by Regine Abel
“Excellent work. Have we…”
An emergency call buzzed on my com.
“Jhola?” I asked with a sense of dread.
“Khel, come quickly!” she sobbed. “Amalia collapsed. She’s having a seizure!”
My heart stopped. I dashed toward the house. Through the com, I could hear pained gurgling sounds and limbs thumping against a hard surface. “Restrain her so she doesn’t harm herself!” I yelled in the com.
“Sivh, help me!” I heard Jhola shout.
I heard Ghan on the com calling Minh Volghan, my family’s doctor. The short distance to the house never felt so interminable. I stormed into the room to find Sivh and Jhola holding Amalia down. By now, the brunt of the seizures had passed. She stared at the ceiling, glossy eyed, drool running down the side of her mouth. As I dropped to my knees by her side, her body shook with a violent spasm, then another. Her eyes rolled back.
“AMALIA!” I took her in my arms and shook her, willing her to open her eyes. “Falihna, wake up. Wake up! Please don’t die. Please don’t leave me.”
I lifted one of her eyelids. Her eyes were still rolled up. She lay limply in my arms. The only indication she still lived was her weak gasp-like breath. I looked around the room in shock. Lhor was on his knees at her feet, a look of utter devastation on his face. Sivh held a weeping Jhola. Ghan talked into the com.
“What the fuck happened?” I wiped the drool off her face, rocking her gently.
“We were looking at the datapad when Amalia asked why it had gotten so hot. I didn’t know what she meant, the temperature hadn’t changed. She started sweating and kept asking why it was so hot. Then she said she couldn’t breathe. That’s when I commed you but she collapsed into seizures by the time you answered,” Jhola said, tears running down her face.
“Khel,” Ghan said soothingly, “Yhan is out front with the shuttle. We need to take her to the hospital immediately.”
“Where the fuck is the doctor?” I yelled.
“Khel,” Ghan repeated calmly, but forcefully, “you need to listen to me. Volghan is in Xelhon performing a surgery. It will be hours before he gets here. He’ll come as soon as he can, but your mate will die if we wait for him. You need to take her to the shuttle so we can get her to the hospital immediately.”
My brain couldn’t function properly. He spoke reasonable words but I couldn’t process what he said. I was overwhelmed with crushing waves of despair. My entire career, I made spur of the moment decisions that could mean the life and death of hundreds, thousands of people. Not once had I failed to step up to the plate. But right now, holding the listless body of my mate, I was drowning.
“KHEL! GET UP!” Ghan shouted at me. He faced Lhor and said through gritted teeth, “Enough!”
I snapped back, the miasma of anguish suddenly relinquishing some of its hold on me. I rose to my feet, lifting her, and numbly followed Ghan’s lead.
Ghan commed ahead to warn of our arrival. I don’t remember how long it took to reach the hospital. Dr. Lurphin, a nurse and two orderlies standing by a hover-stretcher greeted us. I wanted to keep Amalia in my arms but complied with the doctor’s request. Seeing her respiratory distress, the medical staff placed an oxygen mask over her mouth before heading back inside.
While hurrying to Amalia’s room, the nurse pricked her finger with a stylus before jamming it in a portable analyzer. Jhola recounted what happened to the doctor. We reached Amalia's room where the nurse handed the analyzer to Dr. Lurphin. The nurse then busied herself, fluttering around my mate with a handheld scanner. Amalia’s still form seemed diminished in the bare, sterile room. Her copper skin seemed dull and drained of color against the white sheet.
The doctor reviewed Amalia’s blood analysis with a pensive hum. He exchanged the analyzer with the scanner the nurse gave him. After reviewing its display, Lurphin flicked through a few screens on the device before walking over to Amelia.
“What did she have for breakfast?” Dr. Lurphin inquired.
“A traditional breakfast,” Jhola said with a trembling voice.
“Yes, yes.” Dr. Lurphin waved impatiently. “But what specifically did you serve?”
Jhola wrung her hands. “Roasted nut and berry bread, scrambled khelfis eggs, fried rhomak strips, sliced ryspak and flexina tea.”
