章節 25: Chapter Twenty-Five

Days have passed with no reprieve in sight. All of us in the medical tent were exhausted, our hands stained in blood as we treated as many as we could. It got to a point when we had to tell them that we could only treat the most severe injuries for now. I sighed and wiped the sweat from my brow with my forearm, not wanting to touch my face with my hands. I've only managed to get a few hours of sleep here and there as we all took mini shifts in an attempt to avoid fainting from exhaustion. Minnow was currently curled up in the corner trying to get some form of rest. I look at her still form, longing to close my eyes like her for even a few minutes.

The man whom I had been sewing the arm of groaned in pain. Shit, the painkillers must be wearing off. I make quick work of finishing the stitching and bandage up the arm. Leaving him for someone else to move, I go to the next table and begin examining a woman who looks like he had her skull crushed in. Marvin was already standing beside her, a detached look on his face. The woman barely made a sound as he inspected the wound, her breath coming shallow and ragged.

Marvin's features shifted to a grim mask as he looked at me. "Hand me the sedatives. All we can do for her is to make her last moments painless." I grit my teeth as I hand him the bottle of heavy sedatives from the cart next to the table, hating the fact that he was right.

Death was something you had to come to terms with as a healer. You can't save everyone. I have to keep reminding myself of that. It doesn't make the anguish any better, but looking at the calm that takes over the woman's features as Marvin puts a few drops of the brown liquid on her tongue does make it easier to believe that we're doing something. Her face is so soaked in blood that I can't even tell what would be salvageable if we tried to save her. Marvin turns away from her and looks at me. His hand comes to rest on my shoulder as he tries to pull me away.

"C'mon. There's more ta' tend to. Lingerin' won't help none."

I let him walk me to the next table where another man was lying on his stomach with a deep gash spreading across the back of his shoulder. I grimace, seeing bone through all of the blood. Marvin and I work quickly together, doing what we can to mend the damage and try to salvage the use of this man's arm.

As we're putting the bandages on, the cacophony of noise that has filled the tent quiets for just a moment. Even the moans and groans of pain seem to die down. I look up and see why everyone has fallen silent. Everyone in the tent has their attention held captive by an imposing form that stands at the entrance of the tent.

His size fills up most of the opening, his helmet grazing the top of the tent. The armor he wears is as black as the darkest night. He has a knight draped over his wide shoulders, blood dripping from the man. Looking at the form, I vaguely recognize the dirty blonde hair that's almost soaked in blood and grime. Wellsworth?

The armor-clad man seems to be looking around the space, his head turning back and forth. I can't see his face, but when his head turns in my direction I can tell he's looking right at me. My hands start to shake and I feel like I'm going to be sick. I've never been so intimidated in my life, and I can't even see this man's eyes!

The figure stalks to an empty table and puts Wellsworth down with all the tenderness of a mother hen. Then, he looks back at me and points in my direction. My heart stutters in my chest and I can feel the cold sweat running down my spine. The hand that points in my direction then points down to Wellsworth, beckoning me to come to him.

I want to breathe a sigh of relief that he only wants me to help someone, but my chest tightens further as I slowly walk to the table. When I'm only a few feet away, I force myself to tear my gaze from the terrifying man who stands before me to where Wellsworth lies unmoving on the table.

What I see is not good. His once-tanned skin has taken on a deathly pale pallor. His armor is covered in blood, making it reflect with a copper tone. I can't tell how much of it is his or those he's been slaughtering for the past few days. I swallow, trying to soothe my now bone-dry throat.

The knight standing on the other side of the table shifts and leans forward. His proximity makes my heart kick into overdrive, a strange tightness pulling at my chest. Looking up, I can barely see the shine of red eyes behind the faceplate of his helmet. I can't even breathe as I stare at him.

Then, with what sounds like great strain, he speaks. "Heal him." With those two simple words, the knight backs away and crosses his arms over his chest, staring me down. My stomach flips, relishing in how deep his voice is. The rumble of it spreading through my chest makes my mind go blank.

Wellsworth groaning in pain pulls my attention back to the task at hand. I take a deep breath and call over Marvin to help with removing his armor. He rushes over, skin paler than normal as he tries to stay as far away from the black-clad knight that stands over us. Once Wellsworth is free of his vestiges, I take in the sight sitting before me. His stomach has all but been torn open. How did that happen with his armor...?

No, that is a question for later. I shake my head to clear away the distracting thoughts and quickly put my hands to work. Grabbing a fresh towel, I try to clean as much of the blood away as possible, but it's a futile task. The pressure of my hands on the wound causes Wellsworth to all but scream in agony.

I look up at Marvin, his face now a mask of detachment and cold analysis. "Get the sedative, please," I ask.