Page 43 of For the Strange and Surprising

I hear what he says, but his tone sounds perplexed. Something I said doesn’t make sense to him, though I can’t tell if it’s the not noticing part or the not stinging part. I’m genuinely conflicted by the rate at which I healed, so I sympathize with his confusion.

He motions for me to follow him into another exam room, and I find myself being nosy. I try to peer over his shoulder, but I can’t see much. It dawns on me that there’s a significant height difference between us. I’m five-foot-three, so he has to be a good ten inches taller than me.

Everyone I’ve met has been taller than me, except Rinya.

When he moves to another cabinet, he leaves the previous one open. I peek inside, but none of its contents means anything to me. The only label I recognize is the crab berry milk. And it still faintly reminds me of urine, though I decide on the spot to start thinking of it as lemonade.

The main door to the clinic is opened harshly, and Imryll’s brows draw together. I trail behind him as he strides down the hall and into the waiting area. I linger near the wall to stay out of the way because I’m unsure if this is an emergency or some other kind of visit.

A man sits in the chair with his left leg extended. From knee to thigh, his pants are ripped. Blood seeps through the ragged fabric, dripping onto the floor. He grimaces when he tries to stand, and Imryll rushes over to help him to his feet.

“I was attacked,” he says as a greeting. “It’s just my leg, though.”

“Where were you when it happened?”

“Probably closer to the Shades’ border than I should have been.”

The man grins at me as they pass, like he’s trying to assure me that he’s okay. I don’t buy it. All he manages to do is set my teeth on edge.

Just my fucking leg? Is he serious?

The biggest issue I have with that isn’t really whether or not he’s serious. It’s why he says it so flippantly, as if it doesn’t matter, but he also doesn’t care about the dangers of his newest achievement.

No. That’s bullshit.

How long have these attacks been happening for the Mongrels to become so complacent?

14

Imryll

Having Ada join me as I go through my daily routine feels odd, but I like it. If anyone else followed me, I think I would have grown aggravated at this point. She’s observant, curious, and quiet, which doesn’t entirely fit what I know of her.

I want to learn more about her, though having a patient in the exam room causes me to hold my tongue. She won’t give me in-depth answers while we have company. I wouldn’t ask that of her either.

After putting the man on the table, I carefully swing his legs around. The wound on his left thigh is bleeding, but it doesn’t appear to be deep. I grab a cloth and the bowl of water on the counter before turning my attention back to my patient.

He doesn’t acknowledge me; he’s too focused on Ada. She hovers in the doorway, cautiously watching him as if he might jump up and bite her. When she feels my gaze, she gives me a questioning look.

“Should I go?”

“No,” I respond, nodding my head toward the cabinet. “Would you mind getting a wrap from that drawer on the end, please?”

The man hisses under his breath when I start cleaning around his wound. I can’t imagine why it would sting. I’m gentle, and there’s only water soaking the rag. I recognize him as a guard, so I know his threshold for pain isn’t low.

His injury is superficial, which makes me believe that he’s lying about how he got it. I don’t understand why he would lie about it, but I start listening more intently. I’m too in tune with my water element not to trust my own intuition.

“What’s your name?” I ask, gauging his tone and body language.

“Pavelo Blackwater, and you’re Dr. Stoneheart, right? I’ve been fortunate not to be in the clinic much, so I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you or your assistant until today.”

He barely casts me a glance as Ada gives him a wide berth. She brings the bandage to me, but she doesn’t look at him or correct his assumption of why she’s here. Instead, she purses her lips at me as her cheeks round.

“Would you like me to fetch the crab berry milk, doctor?”

I raise a curious brow, but she shakes her head imperceptibly.

“You can grab it,” I say before mumbling, “Though I suspect he’ll be fine after he’s bandaged up.”