“Was this her first time eating ryspak?”
“No, doctor. I’ve served ryspak every meal since she’s been with us.”
Dr. Lurphin narrowed his eyes at Jhola. “But was there any difference in the way you prepared the ryspak today compared to previous times?”
“Well…” Jhola hesitated. “Every meal the preparation was different. But today was the first time I served it raw.”
“There you have it,” Lurphin said with a sigh. “Nurse Rosthan, please give Seha Praghan a jext injection and then another of depo-medrone.”
“Wait. Why? What is that?” I took a couple of protective steps toward Amalia’s bed. “What’s wrong with Amalia? What are you giving her?”
Lurphin took a step back, raising his palms in peace. “Your mate had a severe allergic reaction to ryspak. I asked the nurse to give her an adrenaline shot to open her airways and a corticosteroid to reduce the swelling in her throat. It should stop her immune system from releasing the substance causing the reaction.”
“Okay, but will she be alright? Is that injection going to fix her?”
“It should help her recover but only time will tell. We need to see how her body reacts to the treatment over the next few hours.”
The nurse performed the injections and, seconds later, Amalia’s breathing settled down. The painful tension on her face bled away until her face calmed. After another minute, the nurse removed the breathing mask from my mate’s face.
I placed a hand on top of Amalia’s head, caressing her forehead. She looked so serene, as if she peacefully slept. “What does this mean going forward? Do we need to cook ryspak before she can eat it? Will she adapt over time or will she need to take anti-allergenic medication to help her digest it?”
The doctor moved to the foot of the bed, as if wanting to put a safe distance between us. “None of the above, I’m afraid. Your mate must not eat ryspak ever again, in any form, or it will kill her.”
My eyes snapped back to his, anger stirring within me. “What the fuck do you mean she can never eat it again? She ate it without a problem for the past week! Surely…”
“I’m sorry, Sehr Praghan,” Dr. Lurphin interrupted gently, but firmly. He took another step away from me. His face took on a sympathetic, though nervous, expression. “I understand this is a shock for you. Cooking it diluted its potency enough that she didn’t adversely react to it immediately. It was only a matter of time until her immune system produced enough substance to trigger a reaction. I realize this means she can never bear you any offspring but forcing her to consume ryspak will kill her.”
My heart broke. Obviously, I wanted an heir to continue my family’s bloodline. From the moment I laid eyes on Amalia, I dreamt of cradling a chubby little girl with her mother’s eyes and beautiful markings. My throat tightened at the terrible loss.
“How can you be sure ryspak is the cause? Shouldn’t this kind of diagnosis require more extensive testing?” I asked, clinging to one last hope.
“I wouldn’t give you such dire news without being certain of the diagnosis, Sehr. We are using the latest technology,” Dr. Lurphin said, pointing at the scanner. “The readings leave no room for interpretation. We will, of course, perform some additional tests to rule out any other possibilities, but do not expect the results to change. I’m sorry, Sehr Praghan.”
“Will my mate be alright?” I struggled to rein in my pain and anger. It wasn’t his fault, but I wanted to beat him senseless. “Why hasn’t she woken yet?”
“I hope she’ll make a full recovery. That she’s still unconscious isn’t a concern yet. Her anatomy differs from ours and she had a very violent reaction. It’s not surprising her body
has shut down to heal itself.” Lurphin glanced nervously at the door. He wanted to be away from me and I couldn’t blame him. “I must tend to my other patients. Your mate is stable and the injections will perform their magic over the next few hours. I’ll return later to check up on her.”
“Wait!” I said, interrupting his attempt at a quick exit. “You aren’t monitoring her vitals?”
“We are.” He pointed at the vidscreen on the far wall of the room. “It’s remote access so no cumbersome wires hooked into the patient. This little ring on her left hand wirelessly sends her vitals to the monitor which I can review anywhere in the hospital. Don’t worry, Sehr. Your mate is in good hands.” He bowed his head and walked away.
Jhola approached me. “I’m so sorry, Khel.”
