Hailey closed her eyes against the sight of him, lying on his pillow. He didn’t look like he was asleep. He looked like he was dead. Shardul rumbled slightly from his place on the floor, and then laid down on his side, seemingly unconcerned. She could feel him though, watching her through slitted eyes.
Tito remained by her side, silently waiting for her to speak to him or need him. Coco had joined them and was seated to her left, watching the goings on in Bam’s sickroom. Finally, Florica and the girls emerged and Florica beckoned to Hailey to come join her. Hailey got to her feet woodenly and brushed off Tito’s hand. As she approached Bam’s bedside, she could feel herself losing control and she heard Shardul’s voice telling her, “Courage is for the brave. You are brave.” She stiffened her spine and summoned a tremulous smile as she gazed at her father’s sleeping face.
She slipped her small hand into Bam’s massive one, where it lay limply on the brightly striped blankets covering him. “Hey Papa,” she whispered. He did not respond. “I’m here, right here, waiting for you to wake up.”
“Sheyorra, Fig has gone to fetch the doctor. Then we will know what has happened to your Papa. You should come with me, now, and we will get some of Bam’s soothing tea. Thalia has said she will take the first watch.”
“NO! I will take the first watch.”
“As you wish. I will have Thalia bring the tea. Will you want Tito or Shardul to come in with you?”
Hailey shook her head. She just wanted to be alone with her father and her thoughts. She sank into the wooden chair near the head of the bed, holding on to Bam’s hand and gazing blankly at him. Florica left, speaking in low tones to Coco, Tito, and Shardul.
“She is in shock, I think. Coco, she will want to stay in the big house while her father is her. Where can we put her nearby that will accommodate both her and the tiger? You know he will not leave if she is here.”
“That beast? In the house? Pah!” he spat. He glared at the tiger, who remained lying on the floor and patently ignoring the grizzled old soldier. They had a mutual loathing of one another. Coco regarded the tiger as an overgrown, and very pampered, housecat while never losing respect for what that housecat could do with his claws and teeth. He’d seen first-hand what the tiger’s weapons had done to the Pale Man. The tiger felt mutually contemptuous of the decrepit human but he could smell the history of ages seeping from the old man’s pores and understood this human was something beyond his appearance.
“I will stay with her,” Tito said quietly.
“Great! A whole slumber party, why not!” Coco grumbled and stomped off, muttering about giant mouse catchers and firebugs.
Florica turned to Tito and smiled. “Don’t mind him, Tito. Come with me to the caravan and gather some things for Hailey. And you, if you insist.”
He nodded and glanced into Bam’s room where Hailey was sitting motionless. He sighed, wondering how Bam had been injured and wishing there was some magic trick he could perform to make it all better. Bam had never evinced any great affection for him, but he knew Hailey was devastated by what had happened. And Tito vowed to live for whatever made Hailey happy. No matter what.
Conspiracy of Ravens Page 15