  Salma met a fascinating young man when she was in college, though their romance was short-lived, and they parted as friends. The memento of that brief fling revealed itself a little over a month afterward. By then, the baby's father had already transferred to a college in another state. Salma decided to have the baby and raise it herself. She even found herself looking forward to the unplanned development in her life.

  Unfortunately, Salma was mugged during the second month of her pregnancy. She was on her way home from a late study session and took an often-used shortcut. A man jumped out from behind a dumpster and grabbed her. Salma was badly beaten and left, near death, beneath a cardboard box.

  Thankfully, the alley was by the campus library. When Salma wasn't home the next morning, her roommate went looking for her bright and early. She found Salma very near death. Salma woke up in the hospital three days later with a broken wrist, several bruises, and no longer pregnant.

  The incident completely changed her life. That was when the empathetic portion of her gift gained most of its strength. It was what made her such a good doctor now. It was how Salma could relate to exactly what Caeli was feeling, physically and emotionally. Salma only wished that Caeli had not been made to suffer such an unkind fate. Thankfully, Caeli would have Vin to help her through the worst of it. Salma had been alone at school at the time.

  Vin took a deep breath to steady his nerves and went inside, closing and locking the door behind him. He did not want any interruptions. He wanted to be alone with his wife. Vin looked to the left, expecting to see Caeli on the sofa, but she wasn't there. He glanced at the bed. It was empty except for a large, red bloodstain on the sheets. Tears, already in his eyes, overflowed at the sight. Vin walked over and lifted the towel from the screen of the ultrasound machine to see the blurry image. Vin stared at it for several moments. There was something odd about the way it appeared, but Vin wasn't exactly sure how it was supposed to look. He was still having trouble comprehending the loss of his child on the same day he learned he was going to be a father.

  He and Caeli had not wanted to have kids when they first married. They wanted to
spend time sharing their lives together before deciding if they wanted to be parents. It was only in the last few years that they agreed it was time to let nature decide about children. They were ready and willing to be parents. If it was meant to be, then they would let it happen. Vin put his hand to his chest, suddenly racked by a strong and unfamiliar pain. If he was hurting this bad, he could not even begin to imagine how much grief and pain Caeli must be suffering. This was in addition to everything she had already been through in the last few days.

  Vin noticed something else as he looked at the screen; something unusual. He couldn't quite put his finger on it and did not want to dwell on it any further just then. He needed to find Caeli. Vin replaced the towel and walked away. He moved slowly through the room, searching for Caeli. She was neither in the main room nor out on the back porch. But, as he walked by the open bathroom door, Vin heard water running in the shower and turned in that direction. Water was splashing onto the floor, but Vin still did not see Caeli.

  "Caeli?" Vin called to her in a quiet voice.

  She did not answer. He walked up to the shower and looked inside.

  The shower was a large, rectangular, one piece unit without doors. The hanging curtain that covered the front opening was pushed all the way over toward the faucets to Vin's left. There was a built-in seat directly beneath the faucets, but it was empty.

  Caeli was huddled in the opposite corner, wearing his robe. She had her knees drawn up with her arms wrapped around them, and she was crying. The sound of the water streaming from above hardly disguised her sobs. The ice cold water poured down the back of her head as she kept her face buried in her arms. Caeli did not look up when Vin spoke again.

  "Caeli, give me your hand. Let's get you out of there," Vin offered gently.

  "Yes, stand up so he can see the marks of your disgrace." Rika's voice sounded cold and accusing as she taunted Caeli.