Page 37 of Star-Crossed Captive
She embraced her anger instead, the injustice of it all, even as her hand itched to touch her PALM and order a suppressant to calm her. Mace had taken away her choices, taken away everything. It felt good to get herself worked up, to block all the other uninvited emotions.
When he stepped out of the washroom, she jumped to her feet to confront him.
“Why do I need to ask you about the prosthetic?” It didn’t make sense. She should have been able to order it through the med bay, but no one allowed it, not even Kessy who’d turned out to be sensible.
After a hesitation, he stepped around her. “What do you need?” he asked over his shoulder, heading toward the refrigeration unit.
Her ire deflated at his question. After encountering so many obstacles yesterday about it, all he asked waswhat do you need?
Licking her lips, she rattled off the specs for the prosthetic she wanted for Kilian and watched as he ran his fingers over his vambrace like he was ordering it right then and there.
When she fell silent, he raised his eyebrows. “That’s it?”
She nodded once.
“I’ll find it.” He sat to eat his meal.
Nia remained in the middle of the room, staring. Her conflicted emotions continued to tumble inside her, making it hard to concentrate.
He pointed at her uneaten rations. “You going to finish?”
She shook her head, face heating. “I don’t want to make myself sick.” But really, she didn’t want to sit across from him, didn’t want to act civil when all she wanted to do was scream at the absurd nightmare she’d found herself trapped in.
His eyes narrowed on her, then after a hesitation, he scooped all the remains off the table and took them to reclamation.
They left his quarters in the same way they had in previous days, her hands bound, and walked in silence to the med bay. Nia stopped short when she noticed a new addition to the room, a blond warrior who introduced himself as Elec and spoke to Mace with deference before her warder left.
She stared at the young man, realizing he was only there for her.I’ve turned the med bay into a prison for everyone.She couldn’t decide if she were mad at Mace for the added security, or if it was thoughtful of him to care about her safety.
Her brain struggling with contrary emotions, Nia moved to Kilian’s bedside. Kessy ran a scanner over the unconscious boy’s head, torso, and leg. “He’s doing remarkably well,” she said with a smile, tucking a lock of brown hair behind her ear. “No complications overnight.”
Nia returned the smile, liking the other woman’s enthusiasm. “That’s great news.”
“Should we wake him?” Kessy asked. “I was waiting for you.”
Glancing around the bay, Nia noted all the patients were being attended to, and the teenagers who’d arrived yesterday with Kilian looked to be recovering nicely with an adult each at their bedsides. She ignored the hostile looks Mayra and Faas sent her way.
Nia nodded at Kessy. “Let’s do it.”
The medic pressed a dermal syringe to Kilian’s neck while Nia raised the head of the bed.
Kilian’s forehead crinkled first, then his eyelids opened. The boy saw them both, jerked upright, and tried to scramble off the bed. There was as jumble of words in a language Nia didn’t understand before he asked in Common, “Where’s my dad?”
Nia laid a gentle hand on his shoulder, nudging him against the built-in pillow of the med bed. “It’s okay. You’re okay. Lie down a moment.”
He stared at Nia’s bonds and thrust her hands away from him. “No! Don’t touch me. You’re CORE. I’m not supposed to be around anyone CORE. They should all get thrown out an airlock.” His accented words turned into deep sobs.
Heart pounding, Nia stepped back. Elec moved toward them, but she gave him one shake of her head and he returned to his post next to the door. Kessy tried to calm the boy with hushes and gentle hands.
Nia didn’t know what to do. Kilian hated her on sight. How was she supposed to be his physician?
“Where’s my dad?” he asked again when his sobs subsided.
Nia remained where she stood, arms by her sides. “Kessy, could you see if you can find Kilian’s father, please?”
Kessy hesitated, then nodded before heading to the wall terminal.
The boy stared at his amputated leg, eyes refilling with tears. “I’m a freak.”
