by Cooke, Chele
Now—looking at the injuries of the young man across from her, seeing the suffering of the people within the compound every time she visited, forced to live by the foreigners’ laws and serve their whims, living in the tattered remains of what had once been a challenging but understandable life for a Veniche—Georgianna wished they had never returned at all.
***
Sitting in front of a patient from the camps who had come in after a robbery, Georgianna had finished stitching the wound closed and smeared the yellow paste of the lutiner flower sparingly over it to speed recovery.
Unfortunately, robberies and attacks were more common now than they used to be, especially in the camps, where the Adveni presence was less pronounced. It wasn’t as easy to hunt while in one place with so many others. The trail had been much easier for hunting, and by the time the different tribes reached Adlai for the heat, they had enough stores to keep most families relatively comfortable. There had always been robberies of course, by those who moved alone instead of with a tribe, or those who had been banished for committing a crime, but these days they seemed to happen every other day—more often in fact. As times became harder, more people began only looking out for themselves.
“I hope it’s okay that I came down,” Kael said quietly.
Georgianna glanced up from the bandage as she wound it tightly around his arm.
“Of course it is.”
“I wouldn’t normally. Keep to myself, you know? Don’t like a lot of trouble, but this wouldn’t stop bleeding and…”
Tying one end of the bandage to the other, Georgianna patted him lightly on the shoulder.
“There’s no need to explain,” she smiled. “You needed help.”
Kael nodded as she turned away to note down his visit.
Georgianna had left Lacie in the end car with a collection of hyliha leaves while she treated him. While the leaves weren’t useful for much more than easing a heat rash, Georgianna had given them to the young girl to practise making paste out of the herbs that could be collected. Hyliha trees grew everywhere, having adapted to the planet’s altered seasons, so the leaves were ideal for practising on before moving on to some of the rarer, more useful substances.
“I don’t have much,” he mumbled shyly as Georgianna scribbled her notes.
Looking up, Georgianna glanced over her shoulder at the man and finally turned around to face him:
“Kael, don’t…”
“I will make good!” he interjected before Georgianna could speak further. “I have some pelts drying. I’ll bring one down!”
“That is far too much for a simple cut, especially when you already lost so much in gaining the wound.”
Kael stared down at his knees, dragging his teeth over his lip worriedly. She sighed. She hated taking from people who couldn’t afford it. However, it wasn’t her supplies that she was using up down here. While she was happy to do the work for a bowl of stew or some other kindness that families could afford, the Belsa needed things they could use.
“Look,” she blurted quickly. “I’m going to have to see you in a couple days anyway, to make sure that’s healing the way it should, and take out the stitches. So, how about we trade then?”
Kael looked up, finally meeting her gaze. He nodded gratefully.
Georgianna returned to the last car once Kael had said his goodbyes and set off along the tunnel. She looked in to find Lacie keeping watch over Jacob, making her own notes in a small book. Either Lacie hadn’t realised, or the two were keeping an easy silence, but Jacob was awake.
“How’re you feeling?” Georgianna asked, moving further inside.
Lacie lifted her head, her gaze shifting to Georgianna before she looked at Jacob. He was curled in the corner of his bed, looking far younger than he was. The moment Georgianna had spoken, however, his expression contorted in panic. His wide brown eyes darted around the car, and he quickly pushed himself up. Pressing his back against the end of the bed, he hunched over his knees, pulling them tight to his chest.
She took a step back, chewing on her bottom lip. Even Lacie, who had been the closest to Jacob since his arrival, moved away from him, giving the terrified young man as much space as she could.
“I’m sorry, Jacob. I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Jacob shook his head violently, but didn’t say a word.
With a single glance from Lacie, she took another step back.
“I’ll… I’ll be in the other car if you need me.”
Lacie placed her notes next to her knee, but she didn’t even look at Jacob or Georgianna again. She stared at her feet, hands clasped in her lap, perfectly still.
Georgianna climbed down from the car, wishing that every injury was as easily cured as Kael’s.
5 Freed-Up Time
Jaid took over on Medics’ Way again in the late evening, having had no luck in locating her husband, Si. Georgianna could see the worry on her face and had offered to cover the next shift, but Jaid would have none of it. She claimed working on the Way would keep her mind busy, but Georgianna was sure that the moment Jaid was alone she would be imagining all the worst things that could possibly have happened to him. Then again, Keinah, the only other regular medic, wasn’t in any state to go very far, with her pregnancy so far along. No doubt, if Jaid needed, she would be able to call on the mother-to-be.
Once all the notes had been handed over and the current states of patients explained, Georgianna walked with Lacie back into Belsa territory, leaving the girl a couple of hundred yards from the car she shared with Marshall Casey. She didn’t need to walk the girl back; enough Belsa knew exactly who Lacie was that she would get help if she ever needed it, but she enjoyed the walk. The young girl was sweet and quiet, but always had interesting opinions on things when you got her talking.
