Page 83 of The Witch’s Daughter

The healers led me into the partition where they’d set Calla up on a crisp white cot, though I think that had less to do with my comfort and more to appease the bossy wolves who snapped at everyone besides me.

“Is she all right?” I asked the older healing warlock who seemed to be in charge. A skinny, tall man with deep circles under his eyes.

“She’s sleeping now, and I can’t detect any permanent damage,” he said.

“I’ll sit with her until she wakes up.”

“That’d be good.” His gaze lingered on me, and then Calla, a few moments longer. I waited for him to say what he was holding back, but he left, closing the curtain behind him.

Calla’s wolves climbed up onto the cot, circling and nudging each other as they got themselves comfortable on top of her legs.

I scooted the single wood chair closer to her bedside and sat, just as Calla reached out to grab my hand.

“Why is everyone scaring me today?” I placed my free hand over my heart and willed it to slow down, seeing Calla’s eyes open wide. “How do you feel?”

“Are they gone?” she whispered.

I tapped my ear, then motioned my finger in a circle.

Calla nodded. “I need something to drink.”

I helped her to the canteen set on the bedside table, sniffing it first because I’d already been drugged once today.

“What is this place?” she asked after she’d taken a few sips of water.

“They’ve got you in some kind of infirmary tent,” I said. “It’s… in the middle of the camp here. A big camp. Lots of tents.”

Calla didn’t seem surprised to hear that. “Is Jaxon here too?”

Say his name again. My wolf growled and Calla’s wolves raised their heads to look at me.

“Why would he be here?” I blurted out before this became a whole thing.

“He got in a fight with Vincent.” Calla pushed herself up onto her elbows. “His skin… It was burned… There was lightning. Trish, stop!” she rushed to say. “Don’t do anything stupid. He’s a powerful Alpha. He’ll be okay.”

I was already halfway to the curtain, trying to contain my wolf who was ready to break free from my skin and rush to her… mate.

Oh, fate.

“I have to see him,” I said.

“And leave me alone here after everything I did to get to you,” she scoffed. To anyone else, it would’ve sounded like sarcasm.

But I knew Calla.

Even if I’d thought I didn’t anymore. Once upon a time, we’d been friends. Good ones.

“We can’t have that. Whatever would you do without me?” I bit right back, moving to sit down on the chair again.

“He’s fine,” Calla mouthed the words, touching my hand for a brief moment to offer comfort, before she rolled her eyes. “I knew we were supposed to be gearing up for war, but are they planning to starve us to death too? And would it kill someone to get me a bigger bed?”

The healers rushed in upon hearing Calla’s demands, and, go figure, she got a clean bill of health.

“She can stay with me,” I told them. “I’ll take her to my tent.”

“We need to ask Vincent….”

Her wolves growled.