She caressed my cheek. Head bowed, her shoulders drooping, she followed the doctor out of the room where Lhor, Ghan and Sivh awaited an update. I pulled a chair next to Amalia’s bed, held her hand in both of mine, and started the long wait for her to wake.
* * *
A little over three hours since the shots were administered, she still hadn’t stirred. Dr. Lurphin dropped by once to check on her. He reassured me her vitals were stable and she just needed time. In another hour or so, they would give her another anti-allergenic injection to help speed up her recovery.
My mate… Within a week, she had burrowed deep in my heart. Images of our moments together flashed through my mind; Amalia choosing me at the Selection, twirling arms spread under the rain, the rapturous look on her face the first time I took her, laughing at the ceiling as she tricked Lhor, clinging to me for safety in the deep end of the pool and making a mess in the kitchen as she floundered through her cooking lessons. I wanted so many more moments with her. Her inability to give me an heir was a serious issue, but I couldn’t deal with it right now. We’d figure something out later. Right now, I just needed her to get better.
Jhola and Sivh returned to the estate. On top of his groundskeeper duties, Sivh also supervised the orchard staff. Our workers would have arrived by now. Jhola prepared their meals and refreshments. Lhor and Ghan refused to leave when I told them they didn’t have to stay. I didn’t argue – I was grateful for their presence. Lhor came into the room from time to time to check on us, but otherwise gave us privacy. While waiting, he and Ghan continued to work on tracking down Gruuk.
The door opened and closed behind me. Expecting to see Lhor, I was surprised to see Ghan. Ashamed by the pathetic spectacle I’d made of myself after finding Amalia on the floor, I felt nervous to meet his gaze. I stood up, forcing myself to face him.
“I apologize for my display of weakness earlier,” I said. “You shouldn’t have been forced to make the call. I understand if you no longer feel I’m adequate…”
“Shut up, Khel,” Ghan interrupted calmly. “Twelve years ago, I was your drill sergeant and made you jump through hoops. Four years later, I was under your command. Two years after that, you became the youngest General of the Xelixian Army and gave me the honor of being your First Officer. In all those years, you’ve never faltered in your duties. Until three days ago that is, for which you’ve been given an official warning.”
I blinked, watching him approach. He stopped barely two feet in front of me.
“This morning, you were my friend, not my general. I watched you hold the mate you thought you’d never have, as she lay dying in your arms. You needed your friend in a time of crisis so I stepped up. A number of factors outside your control also came into play today. So don’t apologize. And you’re welcome,” Ghan said with a slight smirk.
I gave him a stiff nod, my heart grateful and my throat constricted. Goddess, when did I become such an emotional wreck?
“I’m so telling the squad I got you to smile,” I said to lighten the mood.
“They’ll never believe you.”
“You’re probably right.” I sighed. “By the Goddess, Ghan, I’ve become so weak since my mating.”
“You’re not weak. You’re finally remembering what it is to be alive. We’ve all grown numb. The soldiers call me The Mech. They’ve pegged you as runner-up for the title. Before your mating, can you remember the last time you laughed? The last time you felt anything other than battle rage?” He turned to look at Amalia’s unconscious form, his face taking on a soft expression I’d never seen before. “Don’t belittle the gift you’ve been given. Embrace it.”
“I’m not belittling that gift, Ghan. I’m just afraid to fail her again.”
Ghan shrugged. “Then don’t. By the way, we have a confirmed sighting of The Revenant. It was last docked at the Teforus V space station but left early this morning. Gruuk met a Dantorian merchant that Lhor is looking into. I’ll keep you posted.”
Ghan left the room.
I nodded at his retreating back, then sat back down, looking at Amalia’s pale face. I held her hand and addressed a silent prayer to the Goddess that she awaken soon. For the next little while, I talked to her about growing up with my brother Vahl and the antics Lhor and I would get up to. I told her about my parents and how they would have loved her. I spoke of my early years in the military and how Ghan used to scare the life out of me. The whole time, I hoped the sound of my voice would bring her back to me.
My personal com beeped. I opened it and stilled at the sight of the three short lines of text on the display.
