Page 54 of Stars May Burn

I felt anything but lucky. I tried to open my eyes again, but my lids were too heavy, so I fought in silence, refusing to give in to the pain, keeping my mind moving, willing my heart to beat so I could return to Sophie and keep her safe.

I vaguely registered a carriage. More voices. Rough hands on my wounds. Pain.

Blackness again.

Hands. A cup to my lips. Choking on bitter fluid. Swinging back and forth in a stretcher, every part of me in agony.

Another carriage. An eternity.

Then Sophie’s alarmed voice. Her touch on my arm.

Was I hallucinating? But the touch didn’t leave. I could hear her crying as she sobbed my name.

I wanted to reach out and tell her not to be sad for my sake, but I couldn’t move.

I’d never meant to make her cry.

Then her voice became purposeful as I heard her talking to another, and I felt myself lying on a soft mattress.

Sophie wasn’t crying anymore. She was here with me. She was safe.

I’d made it home.

Blackness.

SOPHIE

Ipressed myself against the wall of Kasten’s bedroom, my heart thumping in my chest as chaos erupted around me in raised voices and innumerable servants. I’d thought I was ready for this, but seeing Kasten limp and bleeding from such terrifying injuries caused my mind to freeze with panic.

“His temperature has risen, and his breathing is irregular.” Physician Jones spoke to his aid as he hung his stethoscope back around his neck. Servants hurried into the room with more bowls of boiled water, fresh sheets, and bags of salt. “His lungs are clear, so I suspect it’s pain related. The valerian isn’t touching it. I’m concerned his pain levels are still rising. It might be peritonitis. The arrow shaft may have even left shards inside him.”

The aid nodded as he rolled up his jacket sleeves. “I’ll mix up higher concentrations of opioids and increase the other sedatives too. Shall I get Physician Harris?”

He shook his head. “Not yet. She’s needed with the other troops. There’re already too many injured soldiers for us both, and she needs to limit fatalities in the infirmary. The other physicians are too junior. When he’s stable, we’ll operate on this shoulder together, but he must survive this first. There’s no sign of damage to his organs, but we may need to flush his wound and abdomen.”

The aid turned and unclicked a leather box full of glass vials with powders and liquids. The sharp scent of alcohol accosted my nose, mixing with the iron stench of blood. “I’ll mix the analgesic and sedative.”

I licked my lips. Kasten was dying. I had to be brave even after what had happened with Frederick.

But what if I got in the way and made the situation worse?

I heard Frederick’s voice, harsh with pain. ‘This is all your fault! You’ve poisoned me!’

I closed my eyes and was paralyzed for a heartbeat before I willed Frederick’s voice to fade. I would never forgive myself if I didn’t try.

I stepped up to the physician who was cutting away the remains of Kasten’s bloodied shirt. My husband was completely unconscious, but his chest moved in jagged movements with each breath, the muscles of his abdomen sucking in. Physician Harris glanced at me without pausing. “You may hold his hand if you wish but keep clear of his wounds.”

I cleared my throat. “I have felixleaf available. I grew it, and I know how to prepare it. It’s very potent at killing infections. Also, I have bigsweed root and birdsfoot already prepared.”

He frowned up at me as if noticing my presence for the first time. “You’re certain it’s felixleaf? It has to be prepared when freshly harvested and used at once or it won’t work. You can’t preserve it.”

I nodded, glad he was familiar with the rare drug. “That’s why I have it. I assumed you wouldn’t have access to it.”

He assessed me for a moment longer. “Make a 1:20 solution with sterile water and bring it as soon as you can. What concentration is the birdsfoot?”

My confidence grew. “1:4. I’ve already mixed it with a preservative.”

He nodded. “Once you’ve made the felixleaf, give it to me and I’ll administer it. It may be what stops him from going septic. Then mix the birdsfoot in five liters of boiled water and add one percent iodine and thirty grams of salt. We’ll use it to flush out the abdomen.”

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