Turning away from the tunnel leading to the marshall’s car, Georgianna headed west through a smaller tunnel off the main encampment, away from the main bustle of people coming and going. It wasn’t a long walk, which, after being out and about all day, was a relief. Georgianna had always been active, but some days it became a bit much, running all over the place.
Despite her work as a medic, helping people didn’t pay much more than trade and favours. Most nights, once she’d finished whatever she happened to have on that day, she headed over to the Rion, an Adveni district filled with bars and restaurants. The Adveni were more accustomed to having purpose-built places to eat and drink, so they allowed a few Veniche to work in their establishments, pouring drinks and delivering food. Today, however, Georgianna wasn’t expected to be at Crisco so she headed through the Belsa tunnels to one of the other places where she spent some of her evenings.
The shack, made of sheet metal stolen from an Adveni construction site, was held together with rope and strategically placed bricks. Despite its ramshackle appearance, it was surprisingly sturdy, something Georgianna had found out by accident when she tripped and fell into one of the walls.
Approaching the side where a thick canvas sheet covered the opening, Georgianna reached out and smacked her hand against the nearest section of metal.
“Are you decent?” she asked, shifting her weight. “Or alone?”
There was silence for a moment, in which Georgianna considered peeking inside. There was always a chance that he wasn’t there. It wouldn’t have been the first time she’d found the shack empty. Though before she had the chance to peer inside, or turn and walk away, the canvas was pulled back at an angle and a cheeky grin appeared in the opening.
“Have you ever known me to be either?” it asked.
A large hand came out through the gap and tangled itself in amongst the hair at the nape of her neck, pulling her in.
Georgianna barely had time to look around to confirm the answer to either of her questions before soft, warm lips found her own, drawing her up to meet them. She smiled against the kiss, her own hands seeking out the gentle slope of his waist before she carefully pulled herself back.
&nb
sp; The lamp was lit, and it sent flickering light over Keiran’s stubbled jaw and smooth skin. He looked down at her, grinning that charming, cocky smirk that had first made her notice him. He was so self-assured, with such easy going charm, that it was almost impossible not to like him.
“You’re dressed, I’m disappointed,” Georgianna chuckled.
A raised eyebrow met her comment, his smirk broadening as he teased his fingers through her long hair.
“Easily solvable!” he answered.
Leaning forward, Keiran placed a kiss gently against Georgianna’s temple before he released her and turned around, retreating the couple of steps over to his bed and falling down onto it. Picking up a piece of paper from the upturned crate by his bed, he folded it a couple times and slotted it into his pocket before reaching out for her to join him. Georgianna indulged him happily, placing her bag down on the bed as she eased her boots from her feet and clambered over him to the other side of the bed. Placing herself against the wall, her legs resting over Keiran’s, Georgianna reached out and tugged her bag toward her.
“Save any lives today, Med?” Keiran asked, resting his arms over her shins, one hand sliding her trousers up a little so that his thumb could gently stroke her ankle.
Georgianna shook her head.
“I was called to the compound,” she explained. “Vtensu left it so long that by the time I got there, it was too late.”
Keiran frowned a little, but shrugged.
“Better dead than buryd!” he answered.
Lifting her head, Georgianna glanced at him. His grey-blue eyes and tanned face, worn with work and age, still held the amusement and cheer that so many Belsa had lost somewhere along the way. He looked relaxed, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, as if maybe the Adveni hadn’t invaded and they were just two people in the mid-heat of Adlai. Looking at him like this, it was hard to believe that their world had changed so much, that Keiran had once been a hunter with the Nerrin tribe, that she’d nearly finished her training. Back then, she’d not even thought about Keiran Zanetti; she’d barely known him.
Keiran, four years older than she was, was thirty. Had things been like they were before, he could have expected to have been joined by now. He didn’t talk much about the old days though, except to regale her with stories of hunting with Eli Talassi, the Belsa everyone now knew as Wrench. She was sure that Keiran didn’t like what had happened to their world any more than anybody else did. Yet he wasn’t secretive that he was glad their joining traditions had fallen by the wayside in all the turmoil.
Thinking about it, Georgianna had to admit that she wasn’t upset either at not being hounded to find a partner to continue the Kahle lines. She felt happy with the way things were between her and Keiran, something that would not have been looked on kindly if she were expected to join.
“You saying you wouldn’t come break down Lyndbury if I were caught?” she asked, smirking at him.
“Oh, I’d come to Lyndbury,” he answered, pushing himself up to lean forward and kiss her again. “I’d be first in line to purchase myself a George drysta.”
Georgianna reached out and smacked him as he fell back against the cushion, laughing.
“That’s not funny, Zanetti!” she chastised.
Georgianna suddenly wasn’t sure that they should be joking about the compound, not after her trip over there and her conversation with Taye. Glancing at her bag, she thought about the packet of Adveni drugs Taye had given her. It felt wrong to have them. She’d not even agreed to make the delivery, and the drugs came with too many strings attached.
“I’d treat you well!” Keiran smirked. “You’d hardly have to get out of bed in the morning.”
She gave him a disapproving glare, but Keiran grinned back at her and gave her ankle a squeeze.