‘Help me’
‘Stop nurse’
‘No shots’
What. The. Fuck? My mind froze for a second, trying to make sense of what I saw. Could it be? My eyes slowly trailed away from my com towards Amalia. She lay completely immobile. There was no sign she’d awaken from her comatose state. The message sender was unknown.
“Amalia? Is that message from you?” I said, my voice uncertain. “Can you hear me?”
I stared at my com, hoping against hope that I wasn’t losing my mind. The seconds stretched as my display remained blank. After an eternity, three blessed letters appeared.
‘Yes’
The sound that escaped me wasn’t quite a sob, nor a shout of joy. I pressed my lips against hers with desperate fervor. Now was not the time to fall apart. I took a couple of quick steps to the bedroom door and waved at Lhor and Ghan to come quickly. They rushed into the room.
“Of course I will help you, Falihna.” I showed them the message on my com. “You want me to keep the nurse from giving you another injection.”
‘Yes’
Lhor gasped, his head jerking towards Amalia. Ghan stiffened, his gaze shifting to Amalia then to the closed door. I recognized the speculative look on his face.
“Amalia, is the medication bad? Is it hurting you?” I asked.
‘Yes’
‘Nurse not friend’
“Ok. The nurse isn’t our friend,” Lhor said. “But is the doctor our friend? Can we trust Dr. Lurphin?”
‘No’
“That son of Gharah!” Lhor cursed. “We need to get her out of here. Where the fuck is Volghan?”
“He concluded his surgery a few minutes ago. He’s on his way but it’s a long trek from Xelhon. It will be at least another hour,” Ghan said.
“Besides stopping the nurse, is there anything else we can do for you, Falihna?”
‘No drugs’
“Yes, don’t worry. No one will give you any more drugs,” I reassured her. “Do you know what happened to you? What caused the allergic reaction?”
‘Letha’
“Letha? The Advisor?” Nonplussed, I faced Ghan with a stunned look on my face. “She was at the house again?”
“No,” Ghan said, shaking his head. “She isn’t allowed anywhere near the property. The squad was given very specific orders. Yesterday morning was her only time at the estate. Whatever she did to your mate happened then, or at least she planted the trigger at that time.”
There was a subtle knock on the door before it opened, revealing the smiling nurse holding a hypospray.
“Hello again, Sehrs,” sh
e chirped cheerfully. “I’m here to give Seha Praghan the injection Dr. Lurphin mentioned.”
“That won’t be necessary,” I said, my tone frosty. She stopped dead in her tracks, baffled by my threatening stance. “I’ve decided my mate won’t receive any additional treatment until my family physician has examined her.”
“That’s ludicrous,” the nurse said. “Seha Praghan needs this injection. Another bout of seizures could kill her.”
“As you can see yourself, and as confirmed earlier by Dr. Lurphin, Amalia is stable. Her body needs time to fight the substance which caused the reaction. And it is. There’s no need to introduce further drugs into her system, especially since we don’t know how they affect her DNA.”
Her mousey face took on a patronizing expression. “Sehr Praghan, I understand you have the best interests of your mate at heart, but Dr. Lurphin is a highly trained professional. He wouldn’t prescribe anything that would endanger her. Please let me do my job so we can keep your mate alive and well.”
She tried to circle around me to get to Amalia when Ghan planted his mountainous frame directly in her path. He crossed his muscled arms over his massive chest and glared at her.
Ghan’s scarred face was even more intimidating in its stillness. “He said no.”
She recoiled with a choked squeal. Her eyes skipped to Lhor in search of support but found none. Pinching her lips, she backed slowly toward the door.
“The doctor will be informed.” She stormed out of the room.
‘Thank you’
I squeezed Amalia’s hand in reassurance. But we weren’t in the clear yet. “Lhor, how much trouble can this doctor make for us?”
Lhor rested both hands on the metal foot of Amalia’s bed. “Technically, any patient has the right to refuse medical treatment. As her mate, you can make that call on her behalf if she’s disabled. However, that request can be overturned if there’s sufficient evidence the patient or kin making the call isn’t sound of mind, has criminal intent or is displaying gross negligence. In the latter two cases, you would be brought up on charges and Amalia would be taken away from you.”