Page 37 of Change

Chapter Seven

Bianca

Observation

“Here you go.” The perky brunette nurse pointed into the small examination room with a yellow-painted finger. “Dr. Kohler will be down to see you in a moment. She’s finishing a rotation on the other end of the hospital.”

Then, and not for the first time since the nurse had called my name from the waiting room, she shot the dragon and necromancer a dirty look as they slipped past her. They’d followed me, at my insistence, but we left Bryce behind.

“Why are you…” she began, tone wary as she regarded Julian in suspicion.

“I’m not working today,” Julian replied, squeezing my hand. “I’m here for moral support.”

“Okay…” Her reply was slow, tone doubtful, and her eyebrow raised as she warily looked between the two of us. Titus moved to the other end of the small room—back against the wall near the wall-mounted computer—and crossed his arms. It was obvious that he had no intention to move anytime soon.

Meanwhile, Julian ignored her and led me to the pink examination table. He frowned at the gown draped over the edge.

I hadn’t noticed it at first, but once Julian focused on the garment, I couldn’t look away.

My palms began to sweat. I’d been locked away the last time I’d worn one of those, not to mention that dressing in a dressing gown meant that there was some kind of exam expected.

Titus stepped forward, snatched the item from the seat before throwing it into the trash, then resumed his previous position. A rather dramatic reaction, considering they probably just bleached the crap out of these gowns and reused them between patients, but the sentimentality was still quite touching.

It was enough to cause my rising panic to fade, in any case.

“She’s not going to have an examination today,” he said.

The nurse glanced at her chart and raised her eyebrow. Her hoop earrings jingled in the movement. “This is the emergency room, if she’s not going to be seen, then—”

“Just let it go.” Julian crossed his arms, moving between us. “It’ll be explained better when my mother gets here.”

She sighed, and as I pressed my cheek against Julian’s arm to peek around him, I glimpsed her dark ponytail bouncing behind her as she moved to leave.

“Just get comfortable,” she told me, pointedly no longer looking at the two men. “And if you needanythingat all, ask for me: my name is Catalina.” She pointed at her nametag—bright white against her hot pink scrubs. “Just make sure you don’t let their status intimidate you, insomespaces, that sort of thing does not matter.Someof us still take our jobs seriously.”

My heart was beating wildly at her statement, but she’d already slipped from the room and closed the door by the time I could even think of a response.

Instead, I looked to Julian, who was still watching the door after her with a raised brow and pulled on his sleeve.

“What did she mean?”

“She probably thinks we’re pressuring you to let us stay.” Julian shrugged. “And that we have no business being here.”

“Technicallywe don’t,” Titus pointed out. “But it’sCatalina. I’m sure she suspects something. Did you see the way she was looking at her?”

“Miles should talk to her about Bianca soon; she’ll figure it out eventually anyway,” Julian replied. “If she thinks we’re hurting her, she’s not going to let up.”

“What’s that?” My pulse raced. Why would she think they were hurting me?

“What you see here is a nurse—and a witch—who isactuallydoing their job for once,” Titus answered. “She’s also not easily intimidated. It’s a good trait; she’s clearly on your side—as a patient—even if it means questioning us.”

But why wasn’t she intimidated by them? Since most people I’d seen thus far had been, I couldn’t help but wonder, “Is there a reason she’s not scared of you?”

“She’s an officer. Her name is Catalina Garcia, and she’s Miles’s Tongjun,” Julian explained, leading me to the seat. “She’s ambitious, but quiet.”

Tongjun…

I sat down, feet dangling over the edge of the chair, as I chewed the inside of my cheek and mused over this.