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“That was fast.” She gave a nervous laugh. “What did…”
“Hello, Amata.” A soft baritone spoke behind her. “Are you okay?”
Amata spun around and her eyes widened when she saw Jordyn’s brother-in-law, Raiden, behind her.
“Aaaand… there he is. He’ll explain what he can do. Call me later when you get a chance.” Jordyn disconnected their call.
Amata put a hand to her chest. “Oh, my Goddess. How did you get here so fast?” Over the last few months, she’d experienced Raiden’s and his brother’s extensive psychic abilities, but she never realized he could appear and disappear like that in a place he couldn’t be familiar with.
She looked around to see if anyone noticed him. “Aren’t you afraid someone will see you like that?”
Raiden scratched his temple and pulled his platinum hair behind his slightly pointed ear. His eyes were larger than a normal human’s, with an exotic display of dual-colored irises of brilliant gold surrounded by a sea of turquoise nestled around iridescent pupils. Even with those differences, he looked so much like his grandmother, Queen Asta. Every time she saw him, he reminded her of one of her best friends who’d died so long ago.
“No, I made sure everyone else will see me as a normal human.”
His sheepish grin made her smile.
“And, believe it or not, we have Transkip mirrors in every major city in America.” He shrugged. “Once I came to the one here in Atlanta, it was easy enough to teleport from there to here. Good thing I’ve been to this hospital before.” He put a gentle hand on her elbow and guided her to a set of chairs. “Now, tell me what happened.”
His steady gaze wasn’t the least invasive. It gave Amata a sense of calm. No doubt Jordyn briefed Raiden. She was just grateful the man didn’t scan her mind to get the answers. She’d rather tell him. The explanation came out in a rush. “I had just come back from a going-away party the other writers had for me when…”
She spilled everything. Well, except for her reaction when she first saw Claude. Her feelings about him weren’t any of Raiden’s business.
Taking a deep breath, she wrapped up the story. “He was in such terrible shape when we got here, but the doctors won’t tell me how he’s doing because I’m not family.” Tears gathered as she grasped his folded hands. “I’m going out of my mind. Can you at least find out how he’s doing?”
Raiden gave her a serene smile and patted her hands before standing. “Stay here, and I’ll be right back.”
As if he didn’t have a care in the world, Raiden put his hands behind his back and leisurely strolled to the man behind the nurse’s counter. After a few words, he gave the nurse a nod and sauntered through the automatic double doors they’d wheeled Claude through. She jumped out of her chair and bit her lip as she paced. When the swish of the automatic doors sounded again, she rushed to them.
Raiden came out with his eyebrows pulled close and down, making his forehead crease. He’d been watching the floor, and as she got close, he looked up.
It hurt to see the concern in his expressive eyes. She pressed her trembling fingers to her lips. “Oh, my Goddess. Is he…?” It was hard to get the words out as her throat closed.
Raiden put a comforting arm on her shoulder and shook his head. “No, right now, he’s still alive, but in critical condition. The bullet nicked the edge of his heart, and they can’t get in fast enough to repair it. I’m afraid the doctors are losing him.”
Stabbing agony took over, squeezing everything inside her down. She closed her eyes as a heavy wail threatened to spring free.
“Amata.”
Her eyes popped open when Raiden gripped her upper arms.
“I have an idea that might save him.”
“What?” She squeezed one of his hands. “Anything! Just save him!” She sobbed, tears running.
Raiden pulled her into a hug and petted the back of her head.
“I’d like to take him to my mother. Who, you know, is not only a renowned surgeon but is also a biochemist and geneticist. I’m hoping she can help him.”
“You’d have Queen Inanna come here?” She glanced around and couldn’t imagine Inanna working around all these humans. The queen had to have access to more-advanced medical equipment than what was here. Either on the hidden moon city of Azadi or Akurn itself.
“No, I’d take him to our spaceship, the Zikia, which is hidden in the Himalayas. Mother has maintained up-to-date equipment there, driven by her tireless pursuit of saving my father from his downward spiral before his brothers showed up and saved him. I’ve already contacted my brothers to come and help us here. They’ll wipe everybody’s memory of him, as well as those at the police department. We’ll expunge the records of this incident at the same time.”
Amata cocked her head to the side. “What should we do about Marjoy? We can’t allow her to be out on her own. I feel she acted like that because she couldn’t take the initial mind wipe done to the population. Will you guys look at that?”
Raiden nodded. “That is an excellent idea. However, if that reaction was normal for her, we’ll have to make other arrangements.”
Amata wiped her wet face with her palms. Going to one of the end tables, she took a tissue and blew her nose. Throwing her shoulders back, she clutched the soggy tissue and faced Raiden. “Do whatever you have to do.”
