Page 19 of Claimed By Brothers

“But Lorra is definitely running a high fever compared to her brothers,” Cynthia tells me, her gaze wandering up and down the girl’s feeble body. “And these spots… blood is pooling underneath the skin, isn’t it?”

“Yes,” I reply.

After a closer examination, Cynthia starts asking for instruments. “It’s probably going to hurt a little, but I need to draw some blood from one of these spots and compare it to yours,” she tells Maur and Kai. “Just so I can understand the similarities and the differences. Do you have any medical equipment at all? A microscope?”

“Microscope?” Kai asks, understandably confused.

“Do your people ever analyze blood under a lens? A magnifying lens that is,” Cynthia clarifies.

“We have something in the medical house on the north edge of the town,” Kai says. “We can bring you all the equipment we managed to gather there for you to use with Lorra. Maur can help you use some of it. We picked up what we could from our medicine woman before the plague took her, as well.”

“Do you have any literature about this plague? Surely, your brightest minds must have studied it to the best of their capacity,” Cynthia asks.

“We can bring you some books, too,” Maur concedes.

“All right. I’ll do a full examination then, and once I have a better understanding of this disease and how it affects the Sunna women’s system, I may be able to offer some insights,” she says. “But I do need to take a good, close look at the blood.”

It requires about an hour, but she is able to gather some blood samples and run them through the medical equipment Maur and Kai bring over. I am impressed with her patience and dedication. It will take more time, however, since Cynthia doesn’t even know enough about our biology to immediately draw accurate conclusions regarding the plague. After some counseling outside Lorra’s house, Izzo and I agree with the Hadana twins on one thing—Cynthia needs to stay here for much longer than we originally anticipated if she is to do her job properly.

“She’s not going to like it,” Izzo warns me.

“I know.” I go back into the house and pull Cynthia aside while Maur and Kai sit with their sister.

“What’s going on?” Cynthia asks me. “You’ve got a funny look.”

“I need you to stay here until tomorrow, at least.”

“Why?”

“Well, it’s clearly taking longer for you to examine Lorra and the plague,” I say calmly. “I don’t see the point in moving you back and forth across the river every day for this.” I look into her eyes reassuringly. “Cynthia, you are safe here, and you will be well taken care of, I promise.”

“You are not leaving me here with those two,” she hisses, pointing a furious thumb back at the Hadana twins. She’s way more resistant to the bond than Amber. “I need to be with my friends.”

“Please, help us. And we will do our best to help you.”

“Can you get us back to Earth?”

That’s a hard question. The answer itself is easy, but she’s not ready to cope with it. “I cannot promise you that, but I can promise you we will make sure your life here is worth everything you’re going through right now.”

“I need to go home,” Cynthia says. “This isn’t fair. I told you I can’t help you heal this fucking thing!”

“You are frustrated, and I wholly understand,” I reply. “But I cannot make promises I know I may not be able to keep in these circumstances. Please appreciate my honesty and extend this courtesy to us. I am certain I’ve already proven that you can trust us, Cynthia.”

She thinks about it for a moment, her eyes darting all over the room before she curses under her breath. “Fucking hell. Fine, I’ll stay. One night. That’s it. You hear me?”

“Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet. I don’t know how I can help Lorra. In her current condition, she needs fluids. Water. Clean water. And cold compresses to keep her temperature down. I don’t suppose you have ice anywhere in this world.”

I sigh deeply. “Only far north and far south. The black ice of the world’s edges, as we call it. But it would take a long time to haul some back here.”

“At least the shade is helping,” she says. “But bringing her temperature down would be a small victory.”

“Again, I can only thank you for your kindness and your patience, Cynthia.”

“I’ll do what I can,” she grumbles and turns away, choosing to sit beside Lorra while her brothers walk over to me with wondering eyes.

Kai and Maur join Izzo and me outside for one last chat before we return to our side of the river. We agree that Cynthia is in their care for the time being, and the brothers assure me she will have her own bed in Lorra’s house. They will keep their distance and treat her with the utmost respect. Bond or not, what’s left of our families must be protected at all costs.

---