Page 31

“Yes, broken,” Dr. Arbroth says, nodding seriously to Jade, who sighs. The woman next to her wraps her in a hug. “We can treat it, though, if you’re willing.”

“We can’t pay you,” the taller woman says, looking between me and the doctor, an innate stubbornness making itself known in her expression.

“I didn’t ask you to pay,” the doctor says, half curt, half casual. “It’s my job to help you, my dear, no matter what. I promise noone will ask you for a thing. Do you accept care? You can stop at any time – you have complete freedom here.”

The women look at each other for a moment and then both nod. “Good,” the doctor says, turning away. She signals to Shayne as she comes in the door. “Nurse,” she calls. “Please bring these women more water and as much food as they’d like. And you,” she says, glancing down at me before striding towards Arnav in our office area, “will come with me, please.”

I scurry after the doctor, giving the women a warm smile as Grace continues to treat their small cuts. They stare after us, I think a bit shocked, but I’m more used to doctors tending to have abrupt natures.

I follow in silence, watching the doctor carefully as we cross to the other side of the tent.

She ignores me for the time being, looking around at the office area that I set up. “Good work, nurse,” she says to Arnav, not looking at him. Arnav’s hands still on the keyboard mid-note as he looks up at our new boss. “Please ask the guard at the door to come here. Then, if no one’s manning the pharmacy, you’re needed there.”

“Ma’am?” Arnav asks, a bit stunned.

Dr. Arbroth looks at him for the first time. “Doctor, not ma’am. Which of my orders did you not understand?”

Arnav blinks in surprise and then hops to his feet, murmuring, “Yes, doctor,” as he walks to the tent’s entrance.

I bite my lip against a laugh, thinking that this is abrupt even for someone used to command. Arbroth moves behind the desk and begins to scroll through Arnav’s notes. “You’re Nurse Amir, yes?”

“Yes,” I say, knowing she means me. I’m the only one here, after all.

“Good,” she says. “I was told you were in charge of the nurses. Your assessment?”

I straighten my shoulders, “I think that cough is an infection. She’s going to need medicine for it – even treatment if it’s as persistent as I think it is.”

“Good,” Arbroth murmurs, his eyes still on the notes. “And can we provide that kind of treatment here?”

I blink at her because…I mean. She should know the answer to that question if she took this post. So why is she asking me?

“Doctor?” I turn when I hear Cole’s voice just on the other side of the desk. He looks between Arbroth and me. “Do you have orders?”

I glance down at the doctor, waiting for her to give Cole his orders, but she doesn’t say a thing – instead keeping his eyes fixed on the computer.

After a second of waiting, I realize what’s happening and lift my chin, hiding a smile as I look Cole in the eye. He stands straighter with surprise as he turns his attention to me.

“The smaller of the two patients is going to need transport,” I say, soft but assured. Cole’s eyebrows raise. “She needs to go to a major medical facility. There’s a broken wrist and a chest infection that are both beyond our capacity. And I doubt she’ll go without her sister, so you may as well arrange for two.”

Cole blinks at me for a second, just staring. Then he shakes himself out of it, glancing at the doctor for a second. She keeps her eyes fixed on the computer, starting to type something else.

Cole smirks, looking me up and down with a satisfied expression that makes me set my shoulders back. “All right, Nadia. How fast?”

I smirk right back, quite liking this whole command thing. “How fast can you make it happen?”

Chapter 17 – Extended Care

Nadia

“We can airlift them if it’s medically necessary,” Cole says, glancing over at the two women still being attended to by Grace. “But that would make our location obvious to the Children of Solace, which is not preferred. If they’ll survive the wait, I can get a medical transport here…probably by dawn.”

“I’d shoot for that,” the doctor says, straightening up and folding her hands behind her back. “They’ll be fine, and there may be others on their way.” She turns her eyes to me. “We may be facing a busy night with no sleep, nurse. Are you prepared for that?”

My mouth spreads into a smile. “Yes,” I say, nodding once, knowing that our preparation all afternoon is paying off. “Yes, yes we are.”

“Good,” Cole says, sharp and definitive, starting to turn away. “Consider it done.”

I grin, watching him go as the doctor pulls a prescription pad from her pocket, starting to write something out. I turn to her as she presses the script into my hand. “For her pain,” she murmurs, tilting her head towards Jade.