“In fact, I think I’d demand that you never got out of bed.”
“I’m sure you would,” she answered.
Silence stretched out between them. Georgianna watched as he turned his gaze onto the ceiling, tucking his hand beneath his head.
“I saw Taye today,” she said finally, slumping onto her side next to him and propping herself up on her elbow.
“Taye…” he murmured. “He’s Carae, right?”
Georgianna nodded, reaching between them and picking at a loose thread in the blanket.
“We knew each other as kids.”
“Oh yeah, he’s the one with the girl in the compound.”
Georgianna glanced over at him. She didn’t remember telling Keiran about Nyah. They didn’t generally share their lives much. He had his friends and she had hers. Apart from the people they both knew within the Belsa, she wasn’t even sure how much their lives intersected. Though, with the Carae supplying the Belsa pretty regularly, it wasn’t surprising that Keiran might know Taye. Maybe he’d even known Nyah before she was arrested.
“So, what did he ask for? A way to turn back time? A mass breakout of Lyndbury for his little girlfriend?”
Staring down at the blanket, Georgianna grazed her teeth across her bottom lip. Keiran frowned, his pale blue eyes narrowing.
“George, you’ve got to be kidding!” he chastised. “What is it?”
“Just a delivery,” she answered. “He wants me to take a packet in for Nyah.”
Keiran’s expression said it all. His lips pursed into a thin line and a crease formed above his straight nose as his brow knitted together.
“He’s worried about her,” Georgianna lamented. “It’s been months.”
“It could be years for all he can do about it,” Keiran answered dismissively. “He should let it go.”
“You don’t think I’ve told him that? He loves her.”
Keiran scoffed, but didn’t answer. Georgianna pushed herself up further and looked down at him. She shouldn’t be angry at Keiran. She knew it was who he was. He didn’t want love and joining the way Taye did, but in Georgianna’s opinion, he didn’t have to be so cavalier about it.
“I’m worried about him, Keiran,” she explained. “He’s becoming more erratic. He wants Nyah out, and I think… I think if things don’t change soon, he’ll do something without thinking.”
Turning his head to look at her, Keiran’s eyes narrowed.
“What do you expect me to do about it?”
Georgianna shook her head. She didn’t expect anything from Keiran. He’d never been close to Taye, and it wasn’t like he owed her anything. The two of them were having fun, they both agreed that.
“Nothing, I’m just… I’m just worried about him doing something stupid.”
Keiran frowned and went back to staring at the ceiling. He reached up, running his hand over his short, dark hair.
“As long as you don’t do anything stupid, like getting caught sneaking stuff into Lyndbury,” he agreed. “I do prefer you being a free woman. You getting yourself buryd would free up far too much of my time.”
Georgianna laughed and leaned closer to him, resting her arm across his waist and tangling her fingers in his shirt. She felt silly, being upset that he wasn’t taking it seriously. They’d both been perfectly clear about what they wanted, and serious didn’t come into it.
“I’m sure you’d find someone to keep you busy soon enough.”
“You’re right, I would, but that doesn’t mean I’d like it.”
Giggling, Georgianna rolled herself onto her front and rested her head on her arms. She didn’t exactly know what to say to that. He was clearly still under the belief that if she made this delivery, she would be making a mistake. Truthfully, Georgianna thought making the delivery was a mistake too, but she also didn’t want her friend getting himself into trouble.
Georgianna tried to wriggle herself further into the mattress, one of the luxuries of staying so long in one place to live out the mid-heat. When the thought came to her, however, Georgianna suddenly pushed herself up. She’d only known Keiran for a month or so; they’d never talked about what they would do for the freeze.
> “Will you be travelling?” she asked, looking down at him.
Their traditions, their survival from the days before had become unreliable of late. Some wanted to escape the Adveni and the freeze and move south, but others believed that their work in Adlai was too important. Not to mention that the Adveni were rather particular about the Veniche to whom they gave travel permits.
“Nah,” he answered. “I’ll stay here. No use in travelling anymore.”
Georgianna raised an eyebrow.
“I’ll tell that to the snow when it’s covered every entrance to the tunnels.”
Keiran, chuckling a little, reached out and slid one arm under Georgianna’s waist, tugging her towards him until she laid against his chest. Georgianna squeaked in amusement, but didn’t try to fight him off.
“Which means I get to hibernate in here,” he said.
Georgianna frowned and placed her hands against Keiran’s chest, pushing herself up.
She’d not made the trip in six years, and she missed it. Every year she planned to go, she thought about going to get a permit, but each year something came up. Braedon’s mother had been pregnant with him, Braedon was too young to travel if they didn’t have help. Something came up every year. But Georgianna didn’t want to miss the journey again.
“I’m going to try travelling,” she answered.
For a moment, Keiran looked up at her, his pale eyes narrowed thoughtfully as he watched her face, perhaps waiting for a smirk to part her lips or a laugh to echo through the shack. In the light, his eyes were a cool blue, but here, with nothing but the lamp, they looked more grey than anything. When no answer came from Georgianna, he licked across his bottom lip.
